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Welcome, Dr. Piker!

Happy Fall, CSD Students!
 
It is a season of change in the valley as the Blue Ridge mountains transform to a sea of warm orange and gold. With this season of change has come new faculty members to enhance our already distinguished/impressive CSD department.Dr. Piker is a new Audiology professor here at James Madison University! While she remains unbeknownst to the undergraduates this semester, the juniors will be seeing her next semester in CSD 318 Aural Rehabilitation.

Originally from Virginia, Dr. Piker is excited to be back in her home state after having the opportunity to experience different areas of the country! She received her Bachelor's degree at William and Mary in linguistics and psychology and then decided to take a year off. In that time, she discovered the option of an Audiology career and decided to take the knowledge she gained and utilize it to learn more about the inner ear and the neurology of the auditory system. Choosing to experience a new place, Dr. Piker moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she attended Vanderbilt for her Doctoral of Audiology.  Her fascination for the vestibular system inspired her to conduct research at Vanderbilt and consequently earn her Ph.D. This was the beginning of her career as a Researcher of Audiology! After receiving her Ph.D., she moved to North Carolina for a position as a researcher and clinician at Duke University.  In this position, she was exposed to teaching as students from University of North Carolina's program came to her clinic for student clinic hours. It was there that she realized her passion for imparting knowledge on the central auditory system to others. This year, Dr. Piker set out to search for a balance between research, clinic, and teaching and she found it at, none other than our very own, James Madison University! Here at JMU, she is the Director of the Vestibular Sciences Lab, a professor for the Au.D. Program, and a professor for the CSD Undergraduates .  Her research consists of analyzing and improving diagnostic assessments for patients who suffer from problems with their equilibrium.

Not only has this year been an exciting one for her professional career, but she was also blessed with a baby girl! She and her family are looking forward to enjoying the mountains and all of the fall festivities offered in the Shenandoah Valley.
 
We are so excited to have you as part of the faculty at James Madison University, Dr. Piker. Welcome!

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