2026 CFF FELLOWSHIP LECTURE: Impact Beyond the Research Lab: Scaling Digital Health Innovations

At this year’s Center for Families Fellowship Lecture, Oliver Wendt, PhD, F-ASHA, 2012 Kontos Faculty Fellow and Kontos Faculty Scholar of CFF, will share his journey translating technology-based intervention research into commercially viable digital health tools for autistic learners and their families.

Dr. Wendt’s research focuses on the acquisition of speech, language, and social communication in minimally speaking individuals with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities through augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). His lecture will explore how this research led to the development of the SPEAK*** app suite of award-winning AAC solutions and the process of translating these innovations from the research lab into digital health technologies for a global use. He will highlight the creation of SPEAK MODalities, LLC, and SPEAK Abilities, LLP, as examples of how university research can be translated into scalable products and services that directly benefit individuals, families, and professionals beyond the academic setting.

The CFF Fellowship Lecture Series is free and open to the public.

Space is limited, so registration is required.

Lunch will be provided to those registered.