Hi. I'm Dr. Kristi Buckley, and I'll be your instructor for this course, "Introduction to Hearing Science." In this class, we're going to learn about sound-- the terminology we use to describe sound, what sound is, and how we perceive it. 

For example, how do you know, if you close your eyes, where a sound is coming from? How do you know that it's coming from your right or your left? What are the cues you use to determine that with your eyes closed? How does changing the shape of your vocal track affect the sound that's coming out of your mouth? These are some of the questions we're going to take a look at this semester. 

Understanding what sound is, the physics of the sound, and how we perceive sound helps us to understand what our patients are perceiving, what they're hearing, as well as what they're producing. If there are nodules on the vocal folds, that affects how our voice sounds. And we need to understand how that change in the sound affects not only what our patient is producing, but also what other people are perceiving in it. 

So understanding what sound is-- the physical properties and how the creation of sound changes with different sound sources-- is important for helping our patients both produce speech and understand it. By the end of the semester, you'll understand the terminology used to describe sound, the relationship between the physical properties of sound and how we perceive it. Just a clue-- they don't always match. 

I have a passion for sound and for individuals with communication difficulties. I enjoy helping them and I enjoy sharing that passion with others. I look forward to working with you for this semester, and don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.