Research

Peer Reviewed Articles

Speights, M^c., MacAuslan, J., & Boyce, S. (2024). Computer-assisted syllable analysis of continuous speech as a measure of child speech disorder. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 156(2), 1171-1182.

Speights, M., Jones, M. K. ^s, & Roberts, M. Y.^c (2024). Recommendations for Speech and Language Screenings: Lack of Evidence Should Not Endorse Lack of Action. JAMA, 331(4), 292-293.

Roberts, M.Y^c., Sone, B., Jones, M., Standley, S., Conner, T., Lee, E.D., Norton, E., Roman, J., Speights. M., Young, R., & Weisleder, A. (2023). What the Evidence Does (and Does Not) Show for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Child Development Milestones: An Illustrative Example Using Expressive Vocabulary. Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research, 1-11, https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00020

Lau, J. C. Y., Losh, M.^SC, & Speights, M.^sc (2023). Differences in speech articulatory timing and associations with pragmatic language ability in autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 102, 102118.

Suthar, K. S^s, Yousefi Zowj, F. S^s, Speights Atkins, M.,^SC & He, Q. P. ^SC (2022). Feature engineering and machine learning for computer-assisted screening of children with speech disorders. PLOS Digital Health, 1(5), e0000041.

Speights Atkins, M.^c, Bailey, D. J., Seals, C.D. (2022). Implementation of an automated grading tool for phonetic transcription training. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics

Bailey, D.J., Speights Atkins, M., Li, S. ^s, Luan, Y. ^s, Mishra, I. s, Seals, C. D., (2021) An automated clinical tool for comparing phonetic transcriptions, Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2021.1896783

Speights Atkins, M.^c, Allison, L. H ^s., & Sandage, M. J. (2021). Enhanced mentored undergraduate research experiences: successful strategies used in two laboratories at auburn university. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 1-14.

Speights Atkins, M^.c, Bailey, D. J., Boyce, S.E. (2020). Speech exemplar and evaluation database (SEED) for clinical training in articulatory phonetics and speech science. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2020.1743761

Speights Atkins, M.^c, Seals, C., Bailey, D. J. (2019) At the intersection of applied sciences: Integrated learning models in computer science and software engineering and communication disorders. Science Education and Civic Engagement: An International Journal, 11(1), 37-43.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science Distinguished Book Series

Liu, J.,s Speights, M., Bailey, D., Li, S., Luan, Y.s., Mishra, I.s, … & Seals, C. (2021, July). Optimization to Automated Phonetic Transcription Grading Tool (APTgt) – Automatic Exam Generator. In: Zaphiris P., Ioannou A. (eds) Learning and Collaboration Technologies: New Challenges and Learning Experiences. HCII 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 12784. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77889-7_6

Li, S.s Speights Atkins, M., Bailey, D., Jueting, L.s,Cao, Y.s, Bassey, R. s (2020). Applied webservices platform supported through modified edit distance algorithm: automated phonetic transcription grading tool (APTgt). In: Zaphiris P., Ioannou A. (eds) Learning and Collaboration Technologies. Designing, Developing and Deploying Learning Experiences. HCII 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 12205. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50513-4_29

Lay Papers

Shrivastava, V., Speights, M., Pathak, A. (2025). Can you hear me now? Fixing speech recognition so it works for every child. https://acoustics.org/can-you-hear-me-now-fixing-speech-recognition-tech-so-it-works-for-every-child/

Textbooks

Shriberg, L. D., Kent, R. D., McAllister, T., Preston, J., Speights, M. (In Press, November 2025). Clinical phonetics 6th Edition. San Deigo, CA. Plural Publishing Inc.

Conference Proceedings

Xu, S.s & Speights, M. (May, 2025). Understanding the challenges of older adults in perceiving young children’s speech: The role of vowel space characteristics. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

Speights, M., Shrivastava, V., Pathak, A., Ma, H. s, Yedla, B. s, Herholz, P. (May 2025). Transforming child speech data into clinical-grade artificial intelligence pipelines for speech-language impairment detections. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

Shrivastava, V., Speights, M., Pathak, A. (May 2025). Inclusive automatic speech recognition: A framework for equitable speech recognition in children with disorders. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

Shrivastava, V., & Speights, M. (2024). Overcoming biases in state-of-the-art automatic speech recognition for young children with speech disorders. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 156(4_Supplement), A100-A100.

Valentine, H.s, MacAuslan, J., Grigos, M, Speights, M. (2023, November). My Vowels Matter: Formant Automation Tools for Diverse Child Speech. InterSpeech

Valentine, H.s, MacAuslan, J., Grigos, M., & Speights, M. (2023, May). Comparing tools for automation of formant estimation in diverse pediatric populations. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 153(3_supplement), A212-A212.

Munson, B., & Speights, M. (2023, May). Centering social justice in speech and hearing acoustics pedagogy. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 153(3_supplement), A210-A210.

Speights Atkins, M., & MacAuslan, J. (2022, December). Quantifying continuous child speech for automated detection of speech impairment. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 152(4), A138-A138.

Zowj, F. Y. s Suthar, K. S, Atkins, M. S., & He, Q. P. (2022, June). Process Systems Engineering Guided Machine Learning for Speech Disorder Screening in Children. In Computer Aided Chemical Engineering (Vol. 49, pp. 1843-1848). Elsevier.

Liu, J.s, Ren, C. S, Luan, Y. S, Li, S. S, Xie, T. S, Seals, C., & Speights Atkins, M. (2022, May). Speech Disorders Classification by CNN in Phonetic E-Learning System. In International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 557-566). Springer, Cham.

Liu, J.s, Changs, R., Li, S.s, Seals, C. D., Speights Atkins, M. (2022, May). Transformer based G2P system for phonetic transcription E-learning system. Human Computer Interaction International, Virtual (2022).

Agyarko, M. S, & Speights Atkins, M. (2021, November). The challenges and uncertainties when hand measuring F1/F2 values in child speech: Towards an automated approach. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 150(4), A152-A152.

Speights Atkins, M., MacAuslan, J., & Agyarko, M. S (2021, November). Automated vowel space measurement of young children. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 150(4), A151-A151.

Yousefi Zowj, F. s, Suthar, K.s, Speights Atkins, M., He Q. P. (2021, November). Screening of childhood speech disorders with process systems engineering enhanced machine learning, Annual AIChE Meeting, Boston, MA.

Liu, J.s, Speights, M., Bailey, D., Li, Ss., Zhou, H.s, Luan, Y.s, … & Seals, C. (2021, December). Speech Disorders Classification in Phonetic Exams with MFCC and DTW. In 2021 IEEE 7th International Conference on Collaboration and Internet Computing (CIC) (pp. 35-40). IEEE.

Liu, JS., Speights, M., Bailey, D., Li, S. S, Luan, Y., S Mishra, I. S, … & Seals, C. (2021, July). Optimization to automated phonetic transcription grading tool (APTgt)–automatic exam generator. In International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 80-91). Springer, Cham.

Li, S.s, Speights Atkins, M., Bailey, D., Liu, J.s, Cao, Y.s, Bassy, R.s, and Seals, C. D. (2020) Software engineering to develop online phonetics educational training: Interdisciplinary research with Communication Sciences and Disorders. In Proceedings of the American Society of Engineering Education Southeastern Section Annual Conference. Auburn, AL.

Speights Atkins, M., Boyce, S, MacAuslan, J., Silbert, N. (2019). Computer-assisted syllable complexity analysis of continuous speech as a measure of child speech disorder. In Sasha Calhoun, Paola Escudero, Marija Tabain & Paul Warren (eds.) Proceedings of the 19th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, Melbourne, Australia 2019 (pp.1103-1107) Canberra, Australia: Australian Speech Science and Technology Association. https://assta.org/proceedings/ICPhS2019Microsite/pdf/full-paper_465.pdf

Speights Atkins, M., Washington, K., Silbert, N., MacAuslan, J., Tuhohy, S.s, Blades, R.s, … & Swanson, K.s (2017). Towards automated detection of similarities and differences in bilingual speakers. In Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics 174 ASA (Vol. 31, No. 1, p. 060006).

Invited Talks & Colloquia

Benway, N., Speights, M., Preston, J. (November, 2025). Artificial Intelligence and the Assessment and Treatment of Speech Sound Disorders. American Speech Language and Hearing Association National Convention, Washington, DC.

MacDonald, B., Mehra, T., Speights, M., Noufi, C., & Fossat, Y., (2025, April) Translating AI Research into Reality: Implementing Voice Biomarkers for Transformative Healthcare- Expert panel and stakeholder forum. Bridge2AI Symposium, Tampa, FL.

Speights, M. (November, 2023). Automated speech analysis/recognition technology for speech disorder

detection. University of Sydney

Speights Atkins, M. (June, 2023) Looking forward: Speech analysis and assessment through an equity lens. Boston University Motor Speech Symposium.

Cychosz, M., Holt, Y., Knowles, T., Speights Atkins, M. (2022, November) Best Practices for Scientific Data Collection, Management, and Analysis: Session 1, Select and Collect. American Speech Language and Hearing Association National Convention, New Orleans.

Cychosz, M., Holt, Y., Knowles, T., Speights Atkins, M. (2022, November) Best Practices for Scientific Data Collection, Management, and Analysis: Session 2: Analyze and Apply. American Speech Language and Hearing Association National Convention, New Orleans.

Speights Atkins, (2022, March) Towards AI-powered automated analysis of continuous speech samples for speech disorder detection in young children. NYU CSD Spring 2022 Colloquium Series, New York University.

Speights Atkins, (2021, April) Computer-assisted syllable analysis of continuous speech as a measure of child speech disorder. Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB), Telehealth Network.

Speights Atkins, M. (2021, February) Suddenly remote: Online strategies for speech science research and teaching, Northwestern University.

Speights Atkins, M. (2021, February) Live Discussion– Remote speech science: Ideas for research and clinical practice, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association SIG 19

Resources & Web Tools

[SPROUT]

Speights, M., Shrivastava, V., Yedla, B., Srinivasan, S., Vroegh, E., Lidov, E., & Herholz, P. (2025). Speech Production Repository for Optimizing Use of FAIR AI Training – Research (v.1.10.0) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15723649

[APTct]

Speights Atkins, M., Bailey, D. J., Seals, C. D., Li, G; Bassy, R., Cao, Y., Li, S., Bennett, A., Ren, C., Luan, Y., Ren, C., Mishra, I. & Liu, J., (2020). Automated Phonetic transcription grading tool [Computer software]. AUrora: Auburn University Scholarly Repository. http://dx.doi.org/10.35099/aurora-6

[SEED]

Speights Atkins, M.c, Bailey, D. J., Boyce, S.E. (2020). Speech exemplar and evaluation database (SEED) for clinical training in articulatory phonetics and speech science. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2020.1743761 [Speech Database]

Funding Acknowledgements

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Northwestern University Neighborhood and Community Relations- Racial Equity Grant

Auburn University Office of Research and Economic Development Internal Grant: Innovation Award

Pre-doctoral Grant Award: Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research: Innovative Speech Articulation Tools for Neuroscience Research