{"id":1144,"date":"2017-06-06T12:21:43","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T16:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lab.research.sickkids.ca\/archies-cochlear-implant\/?page_id=1144"},"modified":"2022-02-16T08:48:54","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T13:48:54","slug":"graduates","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lab.research.sickkids.ca\/archies-cochlear-implant\/lab-alumni\/graduates\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumni Graduate Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Graduate Students<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

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Rebecca Benjamin<\/strong><\/p>\n

B.Sc., M.Sc Candidate<\/p>\n

Email: rebecca.benjamin@sickkids.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

Rebecca received her M.Sc. in 2022 from in the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto. She joined Archie\u2019s Cochlear Implant Lab in 2019 after graduating from McMaster University with an Honours Bachelor\u2019s of Science in Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, and a Minor in Music.<\/p>\n

Rebecca\u2019s research focused on studying a device that aims to provide children who have both hearing and balance impairment with balance information through their cochlear implants. In her spare time, Rebecca likes to play the saxophone, listen to music, and participate in intramural sports.<\/p>\n

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Claire McSweeny<\/strong><\/p>\n

B.A. Biology at Wilfrid Laurier University<\/p>\n

Claire received her M.Sc. at the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto. She joined Archie\u2019s Cochlear Implant Lab in 2017 after completing her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Biology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.<\/p>\n

Claire studied the development of spatial awareness and navigation deficits in children with hearing loss and will be looking at how these deficits affect the vestibular, memory and cognitive abilities of children with bilateral cochlear implants and single sided deafness. In her free time Claire enjoys painting, working out and cooking.<\/p>\n

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Daniel Smieja<\/strong><\/p>\n

BEng, MHSc<\/p>\n

Daniel graduated in 2018 with an MHSc from the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) at the University of Toronto. He joined the Cochlear Implant Lab in 2016 after completing his Bachelor\u2019s degree in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University in Hamilton.<\/p>\n

Daniel\u2019s research looked at EEG source localization and functional connectivity children with cochlear implant users. Outside of the lab, he can be found on the squash court or playing the guitar.<\/p>\n

Selected Abstracts:<\/b><\/p>\n

Smieja, D<\/b>., Dunkley, B., Papsin, B., Gordon, K. Characterizing Cortical Auditory Networks in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users using Electroencephalography; Acoustical Society of America, Minneapolis, USA, May 2018 [Invited Talk]<\/p>\n

Smieja, D<\/b>., Gordon, K. Functional Imaging in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users Using EEG; 8th annual Midwest Conference on Cochlear Implants, Madison, USA, 2017 [Talk]<\/p>\n

Smieja,\u00a0D<\/b>., Dunkley, B.,\u00a0 Papsin, \u00a0B., Gordon, K. Functional Connectivity of Listening Networks in Experienced Bilateral Cochlear Implant\u00a0Users; Conference on Implantable Auditory Prosthesis,\u00a0 Tahoe City, USA, 2017 [Poster]<\/p>\n

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Melissa Polonenko<\/strong><\/p>\n

H.B.M.Sc., M.Cl.Sc., Aud(C), Reg. CASLPO, FAAA, PhD Candidate<\/p>\n

Melissa Polonenko is a PhD candidate in the Institute of Medical Sciences and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience at the University of Toronto, as well as the Neurosciences & Mental Health Program at SickKids. She joined the Cochlear Implant Lab in 2012 after working as an audiologist at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. While working clinically, Melissa actively participated in clinical research on telehealth audiology, diagnostic measures in infants and children, as well as hearing aid outcomes in children as part of The Network of Pediatric Audiologists of Canada.<\/p>\n

Melissa completed her Master\u2019s of Clinical Science in Audiology at the National Centre for Audiology\u00a0at The University of Western Ontario. Under supervision from Dr. Susan Scollie and Dr. Richard Seewald, she evaluated speech production of children with high frequency hearing loss who use nonlinear frequency compression hearing aids, and evaluated a hearing aid prescription algorithm for use in adults. Melissa also completed her Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Honours) from the University of Western Ontario in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. She completed her thesis on the regulation of gonadotropin releasing hormone type I receptor (GnRH-RI) activity during placentation in humans with Dr. Andy Babwah.<\/p>\n

Melissa\u2019s research interests involve auditory development and binaural hearing in children with asymmetric hearing loss who use both a cochlear implant and a hearing aid (bimodal hearing) to hear. She is also evaluating the functional benefit of bimodal listening for music perception. She is also involved in clinical research within the Departments of Communication Disorders and Otolaryngology at SickKids and she volunteers on the Science and Education committee for the Canadian Academy of Audiology.<\/p>\n

Selected Awards and Funding:<\/strong><\/p>\n

2016-2018<\/strong><\/p>\n