Who We Are
Co-directors Drs. Sulare Telford Rose and Jennifer Rae Myers know firsthand the many barriers that limit direct research training opportunities, particularly in multicultural issues within the communication sciences. Inspired by their own experiences, they decided to address this critical gap by developing a mentored fellowship to better prepare clinical graduate students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds for multicultural research.
Since the creation of CulturallySMART in 2021, the program has evolved to include all level of students from related fields (e.g., neuroscience, computer science), with a focus on AI and technology as the emerging future of healthcare. In the long-term, Drs. Rose and Myers hope to create a multicultural learning ecosystem through culturally responsive training of future health leaders, community-driven research, and the co-development of equitable digital clinical tools.
Sulare Telford Rose
Associate Professor
University of the District of Columbia
Sulare Telford Rose, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology at the University of the District of Columbia and an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. She currently serves as the professional development manager for ASHA's Special Interest Group on Global Issues in Communication Sciences and Related Disorders (SIG-17).
Dr. Rose has over a decade of experience working as a bilingual speech-language pathologist and early interventionist. Her research explores practical assessment and intervention methods for addressing the communication needs of culturally and linguistically diverse populations, particularly those from Spanish and Caribbean English Creole-speaking backgrounds.
Jennifer Rae Myers
Assistant Professor
University of Maryland, College Park
Jennifer Rae Myers, PhD, MS, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences and a Faculty Affiliate at the AI Interdisciplinary Institute at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her professional experience spans over 15 years with training as a medical speech-language pathologist, neuropsychologist, and even a digital product manager.
Dr. Myers' research interests are at the intersection of digital, cognitive, and mental health, focusing on cognitive health equity and psychosocial factors of health. As a result, her work includes promoting cognitive health literacy, the development and implementation of equitable digital cognitive health tools as well as the use of AI/ML to advance research and improve community outcomes.