Laura Friedman, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Friedman earned her B.A. in Hearing and Speech Sciences from the University of Maryland and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Wisconsin—Madison, where she trained at the Waisman Center. She then completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the University of South Carolina. Friedman is also a licensed speech-language pathologist.
Her research focuses on the language abilities of adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a focus on fragile X syndrome and autism. She investigates how language can contribute to key adult outcomes, such as building friendships, finding meaningful employment, and developing self-advocacy skills. Her work uses a systems-based approach, looking at how genetics, environment, and lived experiences interact to influence outcomes across adulthood.
