Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 25, 2026

Michael P. Robb

Michael P. Robb is an American speech-language pathologist, researcher, and academic known for his contributions to the study of stuttering, infant vocal development, bilingualism, and speech acoustics. He completed a PhD titled Acoustic and phonetic characteristics of prelinguistic utterances through the emergence of syntax at Syracuse University Over the course of his career, Robb has held faculty and leadership positions at several universities in the United States and New Zealand, and has published extensively in the field of communication sciences and disorders

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Michael Paul Robb
CitizenshipNew Zealand, USA
Alma materWestern Michigan University
Syracuse University
Known forResearch on stuttering, infant vocal development, bilingualism, and speech acoustics
AwardsFellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
Lifetime Achievement Award, International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP)
Honors of the Council, Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD)
Scientific career
FieldsSpeech-language pathology, communication sciences, phonetics
InstitutionsUniversity of Hawaii
University of Connecticut
Pennsylvania State University
University of Canterbury

Michael P. Robb is an American speech-language pathologist, researcher, and academic known for his contributions to the study of stuttering, infant vocal development, bilingualism, and speech acoustics. He completed a PhD titled Acoustic and phonetic characteristics of prelinguistic utterances through the emergence of syntax at Syracuse University1 Over the course of his career, Robb has held faculty and leadership positions at several universities in the United States and New Zealand, and has published extensively in the field of communication sciences and disorders2

Education

Robb earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University, followed by Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees from Syracuse University in communication sciences and disorders.3

Academic career

Robb began his academic career in the United States, which included faculty positions at the University of Hawaii, the University of Connecticut, and Pennsylvania State University4. He later joined the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he served as a professor and researcher in the Department of Communication Disorders5. He retired as an Emeritus Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences.6

Research and publications

Robb's research has focused on the acoustic analysis of speech, developmental aspects of vocal behavior in infants, bilingual speech production, and fluency disorders such as stuttering7. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters across the fields of speech science, linguistics, and communication disorders.89

He is also the author of INTRO: A Guide for Communication Sciences and Disorders, an introductory textbook for students in the field.10

Editorial and professional service

Robb was the founding Editor-in-Chief of Speech, Language and Hearing which is affiliated with the New Zealand Speech Therapists' Association, Hong Kong Association of Speech Therapists, and the Asia Pacific Society of Speech, Language and Hearing. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica, an international journal that publishes research on voice, speech, and language sciences.11 He has been active in international professional organizations related to communication sciences and disorders.

Honors and recognition

Robb has received multiple professional honors, including:

  • Fellowship of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)12
  • Honors of the Council from the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD)13
  • Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP)

Selected publications

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Robb, Michael Paul (1988). "Syracuse University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center". Syracuse University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center.
  2. "Michael P Robb". scholar.google.co.nz. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  3. "Michael P. Robb academic biography".
  4. "People". sites.psu.edu. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  5. Brazier, Carolyn (15 July 2025). "Michael Robb | UC". www.canterbury.ac.nz. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  6. Robb, Michael. "University of Canterbury Emeritus Professor". Professor Michael Robb. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  7. "UC Researching Stuttering Which Affects 45,000 Kiwis | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  8. "Michael ROBB | Professor | PhD | Research profile". ResearchGate. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  9. "ORCID". orcid.org. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  10. Robb, Michael P. INTRO: A Guide for Communication Sciences and Disorders.
  11. "Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica". Karger. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  12. "Fellowship of the Association Recipients". American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  13. "Honors and Awards". Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences | CAPCSD. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  14. Robb, Michael P.; Saxman, John H. (September 1985). "Developmental Trends in Vocal Fundamental Frequency of Young Children". Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 28 (3): 421–427. doi:10.1044/jshr.2803.427.
  15. Robb, Michael P.; Yavarzadeh, Faraz; Schluter, Philip J.; Voit, Verena; Shehata-Dieler, Wafaa; Wermke, Kathleen (22 January 2020). "Laryngeal Constriction Phenomena in Infant Vocalizations". Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 63 (1): 49–58. doi:10.1044/2019_JSLHR-S-19-0205.
  16. Robb, Michael P.; Maclagan, Margaret A.; Chen, Yang (1 January 2004). "Speaking rates of American and New Zealand varieties of English". Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics. 18 (1): 1–15. doi:10.1080/0269920031000105336. ISSN 0269-9206. PMID 15053265.
  17. Lee, Amanda; Van Dulm, Ondene; Robb, Michael P.; Ormond, Tika (3 July 2015). "Communication restriction in adults who stutter". Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics. 29 (7): 536–556. doi:10.3109/02699206.2015.1030039. ISSN 0269-9206. PMID 25894831.
  18. Song, Yuting; Robb, Michael P.; Yang, Yong; Chen, Yang (26 May 2025). "Stuttering in Mandarin-speaking adults". Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics. 0 (0): 1–13. doi:10.1080/02699206.2025.2507045. ISSN 0269-9206. PMID 40418125.
  19. Robb, Michael P. (2003). "Bifurcations and Chaos in the Cries of Full-Term and Preterm Infants". Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica. 55 (5): 233–240. doi:10.1159/000072154. ISSN 1021-7762.
  20. Choo, Ai Leen; Robb, Michael P.; Dalrymple-Alford, John C.; Huckabee, Maggie-Lee; O'Beirne, Greg A. (2010). "Different Lip Asymmetry in Adults Who Stutter: Electromyographic Evidence during Speech and Non-Speech". Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica. 62 (3): 143–147. doi:10.1159/000287213. ISSN 1021-7762.
  21. Wermke, Kathleen; Robb, Michael P. (1 July 2010). "Fundamental Frequency of Neonatal Crying: Does Body Size Matter?". Journal of Voice. 24 (4): 388–394. doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2008.11.002. ISSN 0892-1997. PMID 19664898.
  22. Bies, Robert T.; Robb, Michael P.; Choo, Ai Leen (1 September 2025). "Measuring anticipation of stuttering: Validation and revision of the English Premonitory Awareness in Stuttering Scale (PAiS-R)". Journal of Fluency Disorders. 85 106142. doi:10.1016/j.jfludis.2025.106142. ISSN 0094-730X.
  23. Lawford, Harriet L. S.; Sazon, Hannah; Richard, Céline; Robb, Michael P.; Bora, Samudragupta (1 April 2022). "Acoustic Cry Characteristics of Infants as a Marker of Neurological Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". Pediatric Neurology. 129: 72–79. doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2021.10.017. ISSN 0887-8994. PMID 35245810.
  24. Robb, Michael P.; Crowell, David H.; Dunn-Rankin, Peter (1 August 2013). "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Cry characteristics". International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. 77 (8): 1263–1267. doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2013.05.005. ISSN 0165-5876.
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