Cara E. Stepp, PhD

Professor, Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College

Biography

Dr. Stepp is the director of the STEPP LAB for Sensorimotor Rehabilitation Engineering at Boston University. Her research uses engineering tools to rehabilitate disordered sensorimotor function of voice and speech. Her long-term research goal is to extend current and novel therapeutic advances to the speech system, improving current treatment alternatives.

Dr. Stepp specializes in voice and speech disorders, integrating speech science, computer science, and engineering to improve diagnosis and rehabilitation of communication-based challenges. She is a past NSF CAREER Award and PECASE recipient, with multiple active federal grants supporting her research, and is a past Peter Paul Career Development Professor. She has published 2 book chapters and more than 100 articles in science and health journals.

Publications

  • Published 8/25/2026

    Fletcher BN, Van Doren M, Kapsner-Smith MR, Sauder C, Eadie TL, Marks KL, Toles LE, Stepp CE, Vojtech J. Linguistically Informed Automated Estimates of Creak in Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Oct 13; 69(10):4809-4821. PMID: 42640843.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 8/20/2026

    Tan DC, Weerathunge HR, Diaz-Cadiz M, Stepp CE, Vojtech J. Kinematic Features of Laryngeal Motor Control in Parkinson's Disease. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Oct 13; 69(10):4851-4858. PMID: 42622553.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 7/29/2026

    Yeh E, Marks KL, Feaster T, Sauder C, Toles LE, Tracy LF, Noordzij JP, Grillone GA, Mau T, Giliberto JP, Meyer TK, Merati AL, Eadie TL, Stepp CE, Frankford SA. The Effects of Lexical Stress, Lexical Type, and Voicing Context on Symptom Expression in Individuals With Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Sep 10; 69(9):4056-4068. PMID: 42525895.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 7/21/2026

    Abur D, Cushman M, Dunsmuir CJ, Stepp CE. Comparing token-based and trajectory-based vowel space metrics for assessing speech in Parkinson's disease. PLoS One. 2026; 21(7):e0353680. PMID: 42479747.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/8/2026

    Aaron AS, Cádiz MD, Cocroft S, Stepp CE. Auditory-Motor Mechanisms of the Lombard Effect. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2026 Jul 09; 69(7):2979-2996. PMID: 42257562.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 178 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Professor, Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Websites

Education

  • Harvard University, PhD
  • Harvard University, PhD
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology, SM/ScM
  • Smith College, SB/ScB

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