Meet The ASSL Team
Current Faculty
Erol J. Ozmeral, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Ozmeral is a cognitive neuroscientist with expertise in psychoacoustics and electrophysiology. He has primarily led research on the behavioral and neural mechanisms associated with sensorineural hearing loss across the adult lifespan. His research interests are in cognitive aging, speech perception, spatial attention, and emerging technologies in hearing instruments, including brain-computer interfaces.
Nate C. Higgins, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Dr. Higgins is an auditory neuroscientist with specialties in electrophysiology, auditory scene analysis, and neuroimaging. His work has spanned both human and animal models. Current research includes binaural modeling, online classification of electrophysiological potentials, and understanding the cognitive processes responsible for auditory stream selection.
Carrie Secor, Au.D., CCC-A
Senior Research Audiologist
Dr. Secor has worked as a clinical and research audiologist in a variety of hospital, university and non-profit settings. She is originally from Buffalo, NY and completed her doctoral degree there as well as a fellowship year at the Cleveland ClinicShe has extensive experience with diagnostics, electrophysiology, amplification, assistive devices, central auditory processing evaluation and treatment, aural rehabilitation, tinnitus and hyperacusis. Dr. Secor is currently a co-investigator on Dr. Ozmeral鈥檚 spatial hearing grant and is involved in many other collaborations. Dr. Secor really enjoys working with students and hopes that they learn as much from her as she does from them!
Ryan J. Hildebrandt, Au.D., CCC-A
Research Audiologist & Lab Coordinator
Dr. Hildebrandt is an audiologist with an interest in auditory perception as well as hearing aid research & development. He has experience both in clinical and research settings. He completed his doctoral research on spectrotemporal modulation perception in 2024 at the ANT Lab and completed his clinical training at Gardner Audiology in Tampa, Florida in 2025. He currently works as a lab coordinator and a research audiologist training under Dr. Secor.