Darby Kunnemann created a project as an undergraduate she never thought would go beyond the classroom. But when professor and mentor Eva van Leer, Ph.D. saw the project she advised Kunnemann to create a poster. The Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate (2019) took van Leer’s suggestion. Her poster title is “Effects of Vocal Fry on Perceived Occupational Competency.”
“It was a project on the perception of what it’s like to use vocal fry,” van Leer said. “I suggested she present it as a poster at The Voice Foundation Symposium. The Voice Foundation Symposium accepted her poster for presentation in June 2018 in Philadelphia, Pa. It was great fun. She received excellent feedback and had the chance to view talks about voice.”
One description of vocal fry described in the poster, “is characterized by the lowest range in the physiologic fundamental frequency continuum and a pulse-like vibratory pattern (Harry Hollien, 1974).” Her findings show that even when people are not aware of detecting fry in someone’s voice, they view this person as less employable for positions requiring higher levels of education and interaction with the public.
Click image to view the poster.