Patrick N. Plyler, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Audiology
Email: pplyler@utk.edu
* Updated January 20, 2006

Dr. Patrick N. Plyler teaches graduate courses in amplification technology, amplification for adults, and an advanced seminar in amplification. He also teaches an undergraduate course in audiological assessment. Dr. Plyler’s research interests are in the areas of diagnostic audiology, efficacy of advanced features in modern hearing instruments, and speech perception in quiet and in noise. His current research projects are examining the effectiveness of multi-channel expansion in digital hearing instruments, the effects of hearing instrument signal processing on electrophysiological and behavioral discrimination of stop consonant stimuli, acceptance of background noise in cochlear implant users, and the effects of filtering on the acceptance of background noise. Dr. Plyler has directed several students conducting research projects in these areas (4 theses, 2 doctoral level projects, 1 dissertation) and has served as a committee member for various other projects (5 doctoral level projects). He has received external support for several research projects, most of which have investigated various features in digital hearing instruments. Dr. Plyler has published articles in Audiology Today, The Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, The Journal of Educational Audiology, Clinical Neurophysiology and The Journal of Speech-Language Hearing Research. In addition, Dr. Plyler serves as an editorial consultant for the American Journal of Audiology and The Journal of Educational Audiology.

EDUCATION
B.S. , Speech-Language & Auditory Pathology , East Carolina University, 1992
M.A., Audiology, University of Tennessee, 1993
Ph.D, Speech and Hearing Science, University of Tennessee, 1998


COURSES TAUGHT

ASP 473: Audiology II
ASP 543 Amplification Technology (3)
ASP 544 Amplification for Adults with Hearing-Impairment (3)
ASP 600 Dissertation
ASP 613 Externship
ASP 655 Practicum in College Teaching
ASP 656 Directed Research
ASP 658 Directed Study in Audiology
ASP 664 Advanced Seminar in Amplification (3)

 
GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS

RESEARCH FUNDING:

Freyhaldenhoven, M.C., Nabelek, A.K., Plyler, P.N. (2005). Faculty Co-Sponsor: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award. $56,246 award.

Plyler, P.N. (2005). Scholarly Activity and Research Incentive Funds (SARIF) Program. $1000 Award.

Plyler, P.N. (2004). Changes in the perception of stop consonants through frequency shaping as reflected by categorical boundaries and late auditory evoked potentials. Proposal submitted to University of Tennessee Professional Development and Research Awards Program. $4,900 award.

Plyler, P.N. (2000). Efficacy of expansion in digital hearing aids. Proposal submitted to Louisiana State University Summer Stipend Program. Accepted for funding 1-01. $5,000.00 award.

SUPPORTED RESEARCH:

Plyler, P.N., Lowery, K., Hamby, H., Trine, T.D. (2005). The effects of multi-channel expansion on the objective and subjective performance of hearing instrument users. Starkey Laboratories: $120,000 value.

Plyler, P.N., Fleck, E. (2003) The effects of high frequency amplification on subjective and objective benefit with digital hearing instruments. Starkey Laboratories: $120,000 value.

Plyler, P.N., Hill, B. (2003) The effects of expansion time constants on user benefit. Starkey Laboratories: $100,000 value.

Plyler, P.N., Hill, B. (2003) The effects of expansion on objective and subjective benefit in hearing-impaired listeners. Starkey Laboratories: $100,000 value.

Plyler, P.N.,Bradshaw, M.L. (2002). Communication in noise with acoustic and Electronic hearing protection devices. Starkey Laboratories: $2,500 value.

AWARDS AND HONORS:

University of Tennessee Outstanding Teaching Award: Nominee (2004)
Honor Graduate: University of Tennessee (1993)
Outstanding Senior Award: East Carolina University (1992)

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

Freyhaldenhoven, M.C., Plyler, P.N., Thelin, J.T., Nabelek, A.K., & Burchfield, S.B. (in press). The effects of venting and low-frequency gain compensation on performance in noise with directional hearing instruments. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology.

Freyhaldenhoven, M., Thelin, J.W., Plyler, P.N., & Burchfield, S.B. (in press). Acceptance of noise by adult females with ADHD: effects of stimulant medication. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology.

Plyler, P.N., & Fleck, E.L. (in press). The effects of high-frequency amplification on the objective and subjective performance of digital hearing instrument users with varying degrees of high-frequency hearing loss. Journal of Speech-Language Hearing Research.

Plyler, P.N., Hill, B., Trine, T.D. (in press). The effects of expansion time constants on the objective performance of hearing instrument users. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology.

Plyler, P.N. , Plyler, E.L., & Little, J.P. (in press). Auditory neuropathy/dys-synchrony with secondary loss of otoacoustic emissions in an autistic child. Journal of Educational Audiology.

Harkrider, A.W., Plyler, P.N., & Hedrick, M.S. (2005). Effects of age and spectral shaping on perception and neural representation of stop consonant stimuli. Clinical Neurophysiology. 116(9), 2153-64.

Plyler, P.N., Hill, B., Trine, T.D. (2005). The effects of expansion on the objective and subjective performance of hearing instrument users. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology. 16, (2): 101-113.

Plyler, P.N.,Bradshaw, M.L. (2003). Communication in noise with acoustic and electronic hearing protection devices. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 14, (5): 260-268.

Plyler, P.N., Hedrick, M. (2002). The effects of stimulus presentation level on stop consonant identification in normal and hearing-impaired listeners. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology. 13 (3): 154-9.

Plyler, P., Krishnan, R. (2001). Human frequency-following responses: representation of second formant transitions in normal and hearing-impaired listeners. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology. 12 (10): 523-33.

Plyler, P., Burchfield, S., Thelin, J. (1998). Telephone communication with in-the-ear hearing aids using acoustic & electromagnetic coupling. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology. 9, 6. p. 434-443.

Asp, C., Plyler, P. (1998). The use of PB and tonality words to optimize hearing-aid settings. Audiology Today. 10, 6. p. 27-29.

Manuscripts in Review

Freyaldenhoven, M.C., Plyler, P.N., Thelin, J.T., & Burchfield, S.B. Acceptance of noise for monaural and binaural hearing aid fittings. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology.

Harkrider, A.W., Plyler, P.N., & Hedrick, M.S. The effects of hearing loss and spectral shaping on the perception and neural representation of stop consonant stimuli. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

Madix, S.G., & Plyler, P.N. The effects of low-pass and notch filtering on the most comfortable listening level and the acceptance of background noise in listeners with normal hearing. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology.

Plyler, P.N., Trine, T.D., & Hill, B. The subjective evaluation of the expansion time constant in single-channel wide dynamic range compression hearing instruments International Journal of Audiology.

Plyler, P.N., Zahn, A.E. (2002). A survey of current opinion regarding the Au.D. degree. Invited speaker: Louisiana Speech and Hearing Association Annual Convention ( Shreveport, Louisiana).

Plyler, P.N.(2000) Telecommunication with in-the-ear hearing aids. Invited speaker: Louisiana Speech and Hearing Association Annual Convention ( Baton Rouge, Louisiana).

Plyler, P.N., (1998). Telecoils and in-the-ear hearing aids. Invited speaker: Baton Rouge Audiology Group (BRAG).

REFEREED PRESENTATIONS (since 1998)

Freyhaldenhoven, M.C., Plyler, P.N., Thelin, J.W., Burchfield, S.B., & Nabelek, A.K. (2005). Effects of Venting & Gain Compensation in Directional Aids. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Washington D.C.).

Freyhaldenhoven, M.C., Thelin, J.W., Plyler, P.N., Nabelek, A.K., & Burchfield, S.B. (2005). Effect of stimulant medication on the acceptance of noise. Research podium presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Washington D.C.).

 Harkrider, A.W., Plyler, P.N., & Hedrick, M.S. (2005). Effects of aging on behavioral and neurophysiologic measures of categorical perception. Poster presented at the Association for Research in Otolaryngology ( New Orleans, Louisiana).

Harkrider, A.W., Plyler, P.N., & Hedrick, M.S. (2005). Effects of hearing loss on behavioral and neurophysiologic measures of categorical perception. Poster presented at the 149 th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (Vancouver, B.C., Canada).

Madix, S.G., Plyler, P.N., Burchfield, S.B., Thelin, J.W., & Hedrick, M.S. (2005). The effects of low pass and notch filtering on MCL & ANL. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Washington D.C.).

Madix, S.G., Thelin, J.W., Plyler, P.N. , Hedrick, M.S., & Malone, J.C. (2005). The effects of aging and context on phonemic restoration. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Washington D.C.).

Plyler, P.N, Hill, A.B., & Trine, T.D. (2005). The effects of expansion time constants on objective performance. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Washington D.C.).

Plyler, P.N, Hill, A.B., & Trine, T.D. (2005). The effects of expansion time constants on subjective performance. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Washington D.C.).

Plyler, P.N., Hill, A.B. (2004). The effects of expansion on listener performance. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Salt Lake City, 2004).

Plyler, P.N., Fleck, E.L. (2004). High frequency amplification with digital hearing aids. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Salt Lake City, 2004).

Plyler, P.N. (2002). Comparison of digital and analog technology. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Philadelphia, 2002).

Plyler, P.N. (2002). Comparative study of acoustic and electronic HPDs. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Philadelphia, 2002).

Plyler, P.N. (2002). The effects of expansion in digital hearing aids. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Philadelphia, 2002).

Plyler, P.N.(2000). Electrophysiologic correlates of stop consonant perception in normal and hearing-impaired listeners. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Chicago, 2000).

Plyler, P.N.& Hedrick, M. (2000). Effects of stimulus presentation level on stop Consonant identification in normal and hearing-impaired listeners. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Chicago, 2000).

Hurley, A., Plyler, P.N.,Collins, J. (2000). The effect of age on the FFR. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology ( Chicago, 2000).

Plyler, P.N., Burchfield, S.B., & Thelin, J.W. Telephone communication with in-the-ear hearing aids using acoustic & electromagnetic coupling. Poster presented at the American Academy of Audiology (Los Angeles, 1998).

STUDENT RESEARCH

Ph.D. Dissertation:
The effects of presentation level on the acceptance of background noise in hearing-impaired listeners (Ongoing)

Doctoral Level Research Projects:

• The effects of low-pass and notch filtering on the acceptance of background noise in normal hearing listeners.
• The effects of venting and low-frequency gain compensation on performance in noise with directional hearing instruments.
• Acceptance of background noise in cochlear implant users. (Ongoing).

M.A. Theses:

• The effects of high frequency amplification on subjective and objective benefit with digital hearing instruments.
• The effects of expansion on the objective and subjective performance of hearing instrument users.
• Communication in noise with acoustic and electronic hearing protection devices.
• Comparative study of digital and analog hearing aids.
  
  

CONTACT DETAILS

Patrick N. Plyler, Ph.D.
Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology
University of Tennessee
578 South Stadium Hall
Knoxville, TN 37996-0740

Telephone: (865) 974-7588
Lab Phone: (865) 974-4567
Fax: (865) 974-4567

Email: pplyler@utk.edu  

HEARING INSTRUMENT LABORATORY

Current Research Projects

• The effects of hearing-impairment and aging on the perception and neural representation of stop consonant stimuli.
• The effects of presentation level on the acceptance of background noise in hearing-impaired listeners
• The effects of multi-channel expansion on the objective and subjective performance of hearing instrument users.
• The effects of low-pass and notch filtering on the acceptance of background noise in hearing-impaired listeners.
• Relationship between acceptance of background noise and auditory closure.
• Acceptance of noise for monaural and binaural stimulation.
• The effects of low-frequency expansion on objective and subjective performance of hearing instrument users.

Laboratory Description

The Hearing Instrument Laboratory (HIL) is housed in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology. One sound-treated room is located in the HIL. Equipment is available to synthesize and generate sound digitally. Responses to sounds can be measured behaviorally, acoustically, or electroacoustically using commercial data acquisition systems and software. The HIL contains IBM-compatible computers plus related hardware. Software is available to carry out all current forms of data analysis. The HIL is connected to the University's mainframe computers via an Ethernet network.

Equipment, Materials, & Software

Pictured above (L-R):

Audioscan Verifit (white unit)
KEMAR (Knowles Electronic Manikin for Auditory Research)
Dell notebook computer
Audioscan RM500 (black unit)

Other research equipment, materials, and software:

Tucker-Davis Technologies System III Psychoacoustic Workstation
Grason-Stadler GSI 61 Audiometer
Madsen OB822 2 Channel Audiometer
Larson-Davis Type I Sound Level Meter (824)
Hi-Pro Box
Dell desktop computer

Connected Speech Test (CST)
Hearing in Noise Test (HINT)
Acceptable Noise Level Materials (ANL)