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  4. Xena Liu  

Xena Liu  

University College London 

Xena Liu

Xena Liu is a PhD student in Professor Maria Chait’s lab at the University College London Ear Institute. She recently graduated with an integrated Masters degree in Psychology and Language Sciences from UCL.

Her current project is focused on studying whether microsaccades (rapid unconscious eye movements) can be used to measure listening effort and attention in people with hearing loss.

Gaining a better understanding of listening effort and attention

Read about Xena’s research project

Xena’s approaches to hearing research

What are the biggest problems faced by hearing research? 

u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003eHearing research faces several significant challenges, includingu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003e au003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003e relative lack of awareness compared to other u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003econditionsu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003e, despite its u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003eimpact on a person’s u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003eoverall well-beingu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003e. In addition, hearing is a complicated process, taking in u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003epsychology, biology, medicine, and engineeringu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003e, so it requires researchers in different disciplinesu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003e to work together to push the field forwardu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003e.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-GBu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-GBu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022u003e u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022EOP SCXW132201413 BCX8u0022 data-ccp-props=u0022{u0026quot;201341983u0026quot;:0,u0026quot;335557856u0026quot;:16777215,u0026quot;335559739u0026quot;:0,u0026quot;335559740u0026quot;:240}u0022u003e u003c/spanu003e

Why have you chosen to work in hearing research? 

u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003eMy motivation to work in hearing research arises from my background in psychology and language sciences. u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003eBecause of u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003ethe profound impact that u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003ecommunication difficultiesu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e can have on various aspects of u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003esomeone’s u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003elife, including u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003etheir u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003emental health and overall quality of life, u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003eI believe itu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e is meaningful to u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003econduct researchu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e in this field. u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003ernrnu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003eThe intricate interplay between hearing and other u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003esenses such as u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003evisionu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e, as well asu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e cognitive functionsu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e such asu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e attention and working memoryu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e, u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003eprovides a valuable avenue u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003eto gain u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003edeeper insightu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e into u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003ethe brain and u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003ehuman communication, u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003eandu003c/spanu003e u003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003ethere is also thu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003ee potential for significant clinical benefit.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-GBu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-GBu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022u003e u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022EOP SCXW162105504 BCX8u0022 data-ccp-props=u0022{u0026quot;201341983u0026quot;:0,u0026quot;335557856u0026quot;:16777215,u0026quot;335559739u0026quot;:0,u0026quot;335559740u0026quot;:240}u0022u003e u003c/spanu003e

What do you hope your research will achieve?

u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003eI hope that my current research will u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003elead to a u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003edeeper understanding of the interactiou003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003enu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e between listening effort and various cognitive abilities like attention, in u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003ebothu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e younger u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003eand older people, including those with hearing lossu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e. u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003ernrnu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003eIn my project, we u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003ehope to further u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003evalidateu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e the use of listening effort (u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003ethroughu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e pupillometru003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003ey (measuring dilation of the pupilu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003es) anu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003ed u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003emeasurement u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003emicrosaccadu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003eesu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e, which are rapid involuntary eye mou003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003evementsu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e) as a valuable measure in clinical practice, for example, to evaluate the benefits u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003eofu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e hearing aids and cochlear implants.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-GBu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-GBu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022u003e u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022EOP SCXW45247285 BCX8u0022 data-ccp-props=u0022{u0026quot;201341983u0026quot;:0,u0026quot;335557856u0026quot;:16777215,u0026quot;335559739u0026quot;:0,u0026quot;335559740u0026quot;:240}u0022u003e u003c/spanu003e

What does your RNID studentship mean to you?

u003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-USu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-USu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003eMy RNID studentship u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003egives me the opportunity tou003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003e study hearingu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003e, and u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003eI hope it is u003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003ethe beginning of my academic pathway to becomu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003eingu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003e an independent researcher in cognitive neuroscience and speech and hearing pathology.u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022TextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022 lang=u0022EN-GBu0022 xml:lang=u0022EN-GBu0022 data-contrast=u0022autou0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022NormalTextRun SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022u003e u003c/spanu003eu003c/spanu003eu003cspan class=u0022EOP SCXW38407702 BCX8u0022 data-ccp-props=u0022{u0026quot;201341983u0026quot;:0,u0026quot;335557856u0026quot;:16777215,u0026quot;335559739u0026quot;:0,u0026quot;335559740u0026quot;:240}u0022u003e u003c/spanu003e

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