Nidhi Mahendra, PhD

Nidhi Mahendra

Professor & Chair, Communicative Disorders & Sciences 

Nidhi Mahendra is a teacher-scholar and leader who is passionate about improving the quality of life of persons with cognitive-communication disorders through contributing to science, service, equity design, community engagement, and international collaboration.

Education

  • Ph.D., Speech Language Hearing Science, minor in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Arizona
  • M.S., Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, University of Mysore
  • B.S., Speech and Hearing Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences

Recent Publications

  • Mahendra, N., Hopper, T. (in press, 2021). Dementia and related neurodegenerative disorders. In I.Papathanasiou (Ed). Aphasia and Related Neurogenic Communication Disorders (3rd Edition). Boston,
    MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
  • Mahendra, N., Tadokoro, A*. (2020). Non-fluent primary progressive aphasia: Implications of palliative care principles for informing service delivery. Topics in Language Disorders, 40, 7-24.
  • Mahendra, N. (2020). Palliative care and speech-language pathologists: From training to practice. Topics in Language Disorders, 40, 230-232.

Recent Presentations

  • Fannin, D., Mandulak, K., Girolamo, T., Harley, J., Bland, L., Mahendra, N. (April 2021). A framework for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Plenary Session, Annual Convention of the Council on Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
  • Mahendra, N. (August 2020). Good trouble and championing equity: Reimagining classrooms, clinical programs and organizations. Moderator and curator, Aphasia Access Panel Presentation.
  • Mahendra, N. (August 2020). Addressing Racism in CSD Education. Introductory speaker and moderator, Webinar organized by the journal Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences and Disorders (TLCSD).
  • Mahendra, N. (July 2020). Designing for equity: Big, bold thinking for speech-language pathologists in 2020, Bilingual Therapies Symposium, Austin, Texas.
  • Mahendra, N. (April 2020). The hypokinetic dysarthria of Parkinson’s disease. Guest Lecture, Graduate Seminar on Motor Speech Disorders, San Jose State University, San Jose.

Noteworthy Grants and Awards

  • California State University Office of the Chancellor. Program Enhancement Award to the Graduate Speech-Language Pathology Program (Role:Proposal Author, Oversight of awarded funds; Funding: $333,333). Awarded 2020-2025.
  • Lurie College of Education Strategic Planning Seed Grant (with Cara Maffini-ChAD & Matthew Capriotti, Psychology). Title: Healthy Development (HD) Clinic for Children, Youth, & Families (Funding: $ 15,000). Awarded 2020-2021
  • Principal Investigator, Testing the Speakaboo app in Hindi - International collaboration for enhancing the assessment of speech disorders in bilingual children. American Speech Language Hearing Association.  Awarded 2019-2020.
  • Principal Investigator, Rehabilitation, Awareness, and Community Education for Stroke (RACES).  El Camino Hospital/Health Care District.  2018-Present.
  • Principal Investigator, Communicative access in advance directive planning for persons with aphasia.  Mary and Gary West Foundation.  Awarded 2018-2019.

Online Resources

Dr. Nidhi Mahendra presented “Spartan Aphasia Research Clinic (SPARC): Where aphasia research, clinical service delivery, and student training meet” as part of the Spring 2021 Lurie College of Education Faculty Research Symposium.

Areas of Research Interest

  • Aphasia
  • Dimentia
  • Health equity
  • Healthy aging
  • Multiculturalism
  • Palliative care
  • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL)

Recommended Reading