Sharon Ash PhD

Sharon (Sherry) Ash holds a BA in Biology from Bryn Mawr College and a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania. Before joining the FTD Center, she was the Associate Director of the Linguistics Laboratory at Penn, headed by William Labov, conducting research on variation and change in language. As a member of the speech team within the FTDC, she studies the characteristics of phonetics, phonology, syntax, semantics, fluency, and discourse in the spontaneous speech of individuals with neurodegenerative conditions. This research aims to identify speech biomarkers to aid in the early detection of impairment, assessment of prognosis, and the differentiation of distinct syndromes. After hours, Sherry plays violin in one symphony orchestra and as many theatrical groups as possible and also provides entertainment for three lovely cats.