Erin O’Bryan, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders at Wichita State University, has been named Tenure-Track Faculty of the Year by the Kansas Board of Regents. 

The honor recognizes her innovative research, student mentorship and commitment to improving the lives of people with aphasia, a language disorder often caused by stroke or brain injury. O’Bryan said the recognition is especially meaningful because it came from those who know her work best. 

“It means a lot to me to be recognized by my colleagues, because they understand what my job entails and what success means in our field,” she said. “It feels good to work in a supportive, encouraging department.” 

O’Bryan leads research that blends science and humanity. One of her most impactful projects focuses on person-centered storytelling, an approach that helps people with aphasia reclaim their voice through narrative. 

“Person-centered storytelling means that the speech therapist helps the person with aphasia compose and practice telling a story that they have chosen about their own life, interests and plans,” O’Bryan said. “These treatment projects are powerful because the person with aphasia can finally say things they have been wanting to say for years.” 

The projects culminate in “story-sharing celebrations,” where participants present their stories to family and friends. The approach not only strengthens communication but also provides healing moments for patients and their loved ones. 

Care partner engagement is another cornerstone of O’Bryan’s work. Family members play an active role in developing and rehearsing stories alongside their loved ones with aphasia while also learning strategies to support communication at home. 

“The family members told us that they felt empowered by being directly involved in the therapy projects,” O’Bryan said. 

For O’Bryan, the Board of Regents recognition also reflects her dedication to students. Beyond technical expertise, she hopes to instill in future speech-language pathologists the importance of empathy and connection. 

“A top goal for me is for my students to learn how to be effective and caring conversation partners for people with aphasia,” she said. “On a larger level, my top goal is for my students to provide care for patients and clients in a genuine and compassionate way.” 

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 25,000 students between its main campus and the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech), including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student-centered and innovation-driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry-funded engineering R&D and No. 8 overall for engineering R&D.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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