Doctoral Student Earns National Research, University Service Awards

Graduate student Satwik Dutta MS’20 was recently awarded a 2021 Graduate Research Grant by The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi for his work that could help children better communicate with adults.

Dutta, a doctoral candidate in electrical engineering who is part of the UT Dallas Graduate Student Assembly (GSA), also recently received a University of Texas at Dallas award for improving the quality of student life.

Advancing Child Speech Technology

The Phi Kappa Phi award was given to only 20 other recipients nationwide. Phi Kappa Phi was established nearly 125 years ago to support learning in all disciplines, including both liberal arts and technology-focused institutions, and offers competitive grants in a variety of disciplines. At its founding, no similar honor society included technical fields, and the organization also seeks to recognize service to society. Dutta’s interdisciplinary research interests in speech technology exemplify service-oriented inquiry.

Dutta is completing his first year of PhD study and conducts research in the Center for Robust Speech Systems (CRSS). He will use the grant to help expand data collection efforts in his project to develop communication models focused on early language development. His goal is to advance speech technology solutions employing machine learning to quantify adult-child interactions in formal and naturalistic learning spaces including homes, preschools, playgrounds and more. Ultimately, Dutta hopes to develop a system that could help preschool teachers and parents identify children who are not experiencing sufficient verbal engagement with peers or adults.

CRSS is directed by Dr. John Hansen, associate dean for research and professor of electrical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, founder and director of the Center for Robust Speech Systems and distinguished chair in telecommunications.

Dutta’s research draws from speech technology expertise in the CRSS, as well as from other groups at the Callier Center for Communication Disorders. Dutta currently works with Dr. Thomas F. Campbell, former executive director, Callier Center; the Former Ludwig A. Michael, MD Executive Director; and the Former Sara T. Martineau Endowed Professor at the School of Behavioral and Brain Science, on an iPhone-based app for child speech assessment. While completing his master’s degree in electrical engineering at UT Dallas, Dutta also worked with Dr. Lisa Goffman, the Nelle C. Johnston Chair in Communication Disorders in Children and professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Science, on understanding how children learn and generalize patterned regularities from non-linguistic input.

Leading Beyond the Laboratory

In addition to his research activity, Dutta has worked across campus in several leadership roles. Over the academic year from 2020-21, Dutta served as vice president for administration at the University’s Graduate Student Assembly (GSA). He was recently awarded the Patty Atchley Service to Student Life Award for his outstanding service. He also served as the GSA school representative to the Jonsson School from 2020-2021 and initiated a graduate student town hall held each semester in collaboration with the office of Dean Stephanie G. Adams. He joined the University as an international student in 2018 after earning his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in India and three years of industry experience.

“We very much appreciate all the work Satwik has been doing in representing our large graduate student body in the UT Dallas Graduate Student Assembly. We hope other graduate students follow Satwik in playing leadership roles, to be the voice of our graduate student body and help improve their overall academic experience.”

Dr. Poras T. Balsara
Jonsson School Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Electrical Engineering