Research Team

John Tetnowski, Ph.D,. CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF. ASHA-F

Ph.D., CCC is the Jeanette Sias Endowed Chair in Speech Pathology at Oklahoma State University. He has over 25 years of clinical experience and has published over 85 manuscripts in fluency disorders and research methods. He is a board certified fluency specialist and an ASHA Fellow. In 2024, Dr. Tetnowski was presented the prestigious DiCarlo award for his research contributions at the annual ASHA conference.

Minsoo Choi, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor/Research Team

Dr. Choi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Oklahoma State University. Before he joined Oklahoma State University, he received his Ph.D. degree from Purdue University. His research centers on extended reality, intelligent agents, human-computer interaction, computer game design, and character animation. In particular, he examines how intelligent virtual characters interact with humans in collaborative tasks and how their attributes influence the user experience. Ultimately, his work aims to design engaging and effective frameworks for human–agent collaboration that connect technical innovations in extended reality and human-centered interaction design.

Sarah Sacco M.S., CCC-SLP

Graduate Faculty Associate, Graduate Research Assistant, Doctoral Student

Sarah holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and German Language Studies, and a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology. She is currently a first-year doctoral student at Oklahoma State University under the mentorship of Dr. John Tetnowski. Currently, she is focused on research using virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) as an innovative approach to support confidence and reduce communication anxiety in people who stutter. Sarah is passionate about helping others understand stuttering as more than a speech difference—recognizing its connection to identity, emotion, and social experience—and about promoting evidence-based practices that empower individuals to communicate with confidence.

Atika Paddo

Doctoral Student, Graduate Research Assistant

Atika Rahman Paddo is a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science at Oklahoma State University. Her research examines how people perceive multi-agent systems in virtual and augmented reality environments. She earned her Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University Indianapolis, where her research focused on predictive modeling of healthcare data to improve patient outcomes and support clinicians. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology.