We are thrilled to be profiling emeritus Communication Sciences and Disorders faculty members in October and November!
Today, we are incredibly pleased to profile Professor Emeritus Ray Kent. Professor Kent has these words for our current students, “Our profession dates back to 1926, so it is almost a century old. You stand on the shoulders of 5 or 6 generations who made the profession what it is today. Building on that history, pursue best practice and help to shape the profession for the next generation.”
To our current faculty, Professor Kent says, “A faculty member has been defined as ‘someone who thinks otherwise.’ It was a privilege to work with people who thought otherwise but came together in harmonious agreement and mutual esteem. So my advice is to think otherwise, sift and winnow, but ultimately strive for harmony.”
In his retirement, Dr. Kent enjoys travel (until the pandemic hit), reading, exercising, black thumb gardening and slipshod home maintenance, watching films (especially BBC), and spending time with family & friends. Professionally, he enjoys completing research projects with the Vocal Tract Development Lab at the Waisman Center, occasional mentoring and volunteering, and wrapping up his final book, the online Encyclopedic Dictionary of Communication Sciences & Disorders (with the late John Laver).
When asked about a fun memory of time spent in the CS&D department, Dr. Kent says, “It did not always seem like fun at the time, but one of the most memorable events was the remodeling of Goodnight Hall. The building was noisy, dusty, cluttered with construction equipment, and subject to frequent power outages. As department chair, I had to relocate the clinics, find alternative offices for faculty and staff, and cope with bedlam.”