Research assistant – PhD candidate

Status

My name is Dario Strangis, and since 2026 I am grateful to be part of the Stuttering Research Group as a PhD candidate under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Kurt Eggers. I join the team with a combined background in clinical practice, an active role within the international community of people who stutter and clutter, and research experience in stuttering, cluttering, and voice and communication. 

Research

My PhD project aims to deepen our understanding of how individuals who stutter, who clutter, and neurotypical speakers describe, monitor, and perceive their speech and behavioural characteristics in everyday communication, and how these aspects are linked to elements such as temperament, resilience, and stigma.

Background information

I am a Speech and Language Therapist from Italy, specialized in stuttering and cluttering, and a Certified European Stuttering Specialist (CESS). My clinical work focuses on children, adolescents, and adults with speech differences, as well as professional and artistic voice users, including performers, actors, and voice professionals. In 2025, I completed a Master of Research (MRes) in Speech and Hearing Sciences at Queen Margaret University (Edinburgh) under the supervision of Dr Robin Lickley, where my thesis focused on self-descriptions of speech in individuals who stutter and clutter. This work was awarded the QMU Best Research Project MRes Prize.

Beyond clinical and academic work, I am actively involved in international community initiatives. I serve on the board of AIBACOM (Italian Stuttering & Communication Association), represent Italy within the International Cluttering Association, and coordinate Erasmus+ projects and peer-support activities for people who stutter. I also lecture in the Speech and Language Therapy programme at the University of Turin and contribute to national and international conferences.

This PhD project allows me to connect my clinical experience, research interests, and community engagement within a line of inquiry centred on communication, affectivity, speech differences, and lived experience.