SIUE Professor James Panico Named ASHA Media Champion for Stuttering Awareness Work

SIUE Professor James Panico Named ASHA Media Champion for Stuttering Awareness Work

James Panico, PhD, CCC-SLP, a faculty member in SIUE's Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, has been named a recipient of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) 2026 Media Champion Award for his work developing a groundbreaking exhibit on stuttering.

"I am humbled to be a recipient of the 2026 American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association Media Champion Award," Panico said. "The award is the result of months of hard work involving collaboration among many talented and dedicated individuals committed to advocacy in order to create an interactive stuttering exhibit at the Planet Word Museum in Washington, D.C."

Panico served as a primary author of the content for a new interactive exhibit exploring stuttering at the Planet Word Museum in Washington, D.C. Working alongside fellow honoree Derek E. Daniels, PhD, CCC-SLP, Panico spent several months collaborating with ASHA staff to shape the exhibit's educational content, helping translate clinical and research knowledge about stuttering into an experience accessible to museum visitors of all backgrounds.

Panico noted that worldwide, more than 80 million people stutter, and that misconceptions about the condition can lead to harmful stigmas. "Our goal was to create something unique, informative, and research-based that could serve as a way for the general public to learn about the multidimensionality of stuttering and the role of speech-language pathologists," he said.

The exhibit, which launched in November 2025, aims to foster greater public understanding of stuttering while offering practical guidance for supporting people who stutter. It joins a growing effort across the speech-language pathology field to move conversations about communication disorders out of clinical settings and into public spaces where they can reach broader audiences.

Panico is one of several honorees recognized for their contributions to the Planet Word exhibit, a group that includes clinicians, researchers and a person who stutters who shared his personal story at the exhibit's launch event. ASHA's Media Champion Awards celebrate individuals and outlets who have gone above and beyond to raise public awareness about communication disorders and the professionals who treat them.

"Each awardee in their own way has helped raise awareness and educate the public about communication and swallowing disorders," said 2026 ASHA President Linda I. Rosa-Lugo, in announcing this year's honorees.
Panico and other 2026 Media Champion Award recipients will be formally recognized this November at ASHA's national convention. Reflecting on his role in the project, Panico said, "It was truly a privilege to serve as a primary contributor for something that has the potential to make a meaningful difference."

Department Chair Huaibo Xin, PhD, praised the recognition, calling it well deserved and a proud moment for the department.