Michael Blomgren, PhD, CCC-SLP portrait
  • Chair, Communication Sciences & Disorders
  • Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders
801-585-6152

Current Courses

Spring 2025

  • CSD 6230-001
    Fluency Disorders
    Location: 417 WA 1903 (417 WA)
  • CSD 6970-001
    Proj/Thesis Research MS
  • CSD 7940-006
    Research Pract Ph.D.
  • CSD 7990-001
    Cont. Regist. Ph.D.

Fall 2024

Summer 2024

Practice History

  • DEPARTMENT CHAIR University of Utah, Dept. of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Salt Lake City, UT. - Responsible for managing and directing nationally recognized programs in speech-language pathology and audiology, as well as overseeing a large university speech and hearing clinic. The department has 22 full time faculty, 5 part-time faculty, approximately 180 undergraduate students and approximately 150 graduate students (M.S., Au.D., and Ph.D.). 08/2009 - present .
  • ASSOCIATE CHAIR University of Utah, Dept. of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Salt Lake City, UT. 08/2008 - present .
  • ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR University of Utah, Dept. of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Salt Lake City, UT. 06/2006 - present .
  • ASSISTANT PROFESSOR University of Utah, Dept. of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Salt Lake City, UT. 06/1999 - present .
  • RESEARCH & TEACHING ASSISTANT University of Connecticut, Department of Communication Sciences, Storrs, CT. - Served as a research assistant and taught the following courses: Speech Science and Introduction to Phonetic Principles, and served as a guest lecturer for Introduction to Speech Pathology and Stuttering: Theory and Research. 09/1996 - present .
  • PRESIDENT, OPTIMAL COMMUNICATION LLC - Forensic speech and voice consulting to attorneys, business, and law enforcement agencies. - Speech-language pathology consulting services to pharmaceutical companies. 09/1996 - present .
  • SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT. - Half-time position – provided full range of diagnostic and therapy services in an interdisciplinary acute-care environment. Hartford Hospital is a nationally recognized 1050 bed tertiary care center. - Disorder areas included stroke, traumatic brain injury, oncology, voice, trached and ventilator dependent patients, and dysphagia with extensive videofluoroscopic imaging experience. 09/1995 - present .
  • SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST, Director of Out-Patient Communication Disorders. New England Rehabilitation Hospital, Portland, ME. - Provided full range of out- and in-patient speech-language services to adult populations experiencing neurologically-based communication disorders. - Program development including a specialized intensive fluency program and an interdisciplinary young stroke rehabilitation program. Expanded and managed services to four contract sites. 09/1994 - present .
  • SENIOR SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST British Columbia Ministry of Health, Vanderhoof, British Columbia. - Provided clinical speech and language services to preschool children and adults at the Speech-Language Clinic in the Northern Interior Health Unit. - Direct and consultative speech-language services to seven schools within S.D. # 56. - Responsible for project management, training of other professionals, presentations and courses, liaison with other agencies and services on case management matters. 08/1992 - present .
  • SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST State Department of Education, Windward Oahu District, HI. - Provided direct and consultative speech and language services to preschool and school aged children exhibiting a wide variety of communication disorders. 09/1991 - present .

Teaching Philosophy

One of the primary challenges in teaching is to accommodate students differing knowledge bases, learning styles, and abilities. While it may be impossible to satisfy all students all of the time, I strive to make course content accessible to nearly all. Accessibility is enhanced when students are excited about the course content. In this sense, I believe an effective instructor is as much a motivator and coach as an information presenter. Presenting thematically organized information, providing ample printed handouts, presenting information both visually and auditorily, and providing frequent assessment are important ingredients of a successful course. Just as important is an instructor’s ability to inspire students and encourage students to engage the course information in meaningful ways. These are, I believe, key elements of an effective instructor. To this end, I attempt to make the learning process enjoyable, practical, and the process rewarding.

Courses I Teach

  • CSD 6230 - Fluency Disorders
    Presentation of theories underlying development of stuttering and other disorders of speech rhythm. Evaluation of fluency disorders and approaches to intervention.
  • CSD 6820 - Special Topics-Stuttering Workshop
    University of Utah Intensive Stuttering Clinic
  • CSD 7410 - Cognitive-Communication Disorders
    Nature, assessment, and remediation of a variety of cognitive-communication disorders including traumatic brain injury, right hemisphere brain damage, and dementia. Additional professional practice issues include issues of aging, cultural diversity, and the rationale and methods for providing family-focused treatment.

Student Projects

  • Doctoral Student Committee - University of Toronto. Kimberly Bauerly. 01/2012 - 09/2012
  • Doctoral Student Committee - The University of Sydney. Maram Al Khaledi. 01/2011 - 12/2011