The Office of Human Subjects Protections (OHSP) is pleased to announce that McKenzie Scoppa, member of Dr. Pumpki Lei Su’s Language Interaction and Language Acquisition in Children (LILAC) Lab, has been selected as the recipient of the Fall 2025 HIVE Award!
McKenzie holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). She is currently a fifth-year PhD student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at UTD. Her day-to-day responsibilities include participant recruitment and screening, obtaining informed consent, and conducting study visits with children and their parents. Within the LILAC lab, McKenzie serves as a strong role model for undergraduate research assistants whom she trains and mentors, explicitly emphasizing the importance of conducting ethical research.
The dedication to responsible research practices is evident in the way McKenzie approaches the informed consent process. She noted that incorporating the comprehension questions has been one of the most helpful strategies for recognizing when participants or their parents may not fully understand the consent form. This insight has deepened her appreciation for the importance of clear communication and participant understanding.
The research McKenzie conducts centers on how children with autism learn new words, with a particular emphasis on a strength-based approach. She believes it is essential to recognize and build upon the existing abilities of her participants, using this as a foundation for future research and clinical applications. Her work specifically explores how strengths in speech production, such as sound production, can support vocabulary acquisition in children with autism.
McKenzie also demonstrates her commitment to prioritizing participants’ strengths and making research more accessible to them by understanding where additional support may be needed. She has identified this as one of the most important lessons she has learned about conducting human subjects research. For example, she recognizes that the transition between study activities may be difficult for some of the children. In response, McKenzie has thoughtfully created individualized stories to help children navigate study procedures, developed interactive timelines to keep them engaged, and offers sensory breaks. These tools not only ease transitions but also foster rapport and ensure the children feel safe and supported throughout the research process.
Dr. Su proudly shared that McKenzie’s approach exemplifies the highest ideals of research ethics: “She demonstrates that ethical research is not only about compliance with regulations but also about fostering trust, protecting dignity, and promoting positive experiences for children and families.”
McKenzie is guided by the quote, “Lead with curiosity, act with compassion,” which reflects her values in both science and life. “Curiosity drives meaningful scientific questions, while compassion reminds me why those questions matter,” she says.
The Office of Human Subjects Protections proudly welcomes McKenzie Scoppa as a valued Member of the HIVE!