College of Education and Health Professions faculty member Elizabeth Lorah has been selected to serve on the Science Board of the Association for Behavior Analysis International. 

Lorah's three-year term will extend through May 2028. In a letter to Lorah, board leadership noted that she was elected to the position based on her "vast knowledge, work, and expertise in the field."

ABAI is a membership organization for those interested in the philosophy, science, application and teaching of behavior analysis. Researchers and practitioners in the field seek to understand individuals' behavior by focusing on how environmental factors influence what people do.

"Being elected to the Association for Behavior Analysis Science Board signifies recognition as a leader in advancing the field's scientific foundations," Lorah said. "I am excited to have the opportunity to shape research priorities and promote evidence-based practices that impact both academic and applied settings."

The organization's Science Board primarily works to promote research in behavior analysis. As a board member, Lorah will engage in activities that help develop, improve and support behavior analysis research.

Lorah earned her doctorate in educational psychology from Temple University. She is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level and a leading researcher on the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. She has served on multiple committees and in various capacities for the Arkansas Association for Behavior Analysis.

She is co-director of the AAC Research Laboratory, a collaboration between the college's communication sciences and disorders and special education programs. The lab develops and evaluates AAC technologies for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who experience limitations in speech and language.

Lorah and co-director Christine Holyfield lead the lab to contribute to the research base of effective technologies and instructional strategies that help AAC users, prepare future researchers in the field, and train future clinicians to apply research and proper evaluation methods.

Lorah also teaches in and coordinates the University of Arkansas Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis.