Samira Anderson worked as a clinical audiologist for twenty-six years before leaving the clinic to pursue research in the auditory field. She obtained her M.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Indiana University in 1981, her Au.D. (Doctor of Audiology) from the University of Florida in 2000, and her Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 2012. Her research is motivated by her clinical experience, and she aims to improve speech understanding in older adults using three approaches: 1) investigating the brain’s role in speech understanding difficulties, 2) investigating ways to improve auditory brain function, and 3) investigating methods to increase benefit from hearing aids or cochlear implants. In addition to her research, she enjoys teaching Audiology courses to undergraduate and graduate students. Her current work is funded by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.