Visar Berisha joined Arizona State University in 2013 as an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science and School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering. The overarching goal of his research is to develop and apply new machine learning and statistical signal processing tools to better understand and model signal perception. With a focus on speech, the goal is to develop reliable, data-driven models that can mimic aspects of human cognition. Some recent projects include developing models of pathological speech perception, developing auditory perception models based on psychoacoustics, and developing new machine learning tools for use with behavioral experiments. Making progress against these goals requires an interdisciplinary approach that spans multiple fields. Professor Visar’s contributions to this effort are centered on developing computational models guided by collected behavioral data.