diff --git a/assets/vk.ico b/assets/vk.ico
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6925d0b
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/vk.ico differ
diff --git a/assets/vk.png b/assets/vk.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4c6580
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/vk.png differ
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index bcfc042..757b811 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -110,8 +110,10 @@
 
     log.info("[FROZEN] Environment configured for frozen app")
 
+from PyQt6.QtGui import QIcon
 from PyQt6.QtWidgets import QApplication
 from voxkit.config import STARTUP_SCRIPT
+from voxkit.config.app_config import get_app_icon_path
 from voxkit.gui import VoxKitGUI
 from voxkit.gui.workers.startup import execute_mfa_provisioning, execute_startup_script
 
@@ -135,6 +137,7 @@ def main():
 
     app = QApplication(sys.argv)
     app.setStyle("Fusion")
+    app.setWindowIcon(QIcon(str(get_app_icon_path())))
 
     # Execute startup script on first launch (before GUI initialization)
     log.info("Running startup script")
diff --git a/scripts/build.py b/scripts/build.py
index 70811ed..364467f 100644
--- a/scripts/build.py
+++ b/scripts/build.py
@@ -106,11 +106,11 @@ def build(args):
         # This is important because PyInstaller resolves paths relative to CWD
         project_root = Path(__file__).parent.parent
         original_cwd = Path.cwd()
-        
+
         if original_cwd != project_root:
                 print(f"[INFO] Changing working directory to project root: {project_root}")
                 os.chdir(project_root)
-        
+
         opts = []
 
         # Basic options
@@ -184,6 +184,14 @@ def build(args):
                 print("[INFO] Adding vendor folder to build assets")
                 opts.append(f'--add-data={vendor_dir}{sep}vendor')
 
+        # Add assets folder if it exists (branding images used for the in-app
+        # window icon and first-launch splash logo, resolved at runtime via
+        # voxkit.config.app_config.get_assets_root())
+        assets_dir = project_root / "assets"
+        if assets_dir.exists() and assets_dir.is_dir():
+                print("[INFO] Adding assets folder to build assets")
+                opts.append(f'--add-data={assets_dir}{sep}assets')
+
         for ad in args.add_data:
                 if sep in ad:
                         opts.append(f'--add-data={ad}')
@@ -217,7 +225,7 @@ def build(args):
                         print(f"   Run with: ./dist/{args.name}/{args.name}")
                 else:
                         print(f"\n⚠️  Expected build output not found at {app_path}")
-        
+
         # Restore original working directory
         if original_cwd != project_root:
                 os.chdir(original_cwd)
diff --git a/src/voxkit/config/app_config.py b/src/voxkit/config/app_config.py
index c6376a9..1455e3b 100644
--- a/src/voxkit/config/app_config.py
+++ b/src/voxkit/config/app_config.py
@@ -36,6 +36,36 @@ def get_config_root() -> Path:
         return Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent.parent / "config"
 
 
+def get_assets_root() -> Path:
+    """Get the path to the assets root directory.
+
+    Returns the correct assets path whether running from source or as a
+    PyInstaller bundle.
+
+    Returns:
+        Path to the assets directory
+    """
+    if getattr(sys, "_MEIPASS", None):
+        return Path(getattr(sys, "_MEIPASS")) / "assets"
+    else:
+        return Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent.parent / "assets"
+
+
+def get_app_icon_path() -> Path:
+    """Get the best available runtime icon file for QIcon/QPixmap use.
+
+    Prefers the Windows .ico (multi-resolution, sharper in the taskbar/title
+    bar) when on Windows, falling back to the PNG everywhere else.
+
+    Returns:
+        Path to the icon file
+    """
+    root = get_assets_root()
+    if sys.platform == "win32" and (root / "vk.ico").exists():
+        return root / "vk.ico"
+    return root / "vk.png"
+
+
 def get_active_profile() -> str:
     """Get the active configuration profile name.
 
diff --git a/src/voxkit/engines/w2tg_engine.py b/src/voxkit/engines/w2tg_engine.py
index 8a5b4d2..e7e0efa 100644
--- a/src/voxkit/engines/w2tg_engine.py
+++ b/src/voxkit/engines/w2tg_engine.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
             name="use_speaker_adaptation",
             label="Use Speaker Adaptation",
             field_type=FieldType.CHECKBOX,
-            default_value=False,
+            default_value=True,
             tooltip="Enable speaker adaptation for better alignment results.",
         ),
         FieldConfig(
diff --git a/src/voxkit/gui/__init__.py b/src/voxkit/gui/__init__.py
index 0878851..1758972 100644
--- a/src/voxkit/gui/__init__.py
+++ b/src/voxkit/gui/__init__.py
@@ -411,7 +411,10 @@ def open_feedback(self):
         webbrowser.open(mailto_url)
 
     def init_ui(self):
+        from voxkit.config.app_config import get_app_icon_path
+
         self.setWindowTitle(self.app_config.app_name)
+        self.setWindowIcon(QIcon(str(get_app_icon_path())))
         self.setMinimumSize(1200, 800)
 
         # Set application-wide stylesheet
diff --git a/src/voxkit/gui/components/loading_dialog.py b/src/voxkit/gui/components/loading_dialog.py
index 96f2a7c..ed4dc4c 100644
--- a/src/voxkit/gui/components/loading_dialog.py
+++ b/src/voxkit/gui/components/loading_dialog.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     QWidget,
 )
 
-from voxkit.gui.styles import Colors
+from voxkit.gui.styles import Colors, Labels
 
 
 class _WaveformStrip(QWidget):
@@ -193,6 +193,16 @@ def init_ui(self, message: str, title: str, subtitle: str | None):
         self.subtitle_label.setVisible(bool(subtitle))
         layout.addWidget(self.subtitle_label)
 
+        # Fine-print institutional credit
+        credit_label = QLabel(
+            "VoxKit is brought to you by the University of Wisconsin-Madison "
+            "and Arizona State University"
+        )
+        credit_label.setAlignment(Qt.AlignmentFlag.AlignCenter)
+        credit_label.setWordWrap(True)
+        credit_label.setStyleSheet(Labels.CREDIT)
+        layout.addWidget(credit_label)
+
         # Card background: subtle vertical gradient (light tints of the app's
         # primary blue) with a primary-blue rounded border. Painted on the child
         # frame (not the translucent window) so it renders reliably.
@@ -210,7 +220,7 @@ def init_ui(self, message: str, title: str, subtitle: str | None):
             """
         )
 
-        self.setFixedSize(420, 260)
+        self.setFixedSize(420, 290)
 
     def center_on_screen(self):
         """Center the dialog on the primary screen."""
diff --git a/src/voxkit/gui/pages/pipeline/viewer_stacker.py b/src/voxkit/gui/pages/pipeline/viewer_stacker.py
index dbff89a..9edf9e3 100644
--- a/src/voxkit/gui/pages/pipeline/viewer_stacker.py
+++ b/src/voxkit/gui/pages/pipeline/viewer_stacker.py
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ def __init__(self, parent: QWidget | None = None) -> None:
         self.setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy.Policy.Expanding, QSizePolicy.Policy.Fixed)
         self.setFixedHeight(self.RULER_HEIGHT)
 
-    _TIER_ORDER = {"phones": 0, "words": 1}
+    _TIER_ORDER = {"words": 0, "phones": 1}
 
     def set_data(self, tiers: list[dict], duration: float) -> None:
         self._tiers = sorted(
@@ -1839,7 +1839,11 @@ def _on_position_changed(self, position_ms: int):
     def _update_active_segment_label(self, secs: float) -> None:
         if self._active_label and self._active_label.isVisible() and self._loaded_tiers:
             parts = []
-            for tier in self._loaded_tiers:
+            ordered_tiers = sorted(
+                self._loaded_tiers,
+                key=lambda t: TextGridTimeline._TIER_ORDER.get(t["name"].lower(), 2),
+            )
+            for tier in ordered_tiers:
                 if tier["class"] == "IntervalTier":
                     for iv in tier["intervals"]:
                         if iv["start"] <= secs < iv["end"] and iv["label"] not in _SILENCE_LABELS: