Past Projects



Neural Correlates of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

Funding: San Diego State University (SDSU), Center for Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience Collaborative Piot Grant Program

This project utilizes multimodal neuroimaging methods to characterize of brain organization and function in children with DLD and typically-developing peers and to link these with language performance. High-resolution anatomical MRI, resting-state functional MRI and perfusion (cerebral blood flow) data are acquired from children while they are at rest. This project is in collaboration with Drs  Tracy Love (Language and Neuroscience Group) and Inna Fishman (Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neurodevelopment Group) at SDSU. Data collection for this project is conducted at SDSU and the University of California, San Diego.


Socioeconomic Effects on Word Learning

Funding: National Science Foundation (BCS-1551770)

This project aims to identify the impact of well-documented socioeconomic status (SES) differences in semantic knowledge, reading and working memory on word learning at the behavioral and brain levels in school-aged children. Children complete behavioral tests of semantic knowledge, reading, and working memory and a word learning from context task while EEG is recorded. The objective is to identify the mechanisms through which SES influences cognitive-linguistic factors and brain functions that underlie word learning, thus clarifying the reasons for SES differences in vocabulary growth during the school years. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Mandy Maguire (Developmental Neurolinguistics Lab) at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). Data collection is conducted at UTD.