Description of Current Research
My lab is interested in understanding the process of human brain and cognitive development. The amount of learning that takes place in infancy is arguably unmatched at any other point in the human lifetime. This is even as infants are not able to walk, talk, or adroitly manipulate objects. Attention, learning, and memory systems play a critical role in these seismic shifts in neural and cognitive development. In recent years, my lab has made novel discoveries regarding the numerous sophisticated learning systems available to infants. Our plan is to exploit these discoveries to ask innovative questions about (1) how interactive attention and learning systems in infancy and childhood offer plasticity in the presence of risk and opportunity, and in doing so (2) how they are simultaneously being shaped by experience for adaptive function in future environments. Our work spans the globe, from NYC to Jordan, Ghana, South Africa, and Malawi. We are additionally committed to partnering with local and global nonprofit organizations, specifically to make the best scientific evidence part of the discussion in building effective children's programming.
