About
Knowing and speaking more than two languages is extremely common across the globe. My current research explores how bilinguals process code-switching--the mixing of two languages within or across sentences--in real time. Using electroencephalography (EEG) along with naturalistic experimental methods allows me to investigate some of the most interesting questions in neurolinguistics: Is codeswitching mentally costly, despite it appearing as a seamless process with minimal mistakes in syntactic structure? How does one's language experiences impact their use and processing of codeswitches, if at all?
In a more broader lens, I am interested in how the brain comes to utilize two or more languages within the brain, especially if the two languages are distant in their phonemic and/or syntactic structures. Throughout my PhD career, I hope to further investigate bilingualism with intersections such as the developing brain and second language learning, using a variety of neuroimaging technologies--including, but not limited to, EEG and fNIRS.
With the long-term goal of becoming a professor, staying in academia and the field of research means a lot to me. I love to teach others, but I also love to learn as well, as I believe we have a lot to learn from one another--beyond the breadth of academia itself.
I am a proud advocate for LGBTQ+, immigrant, ethnic minority, and low-income students.
