Undergraduate Research Assistants – Language Acquisition Lab

Elizabeth Carey

Hello everyone! My name is Liz, and I am a first-year undergraduate student at UCLA studying cognitive science, although I am interested in potentially switching into the linguistics & computer science major. I am interested in research in the areas of sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, morphosyntax, and computational linguistics (specifically natural language processing). In my free time I like to draw, read essays, and discover new music to listen to.

Kira Keane

Hi! My name is Kira and I am a first year undergraduate majoring in Linguistics and Psychology. I am fascinated by language development in children, and hope to eventually pursue a career in Speech Language Pathology. In my free time I can be found reading, exploring new music, or cracking jokes with my improv team!

Elísabet Norgard

Hi! My name is Elísabet Norgard, and I am a second year Cognitive Science major currently planning to double minor in Data Science Engineering and Linguistics. I am fascinated by how the brain learns and processes language, and I absolutely love language learning. I dabble in over a dozen languages but primarily study Russian, Spanish and Norwegian. In my free time I love to spend time outdoors, cook, listen to music, watch films, and read. I am so excited and grateful to be a part of the Language Lab!

Alexandra Nilsen

My name is Alexandra, I am a first year Applied Linguistics major, and I am so excited to be a part of the Language Acquisition lab! In my free time I love teaching youth musical theater, acting, learning languages, and making music. I am currently planning to double minor in Applied Developmental Psychology and Chinese as I have strong interests in Bilingual Acquisition and childhood experiences on mental health. After graduation I hope to attend graduate school and obtain licensing to become an Early Intervention Speech Pathologist.

Caitlin Morlett

Hello! My name is Caitlin Morlett, and I’m a third-year undergraduate majoring in Linguistics and Psychology. I hope to pursue a career in Speech Pathology, specifically in a school setting, as I enjoy working with children. In my free time, I love reading, visiting amusement parks (Disneyland is my favorite!), and traveling!

Alex Koyoc

Hi! My name is Alex Koyoc, and I’m a junior (1st-year transfer) student majoring in Linguistics and Psychology. I’m incredibly happy to be part of this lab because of my strong passion for child language acquisition, especially how bilingualism impacts fluency in a second language. In my free time, I like to hang out with friends, listen to Taylor Swift, or just explore my next hyper fixation.

Yasmine Bizarro

Hello! My name is Yasmine Bizarro I am a second- year undergraduate student at UCLA studying Psychology and Linguistics. I hope to pursue a career as a medical Speech Language Pathologist. I am incredibly passionate about child development, and how speech can foster these young identities. Outside of school I enjoy journaling, dancing, and baking!

Shen Luo

Hi! My name is Shen, and I am a third-year majoring in Linguistics&CS and European Studies. My academic interests are language acquisition, computational linguistics, and Edtech. In the future, I would like to pursue a career in Edtech-related fields. I speak five languages (Mandarin Chinese, English, German, French, and Spanish), and I am always looking forward to learning more!

Taylor Domson

Hi! My name is Taylor Domson, and I’m a second-year Psychobiology major pursuing a minor in Spanish as well. I find equal parts joy, passion, and excitement in working with young children and analyzing their language acquisition, development, and maturation over time. I hope to pursue pediatric dentistry or medicine in the future, or perhaps even study Child Psychology and Mental Health Counseling. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, reading, going to the beach with friends, trying a new local coffee shop, or cooking. I’m extremely excited to work in the Language Lab!

Jessica Sanders

Hello! My name is Jessica Sanders, I am a second-year undergraduate student at UCLA studying Cognitive Science. I hope to pursue a graduate degree and work in pediatric clinical care. I am passionate about cognitive development of adolescents, and how language influences this growth. Growing up in a bilingual household has led to my fascination of linguistic influence on identity, culture, and cognitive processes. In my free time I enjoy figure skating and baking!

Sahana Ramesh

Hello! My name is Sahana Ramesh, and I’m a 4th year Chinese and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Double Major. I am interested in studying sociolinguistics and language acquisition, and my hobbies include playing minesweeper and making cute cafe drinks at home. I hope to eventually attend medical school and become a multilingual physician that can help provide care in disadvantaged areas.