Abhilasha Kumar

Abhilasha Kumar is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bowdoin College in Maine, where she leads the Lexicon Lab. She is currently on leave for the 2025–2026 academic year. Her research integrates computational modeling and experimental methods to investigate fundamental cognitive processes.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. and M.A. in Psychological & Brain Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis
• M.A. in Liberal Arts & Young India Fellow from Ashoka University
• Integrated M.Tech in Mathematics & Computing from IIT Delhi

Dr. Kumar specializes in Computational Cognitive Science, examining how humans learn word meanings through social interaction and navigate the mental lexicon. Her work employs gamified experiments and psychological theory to study Language Acquisition, Memory, and Complex Cognition. Funded by the National Science Foundation, her research bridges computational modeling with empirical investigation of higher-order cognitive functions.

She teaches core courses including Data Analysis (PSYC 2520), Cognition (PSYC 2040), Lab in Cognitive Science (PSYC 2740), and Intelligent Minds and Machines (PSYC 3043). Prospective research students are directed to the Lexicon Lab's get involved page for participation opportunities.