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Meredith Tamminga is an Associate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania, where she directs the Language Variation and Cognition Lab . Her work bridges sociolinguistics , psycholinguistics , and theoretical linguistics , focusing on how linguistic variability is represented in mental grammar and how social context influences speech perception and production. She co-leads the Philadelphia Signs Project , exploring sign language sociolinguistics with collaborators at Penn and Gallaudet University. PhD in Linguistics (2014), University of Pennsylvania BA in Linguistics (2009), McGill University Her research integrates experimental methods with naturalistic speech analysis to study individual and group-level language change. Keywords include phonetics-phonology mapping , intraspeaker variation , and quantitative modeling . Notable grants include NSF awards and SAS Dean’s Mentorship Award . Key affiliations include MindCORE , Penn’s hub for integrative mind sciences, and collaborative ties to the Phonetics Lab , Child Language Lab , and Cultural Evolution of Language Lab . Her lab emphasizes cross-departmental research and welcomes undergraduate RAs and PhD students.

• Sociolinguistics
• Psycholinguistics
• Language Change
• +4 more

Professor in ASL and Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University and founding director of the Center for Black Deaf Studies. Pioneering research on Black ASL established foundational understanding of linguistic variations shaped by racial segregation in deaf education. Awards: Schuchman Deaf History Award (2024) for contributions documenting Black Deaf experiences Produced documentary Signing Black in America and secured NSF/Spencer Foundation grants for community-engaged research.

• Black ASL
• Deaf History
• Multicultural Education
• +1 more

Dr. Jami Fisher serves as Senior Lecturer and Director of the American Sign Language (ASL) Program at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Linguistics. Affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences, their work focuses on documenting Philadelphia-area ASL variation, global deaf community collaborations (especially with Italian communities), and integrating sign language studies into broader linguistic curricula. Education includes an Ed.D. in Higher Education from UPenn (2014), M.S.Ed. (2002) and B.A. in Linguistics (1997). Their pedagogical innovations emphasize Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) partnerships with local organizations like the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre. Research interests bridge sociolinguistics and community engagement, analyzing the linguistic landscape's visual representation of sign languages and exploring how signed languages reflect cultural values. They co-lead the ASL/Deaf Studies minor program, integrating interdisciplinary coursework with field-based capstone projects. Program leadership includes developing UPenn's longest-running Ivy League ASL program, offering advanced courses in Deaf History, Culture, and Linguistics. Collaborative projects emphasize mutually beneficial partnerships with Deaf communities to ensure culturally responsive research and education.

• American Sign Language (ASL) documentation
• Linguistic landscape analysis
• Deaf community partnerships
• +3 more

Catherine Caldwell-Harris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Boston University. She holds a PhD from UC San Diego (1991), studying under Elizabeth Bates, Jeffrey Elman, and others. Her research integrates cognitive psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience, focusing on language processing, emotion, and bilingualism. Key contributions include documenting heightened emotional reactivity in native vs. second languages and pioneering work on repetition blindness in visual cognition. Her research interests encompass second language acquisition, emotional language processing, and autism spectrum disorders. Notable projects include cross-cultural studies on Russian, Mandarin, and Spanish bilinguals, and investigations into the Personality-Culture Clash hypothesis regarding mental health and cultural values alignment. She collaborates internationally, notably with German colleagues on consciousness studies using repetition blindness paradigms. Publications span over three decades, addressing topics like neurodivergent language strategies, affective neuroscience, and bilingual ethical decision-making. Her work bridges theoretical models (e.g., emergentist accounts of language learning) with empirical findings in psycholinguistics and cognitive science. She maintains active involvement in deaf education research, exploring ASL's role in supporting English literacy among deaf children.

• Language Processing
• Second Language Acquisition
• Emotional Aspects of Language
• +5 more

Paul Dudis is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Gallaudet University, affiliated with the School of Language, Education, and Culture. He specializes in cognitive linguistics, sign language documentation, and the study of depiction in American Sign Language (ASL). His research focuses on topics such as theme buoys in ASL narratives, spatial semantics, and the motivation behind grammatical structures in signed languages. Dudis has advised numerous student research projects and contributed to Gallaudet's academic governance through roles like Department Chair and committee memberships. His teaching includes advanced courses on cognitive linguistics (LIN-721, LIN-732), depiction theory (LIN-537G), and ASL morphology. He has pioneered research ethics frameworks for sign language documentation and advocated for the inclusion of Deaf perspectives in linguistic studies. Dudis has led Gallaudet's linguistics department and participated in interdisciplinary initiatives like the OCBO video production project. His scholarly contributions span over 15 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, with recent works examining semiotic diversity in sign languages and the cognitive underpinnings of indicating verbs. Dudis' work bridges theoretical linguistics with applied research in Deaf education and language policy.

• Linguistics
• Cognitive Linguistics
• Sign Language Documentation
• +3 more

Joseph Hill is a Professor of Deaf Studies and Linguistics at Gallaudet University, directing the Center for Black Deaf Studies. His work focuses on sign language variation, Black ASL, and sociopolitical issues affecting Deaf communities. He teaches courses like Black ASL, Black Deaf Literature, and Deaf Community Studies. Recent publications include Sign Languages: Structures and Contexts (2025) and articles on language policy, pandemic communication access, and historical dialect development. His research emphasizes intersectionality, documenting marginalized sign language varieties and advocating for equitable linguistic practices. Hill advises students in honors programs and interdisciplinary studies. He actively contributes to Gallaudet's initiatives on bilingual education and accessibility. His work bridges linguistics with community advocacy, particularly addressing systemic barriers faced by Black Deaf individuals in academia and social services.

• Deaf Studies
• Sign Language Variation
• Black ASL
• +5 more

Julie Hochgesang is a Professor of Linguistics at Gallaudet University's School of Language, Education, and Culture. She holds a PhD from Gallaudet and has conducted extensive research in linguistics, particularly focusing on signed languages. Her work emphasizes language documentation, corpus development, and accessibility. She co-edits the Gallaudet University Press Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communities series and manages the ASL Signbank and Collections of ASL for Research and Documentation (CARD). She teaches courses in phonology, field methods, and corpus linguistics. Education: PhD in Linguistics, Gallaudet University (2013) MA in Linguistics, Gallaudet University (2007) BA in English and Native American Studies, California State University, Northridge (1999) Research Interests: Hochgesang's research spans sociolinguistics of ASL, phonetics/phonology of signed languages, and ethical community-driven documentation. She leads projects like the Motivated Look at Indicating Verbs in ASL (MoLo) and O5S5: Documenting ASL Communities in the time of COVID-19. Her work prioritizes collaboration with Deaf communities and challenges systemic biases in sign language AI research. Grants & Projects: MoLo Project (2019–2022): Analyzing ASL indicating verbs O5S5 ASL: Pandemic impact on Deaf communities SLAAASh (2015–2020): Sign Language Acquisition, Annotation, Archiving, and Sharing Philadelphia Signs Project: Documenting regional variation Labs/Teams: Hochgesang collaborates with the Gallaudet Linguistics Department, Haskins Laboratories, and international networks like the Sign Language Corpora Network (SLCN). She advocates for Deaf-led research and FAIR/CARE data principles.

• Linguistics
• Language Documentation
• Sociolinguistics of American Sign Language
• +3 more

Bridget Klein serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Early Childhood Education and Exceptionality Programs at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania's Bloomsburg campus, where she has taught in the ASL/English Interpreting program for over a decade. Her academic credentials include: Bachelor's degree from Keuka College (2003) with focus on ASL Concurrent Master's degrees from Gallaudet University: Teaching Sign Language (2006) and Deaf Cultural Studies (2007) Certificate in Deaf History from Gallaudet University Ph.D. in Anthropology from American University (2022) Dr. Klein's research centers on cultural anthropology with specialized focus on Deaf community narratives. She actively preserves historical materials through digitization of archival documents and photographs, transforming physical artifacts into accessible digital collections. Her methodology combines anthropological fieldwork with library science practices, particularly evident in her passion for rescuing deteriorating historical records from obscurity. This work bridges Deaf cultural heritage with contemporary digital archiving techniques, creating vital resources for future scholarly research.

• Cultural Anthropology
• Deaf Studies
• Digital Preservation
• +3 more

Ariel Goldberg is Associate Professor of Psychology at Tufts University, where he directs the Psycholinguistics & Linguistics Lab investigating cognitive mechanisms of language production across spoken, written, and signed modalities. Education: PhD in Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University MA in Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University BA in Cognitive Science & Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania His research examines morphological processing, asking how complex words are represented and produced, with specific focus on interactions between lexical and grammatical processes. Current projects investigate: 1) Multimorphemic word storage and phonological production, 2) Serial ordering in spelling, 3) Statistical knowledge of orthographic patterns, and 4) Morphological influences on spelling. Publication analysis shows consistent development of computational models for language processing, with recent emphasis on sign language lexicons (ASL-LEX database) and iconicity in language organization. Methodologies integrate psycholinguistic experiments, computational modeling, neuropsychological case studies, and corpus analysis. Funding: NSF Collaborative Research: Quantifying systematicity, iconicity in ASL Lexicon (2019-2022) NSF Collaborative Research: Structure of ASL lexicon (2016-2019) Co-directs Tufts Linguistics Minor and teaches courses including Introduction to Linguistics, Phonological Theory, and Psychology of Language.

• Psycholinguistics
• Language Production
• Morphological Processing
• +3 more

Elena Benedicto is a Professor in the Department of English at Purdue University. A faculty member since 1997, she directs the Indigenous and Endangered Languages Lab (IELLab) and contributes to interdisciplinary programs including Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Classics, and Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Ph.D. in linguistics and syntax from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Ph.D. and bachelor’s in Latin syntax from Universitat de Barcelona Her research bridges theoretical syntax and methodological/ethical issues in linguistic fieldwork, with a focus on endangered languages like Mayangna (Nicaragua) and sign languages (ASL, LSCu, LIS). Key themes include: Reference frames and spatial cognition Verbal classifier systems Participatory Action Research (PAR) Language revitalization Sociolinguistic dynamics Cultural transmission of knowledge Her publications span formal syntactic analysis and ethical frameworks for community-driven research, reflecting collaborations across institutions and Indigenous groups. She teaches courses in syntax, field methods, and Native American languages.

• Syntax
• Endangered Languages
• Sign Language Research
• +3 more

Karen Emmorey is a Distinguished Professor at San Diego State University (SDSU), holding dual appointments in the School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and the Department of Psychology. She serves as Director of the Laboratory for Language & Cognitive Neuroscience and is a member of the Executive Committee for the Center for Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience. Her research focuses on the neurobiology of sign language, bilingualism, and cognitive processes in deaf populations. Education: Ph.D. in Linguistics (UCLA, 1987), M.A. and B.A. in Linguistics (UCLA, 1984 and 1982). Affiliations: Adjunct Professorships in Psychology (SDSU and UC San Diego), Fellowships in the Linguistic Society of America and American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her work explores how sign languages engage neural systems distinct from spoken languages, with studies on spatial cognition, lexical processing, and bilingual effects. Key contributions include demonstrating enhanced visual-spatial skills in signers and identifying neural correlates of iconicity in sign language comprehension. Awards: 2022 Danielson Award, 2020 Distinguished Career Award (Society for the Neurobiology of Language). Grants: NIH-funded studies on aging in deaf signers, reading efficiency in deaf adults, and ASL lexicon structure. NSF projects on neural dynamics of reading and lexical quality variables. Emmorey’s lab investigates language and cognition through electrophysiological (ERP) and neuroimaging (fMRI) methods, emphasizing cross-linguistic and cross-modal comparisons.

• Neurobiology of Language
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Sign Language Studies
• +3 more

Jody Cripps is an Associate Professor of American Sign Language (ASL) in the Department of Languages at Clemson University's College of Arts and Humanities. He holds a Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching from the University of Arizona (2008), an M.A. from the same institution (2002), and a B.A. from Gallaudet University (1998). His research focuses on Universal Design, Signed Music, Signed Language Pathology, and literacy acquisition for deaf children. He co-founded two non-profit organizations and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Society for American Sign Language Journal . His work includes grant-funded projects such as a Canadian Council of Arts-supported signed musical case study ( The Black Drum ) and a Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language Revival initiative. Cripps teaches courses on ASL linguistics, deaf history, and signed language development. He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to advance accessibility and literacy programs for deaf populations. Notable publications include studies on signed music aesthetics, emergency preparedness for signing communities, and pedagogical innovations in ASL education. His research emphasizes visual and performative arts as tools for cultural expression and community engagement.

• Universal Design
• Signed Music
• Signed Language Pathology
• +3 more

Jonathan Reynolds is an Instructor and Lecturer at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, focusing on language documentation, revitalization, and the study of sign languages. His work includes research on Hawaii Sign Language, Creole, and American Sign Language (ASL), with a particular emphasis on grammatical structures, language variation, and language preservation initiatives. His research interests revolve around: Language endangerment and revitalization strategies Documentation of underrepresented sign languages Socio-linguistic aspects of ASL variations Technological tools for language perseverance No academic awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided data. His office is located in Moore Hall 583.

• Language Documentation
• Language Revitalization
• American Sign Language Studies
• +3 more

Natasha Abner is an Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on the structure of sign languages, modality effects on language properties, and the emergence of language in communities and individuals. She leads an NSF-funded project investigating sign language and gesture across deaf signers, hearing non-signers, and learners of ASL. Her work on sign language histories and relationships has appeared in Science and popular media. Dr. Abner directs the Sign Language & Multi-Modal Communication Lab and organizes the Language Across Modalities discussion group. Her research interests include psycholinguistics, morphosyntax, and the syntax-semantics interface, with fieldwork on Nicaraguan Sign Language and homesign systems. Grants and funding include National Science Foundation support for studies on sign language structure and gesture. Her lab explores how language emerges in diverse modalities, combining experimental and computational methods. She has published widely on sign language syntax, gesture analysis, and the theoretical implications of signed systems for linguistic theory. Current projects investigate the cognitive and social factors shaping grammatical development in emerging sign languages.

• Sign Language
• Linguistics
• Semantics
• +7 more

Monique Brown serves as a Senior Lecturer in American Sign Language at the School of Liberal Arts, Mercy University. Her role involves teaching and academic contributions within the Department of Languages or related disciplines, though the specific department name is not explicitly stated. She is based at the Dobbs Ferry campus (GMH102) and can be contacted via mbrown41@mercy.edu. While no explicit research interests are listed, her affiliation with American Sign Language suggests expertise in linguistic education, deaf culture, and language instruction methodologies. No recent publications are documented in the provided text. Ms. Brown has not been noted to receive scientific awards, advise graduate students, or lead research grants in the available information. Her professional focus appears centered on undergraduate teaching and curriculum development in ASL.

• Linguistics
• Deaf Education
• Language Acquisition
• +2 more