Find Academic Supervisors

Torsten Kai JachmannView profile

Research Fellow

• Psycholinguistics
• Cognitive Science
• ERP (Event-Related Potentials)
• +3 more

Dr. Torsten Kai Jachmann is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Psycholinguistics Group at the Department of Language Science and Technology , Saarland University. His work focuses on the interplay of speaker gaze , ERP neurophysiological correlates , and information structure in situated language comprehension . Current teaching: Experimental Methods in Psycholinguistic Research (SS2025) , Japanese language courses Key methodologies: ERP experiments, reaction time studies, statistical modeling Research themes: predictive processing , multimodal integration , discourse expectations His peer-reviewed publications span journals like Cognition and Brain and Cognition , with conference presentations at venues including CogSci, AMLaP, and CUNY Sentence Processing. He holds a magna cum laude PhD in Psycholinguistics from Saarland University (2020), supervised by Prof. Matthew W. Crocker. Education: PhD (2020) - Psycholinguistics, Saarland University (SFB1102) MSc (2015) - Language Science and Technology BSc (2013) - Computational Linguistics Teaching experience includes advanced Japanese language instruction and experimental methods training since 2013. His collaborative research frequently involves interdisciplinary teams from the Cluster of Excellence (MMCI) and SFB1102.

Iza ŠkrjanecView profile

Researcher

• Psycholinguistics
• Computational Linguistics
• Natural Language Processing
• +3 more

Iza Škrjanec is a doctoral researcher at Saarland University working in Prof. Vera Demberg's research group since July 2022. She is affiliated with the Konrad Zuse School of Excellence in Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELIZA) and is based in the Computer Science and Computational Linguistics department at Campus C7 2, room 2.02 in Saarbrücken, Germany. Her research focuses on how language comprehension is modulated by individual differences, particularly variations in background knowledge. She employs eye-tracking technology to gather precise measurements of eye movements during reading and listening tasks. Škrjanec actively explores the intersection between psycholinguistics and Natural Language Processing, aiming to bridge cognitive science insights with computational linguistic applications. As a member of the Konrad Zuse School of Excellence, she benefits from Saarland University's strong research environment in computer science and linguistics, which features numerous national and international collaborations across major research networks.

Carrick C. WilliamsView profile

Associate Professor

• Cognitive Psychology
• Visual Search
• Visual Memory
• +5 more

Carrick C. Williams is an Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), affiliated with the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral, and Social Sciences (CHABSS). He joined CSUSM in 2014 after completing postdoctoral training at the University of Massachusetts (2003–2005) following his Ph.D. in Psychology from Michigan State University (2003). His research focuses on cognitive processes including visual search, visual memory, eye movement control, and face memory. Notable applied work includes studies on driving behavior in older adults, hurricane storm surge warning communication, and police car visibility. He teaches courses like Advanced Research Methods (PSYC 530) and History of Psychology (PSYC 490). Research interests emphasize understanding how vision, memory, and attention interact. Key areas include target/distractor memory encoding, eye movement patterns during complex tasks, and age-related differences in visual processing. Applied projects explore real-world applications like driver distraction and disaster communication effectiveness. Publications span topics from visual search strategies to face recognition, demonstrating interdisciplinary contributions to cognitive psychology. He actively engages in laboratory research and supervises independent student projects.

Christian HänigView profile

Professor

• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning
• Natural Language Processing
• +7 more

Prof. Dr. Christian Hänig is a Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Languages and a Temporary Lecturer at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. He advises the Data Science (Full-Time Program) Master of Science degree and teaches courses such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Mining, and Deep Learning. His research focuses on Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision, Medical Imaging, Multimodal Document Processing, and Data Science. Recent work emphasizes applications in financial domains (e.g., German financial language models and corpus development) and agricultural sector benchmarking. Earlier research includes VR education analytics, unsupervised NLP techniques, and knowledge extraction from unstructured data. Key publications (2024) include developing benchmarks for Ukrainian language models, evaluating agricultural LLMs, and creating financial domain corpora. His contributions span over 20 years, addressing challenges in domain-specific NLP, clinical text mining, and industrial quality analysis. Prof. Hänig’s academic service includes roles as a degree program advisor and committee member. Office hours are Thursdays 4:30–6:00 PM (by appointment) at the Ratke Building, Room 23-114, Köthen campus.

Melanie B. Fried-OkenView profile

Researcher

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Assistive Technology
• Neurodegenerative Diseases
• +6 more

Melanie B. Fried-Oken, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a leading international researcher and clinician in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for individuals with acquired communication impairments. She specializes in developing and evaluating assistive technologies like brain-computer interfaces (BCI) to enhance communication for those with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, ALS, and primary progressive aphasia. Her work integrates translational research, clinical trials, and ethical considerations of emerging technologies. Education: B.A., 1976, University of Rochester M.A., 1978, Northwestern University Ph.D., 1984, Boston University Research focuses on bridging gaps in AAC practices through innovative technologies. Her team, the Consortium for Accessible Multimodal Brain-Body Interfaces (CAMBI), develops BCI systems and evaluates their clinical efficacy. Key projects include the Communication Bridge-2 trial for PPA and neurofeedback protocols for Alzheimer's patients. Publications emphasize BCI design ethics, AAC implementation challenges, and clinical outcomes in neurodegenerative disorders. Collaborations span multidisciplinary teams in engineering, neuroscience, and rehabilitation. Grants led include federal funding for studies on locked-in syndrome, ALS, and PPA. She advocates for patient-centered approaches to ensure technologies address real-world communication needs. Labs/Teams: Leads the CAMBI consortium and collaborates with institutions globally on BCI and AAC advancements.

Elaine LauView profile

Assistant Professor

• Psycholinguistics
• Language Acquisition (L1, L2, multilingual)
• Language Processing (comprehension vs. production)
• +3 more

Elaine Lau is an Assistant Professor of Linguistics at Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (YCCECE) and Head of its Research Office. She holds adjunct roles as Adjunct Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Honorary Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on psycholinguistics, language acquisition (L1/L2/multilingual), syntax, and Chinese linguistics. She has conducted studies on classifier systems in Mandarin, Cantonese syntax, and L2 processing mechanisms. Recent work includes examining how theoretical linguistics informs early childhood education practices. Education: PhD in Linguistics, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Advanced Graduate Certificate in Second Language Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa MPhil in Linguistics, University of Hong Kong Bachelor of Cognitive Science, University of Hong Kong Research interests span psycholinguistics, syntax, and multilingual acquisition. Notable contributions include studies on relative clause processing asymmetries and L2 learners' reliance on semantic cues in classifier-based languages. Current projects involve child language development in Hong Kong's multilingual communities. Her publications analyze L2 processing strategies, Cantonese relative clauses, and the role of obligatory agents in passive constructions. She actively seeks research assistants for projects on monolingual syntactic development in Chinese and literacy resources in ethnic minority communities. Elaine has held postdoctoral positions at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), including in the Childhood Bilingualism Research Centre and the Jockey Club AI project.

Archan MISRAView profile

Professor

• Human-Machine Collaborative Systems
• Pervasive Sensing & Systems
• Human-Computer Interaction
• +5 more

Archan Misra is a Lee Kong Chian Professor of Computer Science and Vice Provost (Research) at Singapore Management University (SMU). He leads the School of Computing and Information Systems and oversees research strategy across SMU. His work focuses on Human-Machine Collaboration, Pervasive Sensing, and AI-driven systems. Misra holds a PhD from the University of Maryland (2000) and has extensive industry experience at IBM Research and Bellcore. He is a Distinguished Member of ACM and Senior Member of IEEE. Research interests include Embodied AI, LiDAR-based localization, energy-efficient AIoT, and smart city analytics. Notable projects include the MIT/SMART M3S program on human-machine collaboration and leadership roles in SMU's CASA and LiveLabs initiatives. His work spans 300+ publications and multiple industry-funded grants, including NRF Singapore and US Army projects. Advises PhD students in areas like edge AI, wearable computing, and computer vision. Awards include ACM Distinguished Membership and IEEE Senior Membership. Current roles include Director of SMU's Resilient Workforces Institute and co-PI for the M3S program. Active in teaching, including courses on mobile systems and software foundations.

Christoforos ChristoforouView profile

Associate Professor

• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Computational Neuroscience
• +5 more

Dr. Christoforos Christoforou is an Associate Professor in the Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Sciences at St. John’s University’s Collins College of Professional Studies. He serves as Program Director for the Master’s in Computer Science program and leads the Neuro-Intelligence and Innovation Lab. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the CUNY Graduate Center, complemented by advanced degrees from The City College of New York. Education: PhD, Computer Science, City University of New York - The Graduate Center MPhil, Computer Science, City University of New York - The Graduate Center MS, Computer Science, The City College of the City University of New York Research Interests: Dr. Christoforou’s work bridges computer science and neuroscience, focusing on machine learning and AI algorithms to decode neurophysiological signals (EEG) for neurotechnology applications. Key areas include brain-computer interfaces, neuro-cinematics, and understanding neurocognitive processes in reading disorders and spatial cognition. His research has pioneered computational frameworks for studying neural underpinnings of dyslexia and emotional responses to media. Publications Overview: His most recent work (2023–2021) explores neural congruency in phonological processing, EEG-based emotion recognition, and computational models for reading remediation. Earlier contributions include foundational studies on cortically coupled computer vision and predictive modeling of movie audience engagement. Lab & Innovation: The Neuro-Intelligence and Innovation Lab under his direction develops neurotechnology solutions through interdisciplinary collaboration, emphasizing real-world applications like assistive robotics and adaptive educational tools.

Monica Sanz TorrentView profile

Researcher

• Psycholinguistics
• Language Pathology
• Developmental Language Disorders
• +3 more

Mònica Sanz-Torrent is a researcher at the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Psychology , specializing in psycholinguistics and language pathology. She collaborates with the Grup de Recerca en Cognició i Llenguatge (GRECIL) , a joint research group between the University of Barcelona (UB) and Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). Her work focuses on developmental language disorders in children using eye-tracking methodologies. Key Research Areas : Psycholinguistics, Visual Attention, Developmental Language Disorders Collaborations : Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Generalitat de Catalunya Research Trends (2017-2021): Recent studies investigate real-time language processing in children with developmental language disorders, with particular emphasis on prepositions, articles, and verb structures. Eye-tracking techniques play a central role in her research to analyze visual attention patterns during language comprehension tasks. Scientific Contributions : Ref.EDU2016-75368-P (2017-2019): Implicit Learning in Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) Ref.2017 SGR 387 (2018): Collaborative research on language processing Advising Experience : Supervised doctoral theses on topics including language comprehension in children with SLI (Spyros Christou, 2018), phonological memory in children with reading difficulties (Raquel Balboa Castells, 2018), and statistical word learning in Catalan-Spanish children with SLI (Nadia Ahufinger Sanclemente, 2019).

Marijana MacisView profile

Senior Lecturer

• TESOL
• Applied Linguistics
• Second Language Acquisition
• +3 more

Dr. Marijana Macis is a Senior Lecturer in TESOL and Applied Linguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University's Department of English within the Humanities and Social Sciences School. She holds a PhD from the University of Nottingham, an MA from the University of Santiago de Chile, and a BA from the University of Banja Luka. Her research focuses on second language vocabulary acquisition, particularly methodologies for teaching and learning collocations, spacing effects in vocabulary retention, and incidental learning processes. She has been recognized with a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2019) and featured in the top 10 TESOL 2019 Convention takeaways for her work on spacing effects. Teaching responsibilities include courses such as First Language Acquisition , TESOL 3 , and Learning and Teaching Vocabulary at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her publications span high-impact journals like Language Learning and Studies in Second Language Acquisition , addressing topics such as form-focused instruction, lexical coverage in viewing comprehension, and optimal spacing schedules for vocabulary learning. Professional memberships include the American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) and the British Association of Applied Linguistics (BAAL). Key research contributions include investigations into collocation retention strategies, the role of feedback in second language acquisition, and corpus-based approaches to figurative language teaching. Her work bridges theoretical insights from cognitive linguistics with practical applications in language education, emphasizing evidence-based pedagogy.

Samer SarsamView profile

Assistant Professor

• Artificial Intelligence
• Data Mining
• Machine Learning
• +3 more

Dr. Samer Sarsam is an Assistant Professor in Coventry University's School of Strategy and Leadership. His research specializes in Business Analytics, Data Mining, Machine Learning, and AI-driven decision-making with applications in healthcare, finance, and education. He mentors undergraduate/postgraduate students and consults for tourism/healthcare industries. Research focuses on: Artificial Intelligence and predictive modeling Sentiment and opinion mining techniques Time-series analysis for behavioral prediction Text mining applications in healthcare Recipient of the 2021 Market Research Society Silver Medal for excellence in analytics research. Published extensively on machine learning applications, with recent work exploring generative AI in healthcare management (blood donation supply chains) and education. Consulting work helps organizations leverage data analytics for strategic decision-making across multiple sectors.

• Machine Learning
• Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI)
• Neuroscience
• +3 more

Xiaodong Qu is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Swarthmore College. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Brandeis University, advised by Professor Timothy J. Hickey. His research focuses on Machine Learning and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), with a strong emphasis on EEG signal analysis and interdisciplinary applications in education and healthcare. Dr. Qu has led research projects involving 15 undergraduate students and 15 BCI headsets, fostering hands-on learning in EEG data analysis. His work has been recognized with a Best Paper Award at the 2020 International Conference on Brain Function Assessment in Learning. He actively participates in academic service, chairing sessions at HCI International 2022 and serving as Department Representative for Computer Science (2022-23). His teaching spans foundational courses like CPSC 21 (Introduction to Computer Science) and advanced topics such as Machine Learning and BCI. He emphasizes project-based learning, integrating real-world datasets and collaborative research opportunities. His lab at Swarthmore supports undergraduate research in AI, BCI, and EEG applications.

Louah SirriView profile

Lecturer

• Educational Psychology
• Cognitive Development
• Bilingualism
• +4 more

Dr. Louah Sirri is a Lecturer in Educational Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University's School of Education, specializing in cognitive development and bilingualism. She earned her PhD from Université Paris Descartes, researching lexical-semantic systems in monolingual and bilingual children. Her academic journey includes roles like Senior Research Associate at Lancaster University (2015-2018) and postdoctoral research funded by the ESRC LuCiD Centre. She holds Chartered Psychologist status with the BPS and speaks Arabic, French, Hebrew, and English. Research focuses on cognitive development in young children, using EEG, eye-tracking, and NIRS. Key interests include bilingual language acquisition, multisensory perception, and educational equity. She organized a webinar on 'Decolonizing the Curriculum in Educational Psychology' and contributes to editorial boards for journals like Frontiers in Psychology. Teaching involves leading modules on prevention science, early intervention, and empirical project proposals for BSc Educational Psychology students. She supervises third-year research projects and collaborates on initiatives like the MMU RISE Internship, exploring curriculum reforms. Awards include a French government PhD grant and travel awards for international conferences.

Jake NewmanView profile

Lecturer

• Artificial Intelligence
• Deep Neural Networks
• Machine Learning
• +6 more

Jake Newman is a Lecturer in Computing Sciences at the University of East Anglia (UEA) within the School of Computing Sciences. He is a member of the Data Science and AI Research Group and the CAVA lab. His roles include Module Organiser for Data Structures and Algorithms, Director of Computing Science BSc programs, and Science Sub-Committee Ethics Reviewer. Newman holds a PhD in Computing from UEA titled "Language Identification Using Visual Features" and a BSc in Computing with Electronics. His research focuses on AI, deep learning, machine learning, speech recognition, and signal processing, applied to medical time-series analysis, computer lip-reading, and stock market prediction. Key contributions include the CAVA system for vestibular assessment and dementia diagnosis. He teaches courses such as Audio-Visual Speech Processing and Human-Computer Interaction. Newman has received awards including the 2nd Prize in the 3-Minute Thesis Competition (2021) and the Outstanding Impact in Health, Wellbeing and Welfare award (2022). His work spans collaborations in computational biology, medical computing, and high-performance computing. He actively participates in conferences like IEEE AI 2024 and AI UK 2024, and has contributed to optimizing HPC workflows through his Research Software Engineer experience.

Manuel BohnView profile

Assistant Professor

• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Development
• Comparative Psychology
• +3 more

Manuel Bohn is an Assistant Professor in the Institute for Psychology at Leuphana University Lüneburg since 2023. Previously, he held postdoctoral positions at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (2020–2023) and conducted a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship at Stanford University (2017–2020). His research focuses on developmental psychology, examining how children’s everyday experiences shape their communicative and cognitive development, with comparative studies on great apes to understand human uniqueness in language acquisition. Education: PhD in Developmental and Comparative Psychology (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 2013–2016), Memberships: German Society for Psychology (DGP), Languages: German, English, Latin (fluent). His work bridges developmental, comparative, and cultural psychology, emphasizing cross-cultural studies and open science. Key projects include the ManyPrimates collaboration and TANGO-CC gaze assessment tools. Research interests include pragmatics in language, child-rearing practices, and evolutionary foundations of communication. Publications emphasize child development, cross-cultural cognition, and primate cognition, with over 50 peer-reviewed articles in journals like Nature Human Behaviour , Developmental Science , and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . Awards include the ERC Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship (2017–2020) and support from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (2013–2016). Advising and grants include leadership in collaborative projects and methodological innovations. His lab focuses on experimental and computational approaches to human communication, with ongoing work on receptive vocabulary measures (oREV) and parent-child interaction studies.