Idan Blank

Idan Blank is an Assistant Professor with dual appointments in the Psychology Department and the Linguistics Department at the University of California, Los Angeles, within the College of Letters and Science. His research bridges cognitive neuroscience, linguistics, and artificial intelligence to investigate how humans understand language—a universal phenomenon across human cultures yet unique to our species that enables thought transfer between minds.

Dr. Blank earned his PhD in Cognitive Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2016 and his MA in Psychobiology from Tel Aviv University in 2011. His academic journey reflects a strong foundation in both cognitive science and biological approaches to understanding the mind.

Dr. Blank's research program focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying language comprehension, examining which aspects of comprehension have dedicated neural circuitry versus those that rely on more general cognitive systems. His work employs functional MRI, behavioral experiments, and computational modeling to investigate how language "happens" in our minds and brains. The BlankLangLab, which he leads, studies the component processes of comprehension, the mental structures that allow us to "know the meaning" of utterances, and the mental operations used to manipulate them. His research increasingly explores connections between artificial intelligence language models and human cognitive processing.

Analysis of Dr. Blank's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on precision mapping of language networks, investigations of language processing across diverse populations (including polyglots and older adults), and examinations of how language processing relates to other cognitive systems like theory of mind. His work demonstrates a clear trajectory toward integrating neuroimaging data with computational approaches to better understand the architecture of human language processing.

While specific awards aren't detailed in the provided information, Dr. Blank's research has garnered significant scholarly attention, with numerous publications in high-impact journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, and Journal of Neuroscience. Several of his papers have accumulated substantial citation counts, reflecting the importance of his contributions to cognitive neuroscience and language processing research.

Dr. Blank leads the BlankLangLab at UCLA, which investigates language, understanding, and thought through neuroimaging, behavioral, and machine learning approaches. His lab maintains strong collaborative ties with other research groups, particularly in the area of language network mapping. The lab's research program integrates precision mapping techniques with naturalistic paradigms to characterize functional brain regions engaged during language processing, with recent work increasingly incorporating large language models to bridge AI and human cognition.