Jelena Mirkovic

Dr. Jelena Mirkovic is an Associate Professor and REF Unit of Assessment Lead at York St John University's School of Education, Language and Psychology. She specializes in the psychology of language learning and use, with expertise in cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying linguistic abilities.

Education:

• PhD in Psychology from University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
• MSc in Psychology from University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
• BSc in Psychology from University of Belgrade, Serbia

Dr. Mirkovic's research focuses on how language learning and use are supported by domain-general learning and memory mechanisms. She employs behavioral studies and computational modeling approaches to investigate these questions in both adults and children. Her work bridges cognitive psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience to understand the fundamental processes of language acquisition and processing.

Her publication record reveals a consistent trajectory examining cognitive mechanisms in language processing, particularly memory systems, grammatical processing, and semantic-syntactic interactions. She frequently employs cross-linguistic and developmental perspectives to uncover universal principles of language cognition, with significant contributions to understanding how sleep affects language consolidation and how children process complex linguistic structures.

Scientific Contributions:

• Extensive publication record in top cognitive science and psychology journals including Cognition, Cognitive Science, and Journal of Memory and Language
• Editor of the influential volume 'Speech Perception and Spoken Word Recognition' (2016)
• Development of computational models explaining language learning mechanisms

As a Postgraduate Research Supervisor, Dr. Mirkovic mentors students in psychological research methods and child development. She teaches undergraduate courses including Biological Bases of Behavior, Advanced Topics in Brain and Behavior, Cognition, and Language Development, as well as postgraduate courses in Psychological Research Methods and Child Development. Her work has significant implications for understanding language disorders, second language acquisition, and educational practices related to language development across the lifespan.