معرفی
Dr. Kimberly Crespo serves as Assistant Professor in Boston University's Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences within Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, directing the Bilingual Learning Lab since 2022. Her research bridges cognitive science and clinical practice to transform understanding of bilingual language development.
Educational background:
- PhD in Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- MS in Speech Language Pathology, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- BA in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Kean University
Her lab pioneers inclusive methodologies investigating how bilingual experience shapes word-learning mechanisms across the ability spectrum—including children with developmental language disorders. By analyzing code-switching effects, semantic representation, and cognitive underpinnings of language acquisition, her work challenges monolingual-centric theories and exposes critical gaps in clinical guidelines. The research directly confronts how socioeconomic status and linguistic diversity intersect in language outcomes.
Scientific contributions:
- Landmark 2024 study disproving 'one-language-only' recommendations for bilingual children with language disorders
- Advocacy for maintaining 'semantic richness' through home-language input
- Community-engaged science via Museum of Science Living Laboratory partnership
Dr. Crespo actively mentors undergraduate researchers and summer interns while building translational pipelines to clinical practice. Her lab recruits diverse participants to develop equitable models that improve speech-language services for linguistically marginalized populations, emphasizing that bilingualism reflects cognitive adaptability rather than deficit.
