Krista Byers-Heinlein

Professor Krista Byers-Heinlein is a Psychology Professor at Concordia University, holding the Concordia University Research Chair in Bilingualism and Open Science. She directs the Concordia Infant Research Lab and actively supervises MA and PhD students in Psychology.

Education:

• PhD from the University of British Columbia

Her research investigates infant language acquisition in bilingual contexts using behavioral methods including eye tracking, looking-time, and reaching measures. Current projects compare speech perception and word learning in monolingual/bilingual infants, examine bilingual parenting strategies, and develop tools to identify children at risk for language disorders. She champions Open Science through large-scale collaborations and methodological transparency.

Analysis of her 2013-2023 publications reveals consistent focus on bilingual infant development with increasing emphasis on multi-lab studies and open science practices. Key trends include quantifying language exposure, developing assessment tools for bilingual children, and refining research methodologies in developmental psychology.

Scientific Awards:

• Concordia University Research Chair in Bilingualism and Open Science

She mentors graduate students through thesis supervision in Psychology programs and secures research grants supporting multi-lab initiatives. Her work involves international collaborations to enhance reproducibility in infant cognition studies.

The Concordia Infant Research Lab conducts behavioral experiments on language acquisition, utilizing cross-cultural data collection and open science frameworks to advance understanding of bilingual development from infancy.