Nicole Landi

Nicole Landi is a Professor and Director of Developmental Psychology in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Connecticut. She holds a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh (2005). Her research utilizes cognitive neuroscience approaches (ERP, MRI, neuroimaging genetics) to study reading and language development, focusing on disorders like dyslexia and specific reading comprehension disability.

Education:

• Ph.D., Cognitive Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 2005

Dr. Landi's research investigates neural mechanisms underlying reading disorders through collaborations with schools like AIM Academy and The Windward School. Her work examines predictors of intervention response and includes projects on neurochemistry, genetics, and technology-based interventions such as the HBN-EDUCATE program with the Child Mind Institute.

Analysis of her recent publications (2022-2025) reveals consistent themes: neural correlates of reading ability, socioeconomic impacts on literacy, intervention effectiveness during COVID-19, and specialized populations (autism, cochlear implant users). Methodologies predominantly feature fMRI, ERP, and DTI to explore brain-behavior relationships across development.

Scientific Awards:

• James McKeen Cattell Sabbatical Fellowship (2020-2021)

Dr. Landi advises multiple graduate and undergraduate students, including recipients of the Isabelle Y. Liberman Award (Meaghan Perdue), Goldwater Scholarship (Katie Mahaffy), and Holster Scholar (Katie Hooker). Her lab secures funding for research projects through partnerships and fellowships, including international collaborations on imaging genetics.

The LandiLab operates within the Bousfield Psychology Building, collaborating with the Yale Child Study Center, Language Sciences Consortium, and community schools. These partnerships enable translational research through in-school laboratories and longitudinal studies of reading intervention outcomes.