معرفی
Samantha Durrant is a Lecturer and Research Associate in the Division of Psychology Communication and Human Neuroscience. She holds an honorary role as a Research Associate at the University of Liverpool (2020–2026). Her teaching spans clinical research and language development at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Durrant earned a PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Plymouth (2014) and a BSc in Psychology (2009). She is a Fellow of Advance HE (2024), recognizing her teaching expertise.
Her research focuses on language acquisition in toddlers, including mechanisms of word learning, dialect exposure effects, and the interplay between executive function and language development. Collaborations with global researchers explore topics like infant-directed speech preferences and bilingualism. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to education.
Key findings include links between nonword repetition skills and vocabulary growth, and how curiosity-driven motor exploration influences language outcomes. She leads projects like the Language 0-5 Project, investigating long-term language development trajectories.
- Grants/Awards: Fellow of Advance HE (2024).
- Advising: Accepting PhD students in developmental psychology and language acquisition.
- Labs/Teams: Core member of the Language 0-5 Project; collaborator in multi-lab studies on infant cognition.
Media contributions include blogs on child language development and expert commentary on cognitive milestones.
