Tricia Skoler is a Professor of Developmental Psychology at the School of Arts and Sciences, Hunter College (CUNY). Her research focuses on developmental trajectories, neuroscience, autism, and infant social cognition. She holds a PhD from Emory University and leads a lab emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches, requiring prospective students to read Doing Developmental Research (Guilford Press). She is currently accepting students for Spring 2025 courses (201 and 395). Her work spans neuroscience, architectural design, biophilia, and health psychology, integrating methodologies like EEG and statistical physics to study gaze processing, joint attention, and social-cognitive development in infants and children with ASD. Key contributions include understanding neural correlates of eye gaze in early infancy and contextual influences on social skills. Publications highlight themes such as gaze-following deficits in autism, the role of social cues in learning, and developmental neuroscience. Her research bridges basic science and applied contexts, including biophilic design and nutrition education. Lab inquiries must follow guidelines in Chapter 1 of her book. No explicit awards are listed, but her extensive publication record reflects recognition in developmental and cognitive neuroscience.
Linda J. Graham is a Professor at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education (C4IE). Her research focuses on education policy, disruptive student behavior, and inclusive pedagogies. PhD, Master of Education, and Bachelor of Arts from QUT and Macquarie University Chaired the 2020 Inquiry into Suspension, Exclusion and Expulsion Processes in South Australia Her work explores the intersection of inclusive education , student voice , and teacher-student relationships . She advocates for systemic reform to address overrepresentation of Indigenous and disabled students in exclusionary discipline. Recent publications highlight accessible assessment redesign , equity in education , and student perspectives on discipline . Notable awards include the Spencer Foundation Mentorship Excellence Award (2021) and Macquarie University's Early Career Researcher of the Year (2011). Scientific Awards: Spencer Foundation Mentorship Excellence Award (2021) Macquarie University Early Career Researcher of the Year (2011) Paul Bourke Award (2011) She supervises PhD and professional doctorate students in projects related to language disorders , student voice , and curriculum adjustments . Her leadership extends to the AARE Inclusive Education Special Interest Group and collaborations with institutions like Speech Pathology Australia and the QCAA.
Dr. Eirini Sanoudaki is a Professor in Linguistics (Bilingualism) at Bangor University's School of Arts, Culture and Language. She specializes in language development in monolingual and bilingual children, particularly those with developmental conditions such as Down syndrome, Rett syndrome, and neurodiverse populations. Her research focuses on bilingualism's impact on cognitive and linguistic skills in atypical development. She leads the Child Bilingualism Lab and has secured UKRI funding for projects like 'Language Development in Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome and autism.' She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Director of Postgraduate Research and Welsh Language Matters in her school. Education: BA in Philology (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), PhD in Linguistics (University College London), MA in Linguistics (University of Reading). Research Interests: Bilingualism, neurodiversity, child language acquisition, developmental disorders, and the intersection of language and cognitive skills. She collaborates with organizations like the Down's Syndrome Association and explores innovative methods like creative techniques in language learning. Her work has been recognized with the 2021 National Work Welsh Award for promoting Welsh in the workplace. Grants & Projects: Includes ESRC Wales DTP grants, Impact Acceleration Awards, and Welsh Crucible grants. She supervises numerous PhD students studying bilingualism in neurodiverse populations. Recent publications address bilingualism in Rett syndrome, executive function in bilingual children, and Welsh-English language profiles in Down syndrome. Labs/Teams: Heads the Bangor University Child Bilingualism Lab, which investigates bilingualism's role in neurodiverse contexts. Engages in outreach through public lectures and workshops for families and educators.
Prof. Małgorzata Lipowska is a distinguished psychologist and speech therapist at the University of Gdansk’s Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology. Her academic career spans over two decades, focusing on clinical psychology, child and adolescent psychotherapy, and the intersection of neuropsychology with cross-cultural research. Habilitation in Psychology (2012), Ph.D. in Psychology (2000), Master’s in Psychology (1996) Current roles: Provincial Consultant for Clinical Psychology, Head of postgraduate programs in Social Sciences, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Early Support for children with developmental disorders Her research interests include: Child neuropsychology: Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, ADHD Developmental psychology: Language development, Special Educational Needs Body image: Cross-cultural perspectives, Stigmatization Environmental impacts: Air pollution on cognitive development, Nature exposure benefits Recent publications highlight her cross-national collaborations (Poland, China, Vietnam, Bosnia, Egypt) and interdisciplinary approach combining psychology, public health, and environmental science. Awards include the Silver Cross of Merit (2016) and multiple Rector’s Medals. She leads clinical training programs and chairs academic committees while maintaining active research and mentorship roles.
Paco Martorell is an Assistant Professor at the School of Education, University of California, Davis, where he has been faculty since 2014. He maintains an adjunct appointment as an Economist at the RAND Corporation, continuing a relationship that began in 2005. Previously, he served as a Professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School (2006-2014) and Research Scholar at the University of Texas at Dallas Center for Research on Education Policy (2012-present). Education includes: PhD in Economics, University of California, Berkeley (2005) BA in Economics and Mathematics, Carleton College (1999) Martorell's research spans higher education and K-12 policy with emphasis on: Developmental education reforms and college placement systems Grade retention impacts and student promotion policies Economic analysis of for-profit colleges and community college subsidies School infrastructure investments and resource allocation Military service consequences on education and economics Healthcare economics including dementia cost studies His work employs quasi-experimental designs and field experiments to evaluate policy effectiveness. Research publications predominantly focus on education policy evaluation and health economics, with recurring themes of equity in educational access, economic analysis of interventions, and longitudinal impacts of policy decisions. Quantitative methods form the core of his analytical approach. Awards and honors include: Huddleson Award for Outstanding Teaching (2009) RAND President's Award (2008) Public Policy Research Award from UC Berkeley (2005) Grant leadership includes multiple Institute of Education Sciences (IES) projects as Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator, examining: School facility spending impacts (R305A140363) Developmental education interventions (R305H130026) Long-term effects of grade retention (R305E120006) Community college subsidy impacts (R305A100369) Additional funding sources include Spencer Foundation, NICHD, and Smith Richardson Foundation. He teaches doctoral courses in education policy and previously taught econometrics at Pardee RAND Graduate School (2006-2013).
Professor Usha Goswami is a leading academic in Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, serving as Professor of Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience and Director of the Centre for Neuroscience in Education. She is also a Fellow at St John's College, Cambridge. Her work focuses on understanding the neural and cognitive foundations of language acquisition, reading development, and developmental disorders such as dyslexia. Key areas of interest include the role of rhythm perception, speech processing, and EEG-based studies of neural entrainment in typical and atypical development. Her research integrates insights from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and education, emphasizing translational approaches to improve literacy interventions. She has conducted longitudinal studies on infants and school-aged children, examining predictors of language outcomes and the impact of rhythmic training on executive function. Her work bridges developmental linguistics, auditory neuroscience, and educational policy, with a focus on universal speech structures in child-directed communication. Professor Goswami’s contributions include pioneering studies on the neural basis of phonological awareness and the application of machine learning to decode speech information from EEG data in infants. She has also explored cross-linguistic patterns in poetry and infant-directed speech, highlighting universal acoustic features underlying language acquisition. Her research has significant implications for understanding and remediating developmental disorders, particularly dyslexia and developmental language disorder. Her lab, the Centre for Neuroscience in Education, focuses on translating neuroscientific findings into practical educational strategies. Current projects include investigating rhythm-based interventions for children with language difficulties and analyzing the acoustic properties of speech in diverse linguistic contexts.
Jeffrey R. Gruen is Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology) and of Genetics at Yale School of Medicine, and a faculty member in the Investigative Medicine Program at Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. His research is affiliated with multiple centers including the Yale Center for Genomic Health, Wu Tsai Institute, and the Yale Child Health Research Center. Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology), Yale School of Medicine Professor of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine Member, Investigative Medicine Program, Yale Graduate School Principal Investigator, Gruen Lab Education: MD, Tulane University, 1981 BS in Chemistry, Tulane University, 1977 Residency in Pediatrics, Yale-New Haven Hospital, 1984 Internship in Pediatrics, Yale-New Haven Hospital, 1982 Dr. Gruen's research centers on the genetic and molecular basis of dyslexia and language impairments. His lab pioneered the mapping of the DYX2 locus on chromosome 6 and discovered the DCDC2 gene, a major contributor to reading disability. His team identified READ1, a transcriptional control element that modulates risk for dyslexia, and demonstrated synergistic interactions between genetic variants in DCDC2 and KIAA0319 . His work integrates human genetics, molecular biology, and neuroimaging to understand the biological mechanisms underlying learning disabilities. He leads the Yale Genes, Reading and Dyslexia (GRaD) Study and the New Haven Lexinome Project, aiming to enable early diagnosis and personalized educational interventions. The recent publications reflect a strong trend in integrating genetic data with cognitive, behavioral, and educational assessments. Key themes include genome-wide association studies of dyslexia, gene-environment interactions (particularly involving phonological awareness and home environment), phenotype harmonization across cohorts, and the application of genetic findings to educational policy and practice. Imaging genetics and the study of comorbid conditions like Sluggish Cognitive Tempo are also prominent. Scientific Awards: Innovative Research Award, Kavli Institute, 2022 Dr. Gruen has served as Principal Investigator on numerous NIH-funded studies, including the GRaD Study, the Pediatric Imaging NeuroGenetics (PING) Study at Yale, and the New Haven Lexinome Project. He mentors a broad network of collaborators across institutions such as the University of Colorado, University of Bristol, and Johns Hopkins. His lab trains researchers in human genetics, molecular techniques, and cognitive phenotyping. He leads the Gruen Lab, which focuses on human genetic studies, molecular genetic mechanisms, imaging genetics, and longitudinal intervention studies. The lab collaborates extensively with national and international research centers and utilizes advanced techniques including GWAS, sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and MRI-based phenotyping.
Casmir Turnquist is a Research Fellow at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, with concurrent roles as an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow and Specialty Registrar in Histopathology at OUH NHS Foundation Trust. His work bridges clinical practice and research in pediatric brain/spine cancers and neurodegenerative pathologies. BA, MSc, BM BCh, DPhil His research investigates fusion-driven cancers in young patients using long-read sequencing and single-cell genomics, alongside studying neurotoxicity from cancer therapies through spatial transcriptomics and developmental neuroscience perspectives. Recent work includes characterizing CLIPPERS inflammatory disorders and SLONM myopathy. Publications demonstrate expertise in CNS tumors, inflammatory pathologies, and digital pathology implementation, with methodological focus on genomic heterogeneity and precision diagnostics. NIH Director's Innovation Award Supervises DPhil students Hannah Brooks and Claire Lewis, maintaining collaborations with Oxford Brain Bank and NIH institutions while advancing translational research in neuro-oncology and neuropathology.
Becky Huang is a Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at The Ohio State University, housed within the College of Arts and Sciences. She holds affiliations with the Center for Languages, Literatures and Cultures and serves on multiple editorial boards, including Language Assessment Quarterly and Language Testing. Additionally, she co-founded the International Language Testing Association’s (ILTA) Language Assessment for Young Learners special interest group and participates in award committees for the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Dr. Huang earned a PhD and MA in Educational Psychology from UCLA (2009 and 2006), an MEd from Harvard University (2002), followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Educational Testing Service (2010–2012) and Harvard University (2009–2010). Her research focuses on promoting language and literacy outcomes for multilingual students, spanning applied linguistics, psychology, and education. Key areas include assessing multilingual learners’ language proficiency, examining socioeconomic factors influencing language development, and designing equitable educational interventions. Her grants include leadership roles in projects such as the NIH-funded study on pandemic impacts on young dual language learners (2021–2022) and the Institute of Education Sciences-supported inquiry-based reading intervention (2020–2024). Notably, she contributed to the U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant for Chinese immersion teacher training (2022–2026) and co-led the ILTA’s Language Assessment for Young Learners initiative. She also advocates for education equity through collaborations with non-profit organizations. Her work emphasizes bridging theory and practice, particularly in creating assessments that fairly evaluate multilingual students’ abilities and addressing disparities faced by minoritized learners. She explores how language skills influence content-area learning (e.g., math, science) and the role of teachers in bilingual students’ outcomes.
Manon Jones is a Professor in Psychology and Director of Research at Bangor University's School of Psychology and Sport Science. She directs the Miles Dyslexia Centre, a research hub providing assessment services and professional development for practitioners, and leads the RILL project—a bilingual literacy program for primary schools funded by UKRI, Nuffield Foundation, and Welsh Government. Her research explores cognitive and neurocognitive foundations of reading, dyslexia, and bilingualism. Key themes include: Cross-modal learning in dyslexia Orthographic processing across languages Remote literacy instruction efficacy Neurodivergent cognition models Syntax acquisition in bilinguals Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2014–2025) reveals dominant foci on dyslexia mechanisms (9 papers), bilingual language processing (7 papers), and literacy intervention design (4 papers). Methodologies include eye-tracking, ERP, and randomized controlled trials, with increasing emphasis on computational modeling since 2021. She leads multiple grants including: RILL randomized control trial (Welsh Government, 2022–2026) Welsh literacy scale-up project (2024–2025) Neurodevelopmental disorder screening tool development (2022–2023) COVID-19 remote teaching research (2020–2022) She directs the Reading Brain lab and collaborates with NHS services to translate research into clinical/educational practice.
Joel Talcott is Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at Aston University, specializing in dyslexia and language disorders. His research examines genetic, neural, and cognitive foundations of reading development using methods including neuroimaging, genetic analysis, and large-scale behavioral assessment. Leadership Roles: Vice President of the British Dyslexia Association (2010-present), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (2012), and IBRO-UNESCO Science of Learning Fellow (2020). Editorial responsibilities include service for Dyslexia and Annals of Dyslexia journals. Research: Leads the Aston Brain Centre's investigations into neurocognitive trajectories of reading skills. Current projects include the ECCaToN transdiagnostic protocol for neurodevelopmental characterization and analysis of literacy development datasets (LIBS Dataset). Awards: IBRO-UNESCO Science of Learning Fellow (2020) Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (2012) Honorary Vice-President, British Dyslexia Association (2010)
Douglas K. Hartman is a Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University (MSU) , with a joint appointment in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on the application of technologies to enhance human learning across diverse contexts, including schools, communities, workplaces, and sports. Hartman’s work bridges educational theory and practice, emphasizing innovation in teaching methodologies and digital literacy. His research interests span educational technology , new literacies , and technology integration in learning environments. He has contributed to understanding how digital tools impact early childhood education, teacher professional development, and global educational policies. His recent studies explore AI applications in literacy assessment and generative AI’s role in artistic disciplines. Key themes in his publications include cross-cultural educational collaboration (e.g., CLIL approaches in EMI contexts), early literacy development, and teacher roles in online learning. While no awards are explicitly noted, his extensive scholarly output reflects sustained contributions to educational innovation. Hartman’s affiliation with MSU’s College of Education positions him at the forefront of interdisciplinary research, though specific grants or labs are not detailed in the provided texts. He maintains an active research agenda addressing 21st-century challenges in education through technology-driven solutions.
Tyler Perrachione is an Associate Professor at the Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences within Sargent College at Boston University. He holds affiliations with the Department of Biomedical Engineering. His research focuses on developmental disorders of language and reading, human voice recognition, and the neural mechanisms underlying auditory perception and plasticity. He leads the Communication Neuroscience Research Laboratory, exploring speech processing efficiency, talker adaptation, and atypical neurodevelopment in conditions like autism and dyslexia. Education: Ph.D. in Neuroscience (MIT), M.A. and B.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive Science (Northwestern University). His work bridges cognitive neuroscience, audiology, and clinical linguistics, with a strong emphasis on neuroimaging and behavioral experimental methods. Key interests include how listeners adapt to vocal identity, the role of auditory cortex plasticity in speech processing, and the neural correlates of phonological deficits in reading disabilities. Research highlights include studies on cerebro-cerebellar connectivity in autism, the impact of musical training on auditory coding, and the efficacy of noninvasive neurostimulation in speech motor learning. His interdisciplinary approach addresses both fundamental science and clinical applications, such as improving language interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Gigi Luk is Professor and Program Director for M.Ed. Concentrations in Educational Psychology and Human Development within the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University's Faculty of Education. Her research program investigates the cognitive consequences of bilingualism across the lifespan, bridging scientific understanding with practical educational applications to cultivate inclusive environments for linguistically diverse learners. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Psychology (Developmental and Cognitive Processes) from York University M.A. in Psychology (Developmental and Cognitive Processes) from York University Specialized Honors B.A. in Psychology from York University Dr. Luk's research centers on bilingualism's cognitive and neural mechanisms, with three interconnected thrusts: (1) characterizing bilingualism beyond English proficiency in communities, (2) examining cognitive skills supporting language/literacy outcomes, and (3) establishing neural correlates of learning in diverse language learners. Her work integrates cognitive neuroscience with educational practice to address real-world challenges in multilingual classrooms, emphasizing culturally responsive pedagogy that respects linguistic diversity. This dual focus on basic science and practical implementation defines her contributions to understanding how bilingual experiences shape cognitive development and educational equity. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2022-2024) reveals consistent interdisciplinary investigation of bilingualism through cognitive, neural, and sociocultural lenses. Her work spans educational psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and sociolinguistics, with growing emphasis on neural correlates of language processing, methodological rigor in bilingual assessment, and equity implications of bilingual research. Key trends include examination of multilingual children's cognitive development, critical reframing of the "bilingual advantage" discourse, and innovative approaches like music-based literacy interventions. Scientific recognition includes: National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013-2014) Dr. Luk actively supervises graduate students (accepting new students for 2025-2026) and secures competitive research funding, currently supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Fonds de recherche Société et culture (FRQSC). Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained commitment to advancing understanding of bilingual cognition and its educational applications through rigorous empirical work. She directs the Bilingualism.Experience.Education Lab, which functions as an interdisciplinary hub for investigating how language experiences shape cognitive development and educational outcomes. The lab employs diverse methodologies including neuroimaging, behavioral experiments, and classroom-based research to address questions about bilingualism's cognitive effects and practical implications for educators.
Tommaso Feraco is an Assistant Professor at the University of Padova , focusing on the intersection of education , psychology , and behavioral science . His work examines how social, emotional, and behavioral skills (SEBS) influence academic performance, well-being, and developmental outcomes across diverse populations, including adolescents, adults, and individuals with specific learning disabilities. Research trends highlight his contributions to character strengths , self-regulated learning , and adaptability in educational contexts. He has also developed methodological tools to address clustering analysis limitations in data science. His recent publications investigate SEBS applications in career readiness , pro-environmental behavior , and mental health resilience .
