Our Research Team


Yi Ting Huang
Principal Investigator

Dr. Huang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences. She got her Ph.D. in Psychology from Harvard University and was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Huang’s research focuses on how language learners coordinate linguistic representations during comprehension. For more information, see here.

Kathleen Oppenheimer
Ph.D. Student

Kathleen Oppenheimer received her MS in Speech-Language Pathology from Northwestern University and her BA in Linguistics and Chinese from Harvard College. She previously worked as a speech-language pathologist in a children’s hospital and is currently a doctoral student at the University of Maryland at College Park under the guidance of Dr. Yi Ting Huang and Dr. Jan Edwards. Kathleen’s research interests include language and literacy development in children with typical and atypical development. She is also interested in the diagnosis and treatment of language disorders in children who speak non-mainstream dialects of English.

Arynn Byrd
Ph.D. Student

Arynn is a Ph.D. candidate in the Hearing and Speech Sciences Program at the University of Maryland-College Park (UMD-CP). Her research interests include African American English, sentence processing, and the educational outcomes of students who speak non-mainstream dialects. Arynn currently serves as an ASHA S.T.E.P mentor and the Early Career Professional on the ASHA Government and Public Policy Board. She has published in the Journal of Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools.

Sophie Domanski
Ph.D. Student

Sophie Domanski is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences. She earned her BA in Cognitive Science and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and her MA in Speech-Language Pathology from Montclair State University. Sophie is interested in the relationship between language and other cognitive processes, such as attention and working memory, and how these processes vary across individuals.

Megan Kanaby
Lab Manager

Megan is the Lab Manager of the Language and Cognition Lab. She graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2023 with majors in Cognitive and Behavioral Science and Sociology. She is interested in the ways in which language impacts the developmental process, particularly identity development. Outside of the lab, she enjoys golfing, reading, discovering new music, and spending time with family and friends.

Eden Brown
Undergraduate Student

Eden is an undergraduate senior in the neuroscience major. She plans to pursue a career in developmental neuroscience or speech pathology. In her free time, she takes gymnastics classes with UMD Gymkana and creates art and drawings.

Emmy DeLuca
Undergraduate Student

Emily is an undergraduate senior in the Hearing and Speech Sciences major with a General Business minor. She plans to go to graduate school for Speech-Language Pathology, and has always been interested in working with children. Outside of school, she loves to spend time with friends and family.

James Harvey
Undergraduate Student

James is a junior undergraduate student pursuing a Hearing and Speech Sciences major with a Philosophy minor. He is interested in becoming a Speech Language Pathologist primarily working with children. Outside of the lab, he is also Secretary of the Cultural Leadership Initiative Student Organization and a barista.

Mackenzie Jones
Undergraduate Student

Mackenzie is an undergraduate senior at the University of Maryland majoring in Hearing and Speech Science. Post graduation she hopes to continue her education and become a Speech Language Pathologist. She has particular clinical interest in aural rehabilitation, neurodivergence, and psycholinguistics. On campus, she is a part of the NSSLHA and CLISO executive boards. During her free time she enjoys reading, writing, and exploring.

Yuri Kim
Undergraduate Student

Yuri is an undergraduate junior majoring in Hearing and Speech Sciences (and on track to minor in linguistics!) After graduation, she plans on attending graduate school for audiology. Outside of her major, she spends her time in Student Entertainment Events (SEE), Help Center, and Korean Student Association.

Elinor Lugassy
Undergraduate Student

Elinor is currently a senior majoring in Hearing and Speech Sciences. She is interested in becoming a Speech Language Pathologist and working with children, and after graduation she plans on going to graduate school for Speech Language Pathology. Outside of school, she loves to spend time with family and friends, go to the beach, and travel. She is also a member of the sorority Sigma Delta Tau.

Ally Mack
Undergraduate Student

Ally is a junior undergraduate student pursuing a major in Hearing and Speech Sciences with a minor in Disability Studies. She hopes to go to graduate school for Speech Language Pathology. She loves working with children and is excited to pursue a career in a school or hospital setting. In her free time, she is a member of the Kappa Delta sorority and loves participating in on-campus dance classes, as well as spending time with friends.

Morgan Platnick
Undergraduate Student

Morgan is an undergraduate sophomore studying Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland. She plans to pursue a Doctorate in Audiology working with a primarily pediatric population. Other than her focus in the lab, Morgan is on the executive board of the American Sign Language Club and a part of the Public Leadership Scholars program.

Archana Sathiyamoorthy
Undergraduate Student

Archana is an undergraduate sophomore at the University of Maryland, double-majoring in Psychology and Criminology & Criminal Justice. She plans to attend grad school and pursue a PsyD in Clinical Psychology. Outside of classes, she is a staff writer for UMD's The Observer and a dance instructor, and enjoys watching TV, singing, and cooking!

Lisa Zhuang
Undergraduate Student

Lisa is an undergraduate junior majoring in General Biology, on the pre-med track. After graduating from UMD, she plans to attend medical school to become a pediatrician. On campus she is a team leader for Maryland Mentor Corps and a part of the Life Sciences Scholars program. In her free time she enjoys hanging out with friends, going on long walks, and getting boba.


Thank you to the following people for your contributions to our research:


Nora Leonard
Brooke Rothman
Mya Vardi
Natalie Lutz
Emily Kosciulek
Katelyn Lippit
Ashley Lawler
Samantha Moats
Yu-Ting Yu
Melissa Stockbridge
Christine Del Toro
Erin Hollister
Karly Schwarz
Rebekah Yang
Allesondra Sanchez
Danait Mehari
Alexandra Heyl
Kara Schmidt
Sarah Gagné
Jessica Orozco Contreras
Felicity Vasek
Zoe Ovans
Hannah Shapiro
Sarah Zsak
Sean Anderson
Erin Leary
Briana Bednarz
Margaret Kahwaty
Natalie Walsh
Sarah Odorisio
Elana Klein
Andie Yoon
Mary Bounds
Yuichi Suzuki
Kerianna Frederick
Mollie Greenwald
Jenna Nelson
Josie Black
Juliana Camponeschi
Sarah Kim
Emily Thomas
Jessica Lee
Samantha Scoli
Lucy Young
Nyomi Fox
Valerie Hsieh
Jessica Pinzon
Allison Lowenberg
Allison Stehle
Addie Mandelbaum
Allison Catalano
Daphna Bemaman
Ana Medina Fetterman
Julia Plants
Tamar Schulman
Delaney Kelly
Katie Leech
Allison Granados
Lara Ehrenhofer
Julie Gerard
Michael Fein
Alexandra Peller
Chidinma Ogbonna
Crystal Griffith
Maddie Lenhart
Chelsey Smithwick
Aliya Yafarova
Ashleigh Nelson
Rhosean Asmah
Natalie Walsh
Jillian Sikora
Maggie Kinser
Lauren Evans
Ariel Borten
Alison Arnold
Lauren Abadie
Shuana Mulroy
Mackenzie Pretty
Jaira Billups
Alix Kowalski
Rachel Adler
Isabel Martin
Manaar Zuhurudeen
Gammon Gresham
Razan Ahmed
Abby Rosler
Emma Abid
Chloë Miller
Daniella Teixeira
Leslie Puma
Rochelle Nelson