“I’m a neuroscience PhD student researching cross-linguistic influence on conceptual knowledge in multilingual speakers. I have worked in clinics and laboratories in the US and Germany, combining multimodal neuroimaging and neuropsychological data to explore language functioning in healthy individuals and patients with neurodegenerative disease. Outside of research I enjoy dancing, swimming, roller-skating, and hanging out with friends.”

“Ich möchte verstehen, wie Tiere kommunizieren. Daher promoviere ich an der @uzh.ch und erforsche die vokale Kommunikation freilebender Bonobos in der Demokratischen Republik Kongo. Für meinen BSc und MSc an der Universität Göttingen habe ich das Verhalten und Kommunikation von Guineapavianen und Grünmeerkatzen im Senegal untersucht. Während meiner Feldaufenthalte mache ich gerne Fotos von Tieren.”

“I study the cognitive and neural correlates of semantic knowledge and their interplay with language, using both behavioural and neuroimaging techniques. I’m passionate about, and active in, bridging neuroscience and ethical concerns, community practices, diversity and inclusivity, environmental action, and the arts. When I’m not (over)thinking about brains and concepts, I’m most likely running, cooking, or eating incredibly spicy food.”

“I am a professor in cognitive neurosciences leading the Brain and Learning Laboratory at the University of Geneva. I study how the brain adapts to change in experience, either by nature – for example, deafness and the acquisition of sign language rather than a spoken language – or by training – for example, playing video games. My lab established that playing fast-paced, action-packed entertainment video games typically thought to be mind-numbing actually benefits several aspects of behavior. Exploiting this counter-intuitive finding, we now investigate how video games may be leveraged to foster learning and brain plasticity. For example, within the NCCR Evolving Language, we are developing novel intervention tools that are video game-based with the goal of facilitating reading acquisition in typically developing as well as dyslexics children.”

“I studiere nicht-menschliche Tierkommunikation und versuche herauszufinden, wie Tiere miteinander korrespondieren. Nach meinem Linguistikstudium konnte ich dem Drang andere Kommunikationssysteme als menschliche Sprache zu entdecken und zu erforschen einfach nicht widerstehen! Schlagartig wurde mein Interesse bezüglich wie ähnlich oder verschieden wir alle kommunizieren zu einer richtigen Passion, genauso wie meine lebhafte Zuneigung gegenüber allem Kreativen und meiner unsterbliche Liebe zum Rennen!”