Meet our lab memebers!
Joshua Hartshorne
Principal Investigator
B.A. Mathematics, Oberlin College
M.A. Psychology, Harvard University
Ph.D. Psychology, Harvard University
I am interested in understanding what allows humans, but not current machines, to learn language – and why it is that children, despite their salient limitations of both cognition and experience, are so much more successful at language learning than adults. I am particularly interested in applying new and emerging methods (such as computational modeling and crowdsourcing) to core problems in the language sciences.
Samantha Gutierrez
Lab Manager
I graduated from Swarthmore College with a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Linguistics. I’m interested in all things relating to language, especially English neopronouns and language processing in general. Excited to get to work at the lab!
Wei Li
Graduate Student
website
I graduated from Cornell University with a major in developmental psychology. I’m interested in how children learn words, concepts, and language in only a few years with limited cognitive capacity and limited experience with the world. I’m also interested in integrating computational modeling and big data into cognitive development research.
Tianyi Li
Graduate Student
I earned my bachelor degree in software engineering and then a master in cognitive neuroscience. Having been exposed to a diverse of perspectives from different disciplines along the way, I am broadly interested in cognitive science, especially language and cognition related topics. I seek to learn how people understand each other through learning, exchanging, and interpreting abstract information and how this knowledge in turn can help us more intelligent machines. I use a combination of computational modeling and empirical studies.
Allie Janineh
Master's Student
I graduated from UMass Amherst with a major in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, and am continuing my education at the MGH Institute for Health Professions seeking my Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. I'm interested in helping others improve their quality of life through a variety of avenues... technology being one of them!
Joel Iglesias Lopez
Lab Coordinator
Hi, I'm Joel, a sophomore at Boston College, where I'm studying applied psychology, transformative education, and special education. After graduating from BC I plan on pursing a career in social work, and eventually in the field of clinical psychology. As the LC at AI4CommSci, I work with lab members and affiliates to help run the lab smoothly, particularly with scheduling and administrative tasks.
Elena Negron Reichard
Undergraduate RA
Hey there, I'm Elena Negron-Reichard! I'm a senior diving into the world of Psychology on the premed track. Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Spanish is my first language, but I have learned French since elementary school. When I’m not studying, you'll find me soaking up sunshine, chowing down on tasty bites, and exploring the outdoors. I am thrilled to be able to use my skills and passion to make a positive impact at AI4CommSci!
Hunter Scheppat
Undergraduate RA
Hi, I'm Hunter, a junior majoring in Finance and Computer Science. I'm thrilled to be a Research Assistant here at the AI4CommSci Group, where I get to delve into the Pushkin project. My goal is to harness the power of data analytics and machine learning to drive innovation and make impactful contributions to both the scientific community and the business world. Looking forward to an exciting and productive time at the lab!
Camila Cruz
Undergraduate RA
I’m a senior at Suffolk University with a major in psychology and a minor in creative writing. My parents are both from Colombia and taught me and my older brother to speak Spanish before English, so I am bilingual. I’ve always been an observer, I like to people watch sometimes and just see how people interact with each other. In highschool, I took a Psychology 101 class and since then I have been so interested in the human brain and seeing why people think the way they do and how that impacts their behavior. Being an RA in the AI4CommSci group in the Intuitive Physics lab is perfect for me because I’m going to do exactly what interests me, learn how kids process information. When I graduate, I plan on going to grad school and get my license so I can become a practicing therapist, either mental health or developmental, I’m not sure yet.
Jude Lascano
Undergraduate RA
website
Hi all! I'm Jude, a current senior at Boston College studying both computer science and psychology. My interests lie in the intersection between the two; I'm fascinated by how humans and machines process language and images. At AI4CommSci, I'm fortunate to be a contributor to the Formosan corpora project.
Omar Tall
Undergraduate RA
Hello, I’m Omar, an undergraduate Computer Science student at Boston College. I’m passionate about leveraging my background in computer science to develop projects that enhance people's lives and deepen our understanding of the world. My academic journey has fueled my interest in AI and language processing, driving me to explore how technology can bridge communication gaps and preserve endangered languages. I am excited to join the lab and continue my work on language processing models and the Formosan Project.
Moeka Koyama
Undergraduate RA
I am a sophomore ('27) at Harvard College double majoring in Linguistics and Molecular and Cellular Biology whilst dabbling in a bit of philosophy on the side. I was born in the UK and have lived in New Zealand for most of my life but my native tongue is Japanese. I am excited to be part of the AI4CommSci group and analyze some Japanese sources!
Abigail Choi
Undergraduate RA
Hello! I am a first-year at Wellesley College (’27) pursuing a B.A. in Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences with a minor in Psychology, while also exploring Education studies! I am interested in the acquisition of language and language use, specifically in children, and hope to pursue pediatric speech pathology. I am thrilled to work with Formosan languages and explore different aspects of linguistics at the AI4CommSci lab!
Elie Salem
Postbac RA
Hi, I’m Elie and I graduated Harvard in December with a degree in Computer Science and Philosophy. After studying the philosophy of mind in my senior year, I became interested in pivoting to a career in psychology research. Looking forward to working with Formosan languages at the AI4CommSci lab!
Iris Oved
Affiliated Researcher
B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychology, Philosophy, Symbolic Systems), University of Arizona
Ph.D. Philosophy, Rutgers University
Postdoc, NSF Computing Innovations Fellow, University of Arizona
I am interested in mental and linguistic representations in humans and machines, with a special focus on concept acquisition through perception and language. My favorite insights come from designing virtual human toddlers who learn by exploring their virtual environments.
