Doctoral Students
Noelle Abbott
Noelle is a third-year joint doctoral student at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego and is also the Lab Manager of the Language and Neuroscience Group (LaNG). She received her Master’s degree in 2018 from the University of California, Davis in psycho/neurolinguistics and from that experience became interested in studying impaired speech processing and behavioral variability in Aphasia. Her current research focuses on investigating the neuroanatomical basis for behaviorally demonstrated cognitive impairments using perfusion imaging and MRI. In addition to that, she also has an interest in Specific Language Impairment and plans to work with this population at some point. Noelle loves both research and teaching, so in the future, she hopes to remain in academia at an institution similar to SDSU. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, camping, travelling, and going on adventures with her terrier mix, Gypsy!
Niloofar Akhavan
Niloofar(or Niloo) is a fifth year joint doctoral student at San Diego State University and University of California San Diego. She received her Master’s degree from Koç University in Turkey in 2016. She is interested in the behavioral and neurobiological interplay among language and cognition. She approaches this issue by studying neurologically healthy monolingual and bilingual individuals and those with stroke-induced left hemisphere damage. Recently she has gained a strong passion to investigate language and cognitive impairment early after stroke as well as accelerated and persistent declines over the years after the event. She enjoys working with younger researchers in the lab and she is eager to develop her teaching skills so that she can pursue her dream career in academia. She also enjoys outdoor activities so you can find her on hiking trails, her yoga mat or the volleyball courts when she is not working.
Carolyn Baker
Carolyn is a fourth-year joint doctoral student at San Diego State University and University of California San Diego. She received her Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Florida and her Master’s in Linguistics from Florida International University. She is interested in investigating the role of delayed lexical activation in the processing of complex structures by individuals with Broca’s aphasia. Her current research project examines different ways that may relax the temporal demands during syntactic processing to establish more timely syntactic dependencies and improve final comprehension by individuals with aphasia. In the future, she’s interested in exploring the structural and functional changes in the brain due to aphasia and aging and how these relate to impairments in language processing and cognitive functions. In her free time, Carolyn likes to paint, cook, eat Pho, speak Portuguese, and hike!
Christina Sen
Christina is a first-year joint doctoral student at San Diego State University and the University of California San Diego. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She is interested in speech perception and processing in individuals with aphasia. Additionally, she hopes to explore these mechanisms in caregivers’ response to impaired speech. She intends to use pupillometry as a method for understanding the underlying processes of language and cognition. She also hopes to expand the research on best practices of aphasia treatment. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, making music playlists, and going to the beach.
Master Students
Andrea Pickett
Andrea is a second year MA student studying speech, language, and hearing sciences at SDSU. She completed her bachelor’s degree in communication disorders at Brigham Young University. Her career goals are to work as an SLP in a school setting. She is particularly interested in communication disorders in bilinguals and in working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She enjoys participating in research that enhances our understanding of language and the human brain. In her free time, she enjoys running, playing the violin, and attempting Sudoku puzzles.
Tamae Sugiura
Tamae is a second-year Master’s student in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences program at SDSU. Her Bachelor’s degree was in Psychology with a minor in German from the University of San Diego, and she completed the SDSU Speech Pathology Essentials Program. Tamae is fluent in both Japanese and English and is taking part in the Bilingual Specialization Program. She is interested in working with people with aphasia in an outpatient setting or working in the schools. In her free time, Tamae likes to go swing dancing, go for swims at the beach, and go hiking locally.
Undergraduate Students
Rachel Bloom
Rachel is a fourth-year undergraduate student at SDSU. She is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, and minoring in the Weber Honors College. In the future she hopes to attend graduate school to receive her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. Rachel hopes to work in either a hospital setting or with kids. She is excited to gain experience through the LaNG lab and to learn more about the language process. In her free time, she enjoys staying active whether it’s exercising at the gym or going on hikes, spending time with friends/family, and traveling.
Dylan Corliss
Dylan Corliss is a fourth-year double major in Computer Science and Philosophy with a minor in Interdisciplinary Studies. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, hiking in the mountains, listening to audiobooks, and wearing a mask (stay COVID safe everyone!). He is very interested in the intersection between Neuroscience, Computer Science, and Philosophy of Mind/Language, and hopes to pursue a graduate degree in Cognitive Science. He is also passionate about education and aspires to serve in the Peace Corps after graduation.
Frankie Dow
Frankie is a fourth-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University. She is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Gerontology. After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree, she is planning to get her Master’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and wants to work in a rehabilitation or hospital setting. Frankie hopes to work with older adults with dementia or brain trauma or injury. In her free-time she likes to travel, try new restaurants and coffee shops and spend time with her family and friends.
Karissa Fluit
Karissa is a fourth-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University. She is currently studying to receive her Bachelor’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. In the future she plans to pursue graduate school to receive her master’s degree and is thinking about working in a hospital rehabilitation setting. Through the LaNG Lab, she is excited to learn more about language-related brain-activity and how it is altered after brain injury. Outside of academics she enjoys baking, traveling and playing card or board games with friends and family.
Teri Handa
Teri is a fourth-year undergraduate student at SDSU majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and is minoring in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience. Upon receiving her bachelor’s degree, she aspires to go to graduate school and obtain her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology and work in a hospital setting while also researching language disorders in the brain. Through the LANG lab, she hopes to gain more research experience and knowledge about the inner complexities of the brain in aphasia patients. Before quarantine, Teri enjoyed going to new cafes and coffee shops with friends, but now she has a newfound love for Netflix and taking long walks that help to declutter her mind.
Maxine Kelley
Maxine is a fourth-year undergraduate student at SDSU and also the Assistant Lab Manager. She is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience. In the future, she hopes to receive her PhD in research and have a career studying the effects of speech disorders on the brain. She is hoping to gain more insight on the neurology aspect of speech disorders through the LaNG lab and also gain more research experience. During her free time, she enjoys doing yoga, spending time with her friends/ family, and playing with her dogs.
Sarah Jung
Sarah is a fourth-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University who is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Her goal is to obtain her Master’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences in hopes of one day opening her very own clinic as a speech pathologist. While gaining insight and knowledge from her time in the LaNG lab, she’s determined to use all of her experiences as a part of her life-long learning journey as an aspiring speech pathologist. Sarah enjoys going to the shooting range, cooking Korean food, learning about different cultures, and spoiling her dogs!
Jin Li Mirow
Jin is a third-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University. She is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Her future plans are to attend graduate school and earn her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. She hopes to pursue a career as a Speech-Language Pathologist. She is excited to gain experience through the LaNG Lab and hopes to further understand the relationship between neurology and speech disorders. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, listening to music, and cooking.
Martina Lopez
Martina is a fourth-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She has an intense interest in the interconnections between the brain, language, and music. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree, she hopes to attend graduate school and get her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology and work within a hospital or clinical setting while also researching vocal pedagogy and rehabilitation for singers with vocal damage. She would also delight in the opportunity to do research into music therapy for speech disorders and rehabilitation. Martina is a classically trained musical theatre vocalist and pursues theatre outside of her academic life. In her free time Martina loves to read, play music, and spend time with her friends. Her latest hobby is taking care of the 7 (and counting) houseplants that reside in her bedroom.
Sarah Mourad
Sarah Mourad is a fourth-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. She plans on attending graduate school to continue her studies to become a licensed SLP. Sarah is undecided on the population she would like to work with, but she is excited to learn a lot more about the vast field of speech language pathology. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, going on hikes, and playing tennis.
Juliana Santiago
Julie is a fourth-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University. She is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. In the future she plans on receiving her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and having a career as a speech pathologist. While working in the LaNG Lab, she hopes to gain more research experience, and learn more about how language and other cognitive activities are processed in the brain. Some of her hobbies include, being on the SDSU Women’s Rowing team, hiking, spending time with her friends, and going to the zoo.
Catherine Silva
Catherine is a senior undergraduate student at San Diego State University. She is majoring in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences and plans on attending graduate school in the near future. She hopes to obtain her Master’s degree to become a licensed SLP and is fascinated how language and cognitive activities are processed in the brain. She looks forward to the experience and knowledge she will gain as a lab member in LaNG lab and how it will transmit to her future practice. In her free time, Catherine enjoys outside activities with her dog, dancing salsa and traveling.
Janelle Silvas
Janelle is a 4th year undergraduate student majoring in Speech Language and Hearing Science. After graduating from San Diego State University, she will pursue graduate school to get her Master’s degree for Speech-Language Pathology. She intends to work with elementary school aged children in hopes of helping them communicate confidently. Janelle joined the LaNG Lab to gain a better understanding of development and the neurological aspect of language processing. In her free time, she loves spending time with friends and family, as well as DIY projects, going to the beach, and trying coffee shops around San Diego.
Hana Wood
Hana is a third-year undergraduate student at SDSU. She is majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Personality and Social Psychology. After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree, she hopes to receive her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and to work with children as a SLP. While working at the LaNG Lab, she hopes to gain research experience while also learning more about language processes in the brain. Some of her hobbies include spending time with family and friends, singing with her a cappella group, and hiking.