Our Team | GCLL

Meet The Team

Dr. Drew Weatherhead

Lab Director

Dr. Weatherhead is the director of the Cognition and Language Learning Research Group, and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University. She completed her PhD at the University of Waterloo, and her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on early language acquisition, and the factors that influence word processing.

Madison MacLachLan

Clinical Psychology MSc/PhD Student

I’m an MSc/PhD student in clinical psychology. I’m originally from northern Ontario and completed my BSc in psychology at the University of Ottawa. My research interests focus on developmental sociolinguistics and social cognition. I’m currently working on two new projects in the lab: one will explore how many languages infants expect others to speak, and the second will look at how prosocial information about speakers impacts preschoolers’ ability to understand accents. I look forward to working with the GCLL team and our community!

Maura Whitman

MSc Experimental Psychology Student

I’m a first-year MSc Experimental Psychology student. My undergraduate research at Acadia University examined the role of somatosensory and auditory feedback in speech production. Over the past year, my work as a Research Coordinator at the Autism Research Centre (IWK) deepened my interest in developmental psychology. Currently, my research interests relate to how children use social cues to guide their language learning. I’m particularly interested in how children make connections between social characteristics and linguistic patterns, and how their real-world experiences with linguistic, social, and cultural diversity shape their language development. I’m thrilled to be part of the GCLL team and look forward to exploring these topics further!

Vanessa Ritsema

Lab Manager/Research Coordinator

Vanessa joined the lab as an undergraduate student with a love for research and psychology. Now she oversees the daily operations of the lab and can be a point of contact for any questions, comments, or concerns!

Contact Vanessa: vn268273@dal.ca

Jayce Phillips

Research Assistant

I am currently a 4th year student pursuing a BSc with Honours in Medical Sciences. I joined the GCLL due to a curiosity surrounding language acquisition and processing. My first research project with the lab examines how speaker race effects speech perception in adults. I am very excited to be a member of the team moving forward!

Ankana Boruah

Research Assistant

I am a fourth-year psychology student. I have been a member of this lab for over a year now. My passion for child development began in high school, fueling my curiosity and enthusiasm to explore this field further. Working with this incredible team has honed my research skills and deepened my understanding of psychology. Outside the lab, I enjoy watching sunsets, stargazing, and hiking.

Alexander Oxner

Research Assistant

I am entering my second year in the GCLL and the final year of my BSc in Neuroscience, during which I will be completing my Honours with Dr Weatherhead. My project is centered on fNIRS and language processing in infants. I’ve always loved working with kids, and naturally developed an interest in children’s learning and development. I’ve always loved to read in my spare time and am also interested in children's understanding and usage of language.

Ali Dyack

Research Assistant

I began working with the lab in the summer of 2023 and completed my honours thesis this past year. Currently, I am managing the KDS 2 study. I have always been interested in developmental psychology and discovered a passion for language development last year. I love working with children and will be finishing my undergrad in December. I am grateful for my time with the lab and all of its members!

Paige Lavoie

Research Assistant

I am Paige Lavoie, a fourth-year student majoring in Neuroscience at Dalhousie. I am also completing the Science Communication and Leadership certificate as well as the Neurotechnology and Innovation certificate. I have been a part of the GCLL lab since 2022 and am currently an RA for the Accent Comprehension Study.

Ayush Saha

Research Assistant

I’m a BSc student majoring in Neuroscience, entering my 4th year this fall. I’ve always had an interest in many of the aspects of learning. I joined GCLL to further explore ideas behind language acquisition. I am excited to be part of the team and look forward to being involved with the research!

Joe Stephen

Research Assistant

I am a 4th year BSc student in psychology at Dalhousie and joined GCLL in the fall of 2024. I have always been interested in various aspects of learning, especially when it comes to children. I joined the lab to learn more about children’s language development, and am especially passionate about working with neurodiverse individuals. I plan to continue my studies at the masters level and ultimately hope to make an impact in the field of autism someday.

Nicole Robinson

Honours Student

In 2023, I joined the GCLL as a research assistant. Working with children and their families brings me so much joy! Being able to explore the unique ‘childlike sense of wonder’ is why I love studying children’s learning and development! I am in my last year of undergraduate studies pursuing a BSc with Honours in Psychology. I am excited to continue working with GCLL to complete my honours thesis!

Emma Reeves

Honours Student

I am entering my fourth year in the BSc Psychology program with a minor in Critical Health Studies. I am interested in various topics including child development, learning, and language. I started as a volunteer in 2023, and completed a Directed Research project in 2024 on children’s beliefs about the motivations of L2 speakers. I am excited to continue here as a research assistant for the summer and start my honours thesis this fall!

Rebeka Workye

Research Coordinator

Rebeka joined the lab as an undergraduate student and was our wonderful lab manager from 2022-2024. Now she helps oversee the lab's research part-time as she explores other avenues for her many talents!

Alumni

Alex Ryken

Experimental Psychology PhD Student

I'm a PhD student in experimental psychology. I moved to Halifax from London, Ontario in 2017 for my MSc and in 2019 I started my PhD next door at the Language and Literacy Lab. I'm excited to be joining the GCLL for a comp project on speaker characteristics and phonological language patterns! Other research interests include speech rhythm, punctuation, and early literacy development. In my spare time I love to read, travel, and explore the city.

Emma Tupper

Honours Student

I am a fourth year BSc student majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology. These two areas of study have sparked my interest in childhood development and sociolinguistics. I have been a research assistant in the GCLL since the beginning of my second year and am completing my Honours thesis in the fall on the influence of speaker characteristics of toddlers' semantic learning.

Yara Yazbek

Honours Student

Yara completed her degree in psychology with a minor in English in 2023. She grew up in a bilingual home, and naturally became interested in bilingualism and early language acquisition. Her love of working with children drew her to the field of childhood development where she saw first hand how research becomes applicable in practice. Yara completed her Honours project in 2023, investigating how prosocial behaviours influence children's accent comprehension.

Jen Wareham

Honours Student

I am a fourth-year student majoring in psychology. Child development has always been an interest of mine, especially language development and bilingualism. I joined the lab this spring, and I'm so excited to be part of the GCLL team! I am looking forward to completing my Honours thesis this fall on language expectations which involves toddlers assumptions about unfamiliar people and how social aspects may affect this.

Caitlin Barry

Research Assistant

I’m a fourth-year psychology student with a minor in French. I’ve always been really interested in language and studying psychology has gotten me really interested in children’s language development. I joined the lab this winter and I love being a part of the team! I’ve loved learning about this research and I’m excited learn more as we launch more studies.

Sydney Keyamo

Research Assistant

Sydney is a fourth year student volunteering with the lab!

Cody Roy

Research Assistant

Cody is a recent graduate volunteering with the lab!

Jill Taylor

Lab Manager

Jill completed a BSc at Acadia University and worked with the GCLL as the research coordinator. Jill is currently completing a Master of Speech Language Pathology at Dalhousie University!

Abigail Greene

Honours student

Abby completed a BSc in Neuroscience at Dalhousie University in 2022. Abby conducted her Honours thesis research in the GCLL on the influence of social cues on learning language variation. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours Abby!

Collaborators and Friends of the Centre

Maria Arredondo, University of Texas at Austin

Shaylene Nancekivell, University of Manitoba

Katherine White, University of Waterloo

Ori Friedman, University of Waterloo

Janet Werker, University of British Columbia

Andrew Baron, University of British Columbia

COGNITION AND LANGUAGE LEARNING RESEARCH GROUP
@ DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY

Meet The Team

Alumni

Collaborators and Friends of the Centre

Interested in Joining Our Team?

Contact Dr. Drew Weatherhead at Drew.Weatherhead@dal.ca