COGNITION AND LANGUAGE LEARNING RESEARCH GROUP
@ DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY
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!
Gabrielle Zeller
MSc Experimental Psychology Student
I am a first-year master’s student in the Experimental Psychology program. I completed my undergraduate degree here at Dalhousie University with my honour’s thesis focusing on executive function and emotion regulation in young adults. Through my previous education and employment in the Early Learning Lab, I have developed a strong interest in developmental psychology. Broadly, I am interested in studying topics related to children’s social cognition, so am excited to now be a part of the GCLL team!
Ayush Saha
Lab Manager / Research Coordinator
Ayush graduated with a BSc in Neuroscience in 2025. Throughout his undergrad, Ayush was a dedicated volunteer in the lab. "I've always had an interest in many of the aspects of learning. I joined the GCLL to further explore language acquisition. I am excited to be a part of the team and look forward to being involved with the research!"
Contact Ayush: asaha@dal.ca
Luke Forsyth
Honours Student (2026)
I am a third-year Neuroscience student. Currently, I am helping with the fNIRS projects that look at language processing in infants and adults. My main areas of interest are neurolinguistics and language revitalization. Someday I hope to contribute research that can be a benefit to marginalized language communities and help inform policies that promote the sustainability of endangered languages.
Ava Khan
Honours Student (2026)
I am in my 5th year in the BA of psychology program. I began volunteering with GCLL in January of 2023 then completed an Independent Research Project in the 23/ 24 academic year on how cultural context affects how kids learn new words. I am now starting my honours thesis. Outside of research I love to travel and play recreational sports. I am so excited to see what this year brings!
Alexander Oxner
Event Coordinator / Honours Student (2025)
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.
Amelia MacEachen
Research Assistant
I am a third-year Psychology student with a minor in History. My main research interests are drugs & addictions, mental health, and clinical disorders, however I love learning about children and their development which is what brought me to the GCLL. I began volunteering in January of 2025, and eventually became a research assistant and later an independent project student in the lab. I'm excited and grateful to be a member of this amazing team!
Sophie LeBlanc
Research Assistant
I am entering my third year in the BSc Psychology program with a certificate in Science Communication and Leadership. My main research interests are sociolinguistics, language development, bilingualism, and how these areas relate to child development. I am very excited to be joining the GCLL team through an Independent Research project this year, as I am passionate about exploring child development in these domains!
Heather Carr
Volunteer Research Assistant
I am entering my fourth year in the BSc Psychology program with a minor in Biology. I started my research career at the Centre for School Mental Health at Western University. I volunteer in the MAAC lab at Dalhousie, as well as the Canine Olfaction lab at Dalhousie, where I look forward to completing my honours project. My main areas of interest include learning, communication, development, clinical psychology/neuropsychology, rehabilitation and canine companionship.
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.
Sara Anvari
Volunteer Research Assistant
I am a second-year Psychology student with a minor in Business. I have had five wonderful years of experience working with children as a childminding caregiver, youth leader, and support worker. Supporting young people has always been a meaningful part of my life, and it has inspired my interest in cognitive and linguistic development. I’m excited to continue learning and contributing to work that supports youth growth and well-being.
Alumni
Vanessa Ritsema
Lab Manager / Research Coordinator
Vanessa joined the lab as an undergraduate student with a love for research and psychology. She completed her honours thesis in the lab, and graduated with a BA in Psychology in 2024. She was then our incredible lab manager and research coordinator from 2024-2025!
Emma Reeves
Honours Student (2025)
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!
Ali Dyack
Honours Student (2024)
Ali began working with the lab in the summer of 2023 and completed their honours thesis with us. Ali played a large role in 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!"
Joe Stephen
Research Assistant
Joe completed his BSc degree in Psychology at Dalhousie in 2025. He began as a member of 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 (2025)
In 2023, Nicole joined the GCLL as a research assistant, and eventually completed her honours thesis in the lab. She earned her BSc with Honours in Psychology in 2025. "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!"
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Paige Lavoie
Research Assistant
Paige completed her BSc in Neuroscience at Dalhousie in 2025. As part of her degree, she also earned the Science Communication & Leadership certificate as well as the Neurotechnology & Innovation certificate. She was a member of the GCLL lab beginning in 2022, and worked as a research assistant for the Accent Comprehension Study.
Rebeka Workye
Lab Manager / 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!
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Jayce Phillips
Research Assistant
Jayce completed his BSc with Honours in Medical Sciences in 2024. "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!"
Alex Ryken
Experimental Psychology PhD Student
"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 (2023)
Emma earned her BSc degree with a major in Psychology and a minor in Sociology in 2023. "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 (2023)
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 the lab, investigating how prosocial behaviours influence children's accent comprehension.
Jen Wareham
Honours Student
Jen completed her degree with a major 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
Caitlin completed her Psychology degree with a minor in French in 2023. "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."
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Sydney Keyamo
Volunteer Research Assistant
Sydney completed her degree at Dalhousie in 2023, and was a volunteer with the lab beginning in 2021.
Cody Roy
Volunteer Research Assistant
Cody was 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!
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Abigail Greene
Honours student (2022)
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