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!
_JPG.jpg)
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
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.
Luke Forsyth
Honours Student
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.
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!
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 in the lab. I'm excited and grateful to be a member of this amazing team!
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.
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!
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!
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.
Alumni
.jpeg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
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