Research Directions
CAN Lab
In the Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (CAN) Lab at Gallaudet University, our ultimate goal is to understand complex learning processes in young children, and to improve educational outcomes for deaf and hearing children.
Research in the CAN lab focuses on the cognitive and affective processes that influence learning, and how negative emotions, such as anxiety, can have detrimental effects on cognitive, biological, and academic outcomes.
One major focus of our work, math anxiety is virtually unstudied in young deaf children. In order to understand the interplay between emotional experiences and learning outcomes during K-12 education for deaf and hearing children, we examine neurobiological processes using fMRI and psychophysiology, and behavioral measurements in the lab and in the classroom.
In the CAN lab, we focus on reducing barriers for a diverse group of students, and developing flexible and implementable educational strategies based on research.
Learn more about our research directions:
Math Anxiety
Language Anxiety
Social Interaction
Conceptual Understanding
DIVERSITY
In the CAN Lab, we are committed to creating an environment within the scientific and academic community that is supportive and inclusive of diversity. We recognize that individuals may hold multiple identities across race, age, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, cultural background, religion, language, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, medical status, disability status, other lived experiences, and we respect and value all persons of all identities.
We invite lab members, should they wish, to share how they would like to be referred, both in terms of name, sign names, and pronouns (she/he/they/etc.), and all members of the lab will make their best effort to refer to all lab members accordingly. All members of the lab will have their choice of whether to disclose any aspect of their identity, including gender, race, class, sexuality, religion, dis/ability, among other aspects of your identity. We believe that having a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives in our community gives us the opportunity to empathize and grow to better understand experiences that approximate or differ from our own.
From a scientific perspective, it is essential to draw from a wide variety of experiences and viewpoints to ask insightful scientific questions about how people think, feel, and learn. We respect every member of our community and assert that our lab will be a harassment and discrimination-free environment. We treat each other with kindness, respect, and empathy by valuing the ideas, experiences, efforts, and contributions of others.
We strive to create an environment where each individual feels valued, supported, and can gain access to the resources they need in order to thrive as scientists.
You are valued here. Science is a difficult discipline, and we strive to do novel research that will have many ups and downs. We cannot promise everything in lab will always go as planned, or that you won’t struggle and make mistakes. But, we can promise that we will make every effort to give you the support that you need. Your hard work, perspective, and contributions are valuable, and we want you to succeed and flourish.