Language Learning Lab - Research Team

Research Team

Dr. Katharine Graf Estes, Principal Investigator - Lab Director

Infants are immersed in a world of immense complexity, yet they display knowledge of the people, objects, actions, and sounds in their environments very early in life. My research explores the mechanisms that support this early learning. In particular, the ability to detect statistical regularities may play a fundamental role in how infants learn about a highly complex, highly salient aspect of the auditory world: language. Infants become especially attuned to regularities in the sound patterns of the ambient language, including its phoneme distinctions, sound combinations within words, and its cues to word boundaries in fluent speech. Thus, when infants begin to understand and produce words, they do not start as a blank slate. I am investigating how infants learn from statistical regularities in the language they hear and the nature of what they learn.

Andrea Ramirez Barajas, Doctoral Candidate

I am a fifth year doctoral student in the Developmental area in the Psychology department. I graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Spanish and Psychology B.A. Before starting my PhD at the lab, I worked as a McNair Scholar for two years with Dr. Graf Estes where I was able to conduct and present research in infant bilingual language acquisition. I am broadly interested in the variations in lexical and acoustic properties in a bilingual as well as a monolingual population. More specifically, I’m interested in parent-child interactions and the effect the parent’s speech has on their infant’s language development in a social context.

Jenna DiStefano, Graduate Student

I am a psychology doctoral student in the developmental area. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in Psychology, minoring in ASL/Deaf Studies and Education. Before joining the lab as a PhD student, I worked as a lab manager for Dr. Duane Watson at Vanderbilt University, supporting studies relating to language and cognition. My current research interests broadly relate to infant language acquisition. More specifically, I am interested in the language acquisition of Deaf infant populations learning American Sign Language (ASL) -- especially those who live in a predominantly hearing social environment.

Işıl Doğan, Graduate Student

Işıl earned her M.A. in Developmental Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Tilbe Göksun at Koç University in Istanbul. She is interested in understanding how infants acquire language and how they integrate language and cognition. To explore these topics, she investigated the precursors of individual differences in multimodal language comprehension and production in her master’s thesis. She has also focused on both internal factors (e.g., neonatal status, individual differences in early processing of language) and external factors (e.g., caregiver multimodal input, caregivers’ beliefs) in building blocks of cognition. Currently, Işıl is researching how infant-directed speech produced by caregivers aligns with their gestures during specific play tasks at the Language Learning Lab.

Jiaqi (Jenny) Geng, Graduate Student

Language learning doesn’t happen in isolation, instead, it is a manifestation of one’s cultural background, experience, and values. I am passionate about investigating the mechanisms infants use to learn languages in their cultural contexts and through interactions with social agencies, in combination with parental cultural engagements and beliefs. My interests sparked during my B.A. journey at UC Davis, and was further solidified during my research involvement at various labs in the States and my one-year stay abroad in Hong Kong. As a first-year graduate student, I hope to employ a cultural-infused approach to study how culture shapes infants’ language learning trajectories.

Isabelle Pai, Graduate Student

Isabelle is a Ph.D. student in Developmental Psychology coming from an Economics research background, with a B.A. in Economics from New York University and consumer research experience at Nielsen and GfK after graduation. She received her Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology, with a Cognitive Development concentration, from Cornell University in 2020. Her primary research interest is in language development, particularly in children's language acquisition. She is interested in how infants and young children acquire language - how they learn new words, how they learn semantic and pragmatic concepts, how they form abstract relations and how this acquisition facilitates their thought formation. In her spare time, she enjoys attending symphonies, cold weather sports such as hockey, figure skating, downhill skiing and spending time in nature.

Sabrina Karjack, Graduate Student

Hey everyone! I am a Developmental PhD student. I've been working in another lab studying memory development but have always been curious about language development, so now I am combining these two interests to study how children learn and remember words in this lab! I was the first one in my family born in the states (born in Santa Cruz CA!) so I grew up bilingual, German-English. I did my BA in Psych at UCLA and worked for two years in Philly at Temple University. Now I'm here! Outside of work I love to knit and crochet, I'm a big foodie, and I love to travel. My favorite spot in Davis is definitely Pachamama (I could drink their strawberry matcha daily).

Raquel Ortiz Anguiano, Lab Manager

Raquel graduated from UC Davis in 2023 with a B.S. in Human Development, B.A in Psychology and a minor in Chicana/o Studies. While working to obtain her degree, she worked as a Research Assistant in the Infant Cognition Lab under the supervision of Dr. Lisa Oakes. This is where she was able to start her journey studying Developmental Psychology and develop a passion for it. With the guidance of Dr. Oakes and her graduate student mentors Shannon Klotz and Van Pham, she was able to focus on a research project that allowed her to study both visual attention and language aquisition in a naturalistic setting. Now, Raquel hopes to use her time at the Language Learning Lab to further explore all aspects of cognitive development, with an emphasis on Mexican American populations.

Ruby Lara, Lab Manager

Hello! I graduated UC Davis 2024 with a double major in Linguistics and Spanish. I was born and raised in a small agricultural town in Monterey County, California. My major in Linguistics stems from my upbringing in a diverse community of Spanish and dialect speakers. I grew to appreciate the intricacies of individual languages, how they interact, and the cultures accompanying them. My experience with English as a second language and rich exposure to various dialects have prompted my interest in the Language Lab. What piques my interest the most is bilingual education and helping to improve ESL programs to encourage the learning and retention of two languages simultaneously, as I intend to be an ESL educator. I am enthusiastic about learning more about early childhood language development and how it is influenced by culture and the surrounding environment. Outside my studies, I enjoy reading fiction and social science genres, crafting, and hiking

Chengyi Li, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello everyone, I'm Chengyi. I am a third year student studying linguistics, planning to graduate in 2027. First language acquisition is one of my interests which is why I took up this lab. After graduation I plan on attending grad school to specialize in a field of linguistics. I am from a small part of Sacramento where there's not much to do besides watch movies and hangout, but it's really what you make out of it! Besides studying I am an avid language learner (started with Spanish, moving on to Cantonese/Mandarin), which also gravitated me towards this lab.

Crystal Bueras, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hi everyone! I am a third year student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Human development. I am a single child and was raised in a predominantly Spanish-speaking household. I grew up in Coachella, CA mainly with my mom and grandma who both came from Perú. My grandma came to the U.S. to live with us when I was 4, speaking only Spanish; so she took it upon herself to teach me Spanish since I had no knowledge of any Spanish, so we would be able to communicate together. My bilingual background from learning a new language at a young age and interest in Developmental Psychology inspired me to join the Language Learning Lab. In my free time I enjoy reading, and spending time with my friends.

Caitlin Chung, Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Applied Statistics. I’m from San Francisco, California and grew up in a bilingual household speaking both English and Mandarin. From an early age, I was exposed to multiple languages whether it be from TV shows, cartoons, summer camps or school environments. My fascination with languages and cultures was further sparked by my experiences working with children as a swim instructor and camp assistant, both roles focused on young children. These interactions deepened my interest in child development as well as their ability to navigate the complexities of language. I am passionate about merging my interests in language, child development as well as statistics and am looking forward to expanding my knowledge and continue working alongside children in this lab. In my free time, you can find me curating Spotify playlists to match the latest book I’ve read, sketching fan art or indulging in TV shows.

Madhavi Ramesh, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello! I am a third-year undergraduate majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. Growing up in India for eighteen years has ignited my fascination with language development and learning styles. Witnessing how effortlessly children and toddlers around me pick up multiple languages in their everyday conversations has been genuinely captivating. My previous experience as an academic mentor and a karate peer mentor working with children with speech and hearing disabilities has further fueled my interest in children's language development, especially among those kids devoid of these sensory abilities. At home, I learned Tamil and acquired English, Sanskrit, Hindi, and Kannada proficiency at school. This passion for language and children has inspired me to join the language learning lab, where I can merge my interests. My ultimate goal is to become a pediatrician and integrate the skills I've gained as an undergraduate researcher into my future practice. During my free time, you can find me listening to music and podcasts, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Emily Yáñez, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello everyone! I am a Fourth-year undergraduate student double majoring in Psychology and Studio Art. I grew up in the Central Valley, which is a diverse and beautiful network of culture and language. I grew up riding horses and being able to teach is what sparked my love for working with children. My career interests require me to be able to communicate well with the students I intend to work with, so the Language Learning Lab really appealed to me with its focus on methods of communication and learning. After undergrad, I am eager to pursue higher education with a focus on improving learning systems for children with disabilities. Child development is such an important area of focus and it is something that I want to improve myself on so I can navigate the world and my career with great care and compassion. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, reading, and binge watching my favorite shows.

Nicole Miquilarena, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hi everyone! I am a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with a biological emphasis, as well as minoring in Spanish. I was born and raised in Miami, FL, and grew up speaking Spanish at home. My upbringing with my Venezuelan family sparked my interest in child language development, specifically second-language acquisition. Besides English and Spanish, I've also learned to speak Portuguese and took Mandarin Chinese lessons for 4 years. Languages have always been one of my main interests. I have also been working with kids for the past 5 years of my life, and am very passionate about it and want to continue doing it in the future! I am very excited to learn more about early childhood language development throughout my time in the lab. In my free time, I love crocheting, going out to eat, and spending time with my friends.

Nadya Mejia, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello, I'm Nadya Mejia, a fourth-year Psychology major minoring in Chicano Studies. I was born in Mexico, but raised in the Lake Tahoe area. My first language is Spanish. Transitioning from a new country was initially challenging to navigate a new culture, customs, and language, but my young age allowed me to adapt and acquire English quickly. During high school, I had the opportunity of working with young Latino children who had similarly moved to the United states, I was able to witness their remarkable language development over just a few months. This experience sparked my interest for language acquisition and culture, particularly in multilingual Mexican children, an interest that aligns with the lab's research focus. I am eager to expand my knowledge on language learning and how culture intertwines with it. I'm excited about the opportunity to contribute to this research while expanding my knowledge in this field.

Yarelie Dionisio Espinoza, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello! I am a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education. I was born and raised in Hayward, California. My first language is Spanish, as I spent my first few years of childhood in Mexico. Transitioning from Spanish to English in elementary school was a challenge for me as I felt like I was lacking in both languages, affecting the way I learned. As I explored career choices, I discovered school psychology. I learned that one of their tasks is to help students get better resources academically and emotionally, including English-learning students. This sparked my interest in how English learning and bilingualism affected students’ educational journeys, just like my personal experience. Throughout my time in the lab, I hope to gain more knowledge about language learning and apply the skills I learn in the future. In my free time, I love listening to music, watching movies, and trying out new cooking recipes.

Shuman Hsu, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello! I am a fourth year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Economics. I was born and raised in Taiwan, speaking Mandarin and learning Taiwanese from my grandparents. At a young age, I was exposed to English in school environments and Japanese through watching TV shows and anime, which sparked my interest in dual language learning. My passion for this field stems both from being the oldest sister in the family and my bilingual background as an international student with my coursework in infant cognitive development. After learning early language acquisition in UTokyo last year, I am especially looking forward to exploring how children’s diverse cultural experiences influence their ability to learn new words or detect different communicative cues. In the Language Learning Lab, I am excited to gain hands-on experience and contribute to the research. By the way, I love to go cafe hopping, spending time with my friends, and watching Japanese dramas in my free time.

Prutha Patel, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello everyone! My name is Prutha Patel, and I’m a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Cognitive Science with an emphasis in Neuroscience. I was born and raised in India and moved to Cupertino in the Bay Area during high school. Growing up in a diverse and multilingual environment, I developed fluency in English, Hindi, and Gujarati, which sparked my interest in human development and language acquisition. From personal experiences, I’ve often wondered how my older sister and I turned out so different despite sharing the same upbringing. This curiosity has furthered my interest in understanding how various factors such as environment, culture, and individual differences shape language development and behavior. As a cognitive science student, I’m especially drawn to the interdisciplinary application of research to understand human behavior from multiple perspectives. Joining this lab offers me an exciting opportunity to explore language development and contribute meaningful to research that deepens our understanding of how we learn and grow. In my spare time, I enjoy painting, wheel-throwing pottery, listening to music, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Lisset Aceves, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hi! My name is Lisset, and I am a fourth year majoring in Biological Psychology and double-minoring in Human Development and Public Health. My parents are Spanish speaking, so throughout my time in elementary school, I spent a lot of time in ELS programs to improve my English, as it was primarily introduced to me in school. My experience growing up has led to my curiosity over the benefits of multilingualism. My siblings and I had no choice but to learn two languages at a young age, but it is very common for middle or high schools to offer secondary language courses. However, I have always wondered about the benefits of introducing such opportunities to younger kids, as their minds are very capable of mastering multiple languages. The Language Learning Lab offers many opportunities to understand the development of language amongst young children, which I believe opens the door for so many research opportunities, and holds many potential benefits for parents, instructors, and more when it comes to language development at early stages in life.

Issa Baca, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hi everyone! My name is Issa Baca, and I'm transitioning into my fourth year as a Psychology B.A. major, with a minor in Human Development. I’ve lived in the Bay Area in California my whole life—starting with humble beginnings in East San Jose and spending most of my teenage years in Cupertino. I'm a first-generation Chinese and Mexican American, meaning I was raised in a culturally rich environment, surrounded by a mix of different languages- Cantonese, Spanish, English- which I cherish heavily when reflecting on my childhood. I am also the oldest of four siblings, and I was primarily raised by an incredibly strong and independent mother! My goal is to become a clinical psychologist who focuses on child and adolescent services. This makes participating in a cognitive developmental research study so important to me, as learning possible ways to foster an open and comfortable environment for the children I hope to support in the future firsthand is a priority for me. I am especially fascinated by child language development, and I enjoy exploring the cognitive and social processes behind early language learning. Lastly, I've always loved volunteering with kids of all ages— as a camp counselor, after-school leader, and babysitter; my favorite ages to work with are toddlers and later elementary school students!

Lupita Morales-Cordova , Undergraduate Research Assistant

Antara Goel, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello! I am a fourth-year transfer student at UC Davis, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Human Development. I plan to earn my B.S. in Psychology and embark on my path to becoming an educational psychologist. I grew up grappling with severe ADHD and, by high school, mental health issues as well. I was introduced to the world of accommodated learning for students, and have been passionate about it ever since. Not only do I want to be an empathetic role model, but also a knowledgeable advocate for students who are struggling in their academics, which is what drew me to this lab. Having a better insight into the language development in children can help me better assess what accommodations a student might need and how I can best advocate for them.

Makoa Tandy, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello! I am a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology with a minor in education. I was born in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. I began working as a teacher’s assistant and an after-school activities assistant in high school, which sparked my interest in how children learn. Studying psychology, combined with my experience working with children, led to an interest in developmental psychology. Through my developmental psychology and education courses, I have gained a stronger understanding of the subject. I look forward to further exploring a topic I am interested in and, through the language learning lab, seeing how children develop language. In my free time, I enjoy reading, listening to music, and spending time with my family and friends.

Gusimran Janda, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello! I am a fourth year majoring in psychology and minoring in Sociology and Public Health. Mental health and psychology have always been a passion of mine so I'm excited to have the opportunity to gain more experience here and work alongside everyone! I grew up in the Bay Area and currently live in Fremont. I spend most of my time at coffe shops, reading, or baking. I also love hiking, traveling, and going on spontenous side quests with my friends!

Duong Khuu, Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a second year Cognitive Neuroscience and Mathematics major, as I am very drawn toward topics concerning logic and the wiring of the human brain. For that reason, the chaotic nature of language is particularly puzzling and intriguing to me, especially considering how this intricate linguistic network is one of the most crucial inventions (discovery?) in human history. Joining the LLL allows me an opportunity to understand the formation of the gears that enable our linguistic abilities through babies' ever-growing minds! Other than that, I also like to play video games and watch House M.D. in my free time :)

Alex Pearson, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hi everyone! I am a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology. I was born and raised in Folsom, California. As an only child, I have always been intrigued by the differences in how children are raised and how development is impacted. I think language is a very interesting aspect of child development, and I was drawn to the Language Learning Lab for this reason. I have always been passionate about mental health and I am pursuing a career in clinical psychology to work with both adults and children. In my free time, I like watching horror movies, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.

Andrew Douthitt, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hello! I am a second-year Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major. I grew up all over the west coast, but am really a California resident at heart. As the youngest of 3 half-brothers, I have the privilege of being the uncle to 5 nieces and nephews, which inspired me to seek out academic focuses on development. Being there from the first day they were born to their 5th birthday has opened my eyes to how impactful education and research can be, especially within a linguistic setting. This passion for understanding neurobiology and child development has motivated me to work in the Language Learning Lab as a research assistant. Building from this experience, I hope to continue meaningful work with children as a pediatrician. When I am not in class or lab, you can find me skiing Tahoe’s highest peaks, hiking with friends, or reading.

Bo Wang, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Our daily operations are supported by amazing functionality that we often take for granted. As an NPB major, Bo’s research focuses on deconstructing the mechanisms we have normalized and reconstructing them into an applicable form, allowing us to gain deeper insight into ourselves and avoid our limitations. Infants serve as a relatively transparent vessel of these functions, providing information derived from behaviorally correlated mathematics that enriches our evidential foundation. Building on this, he hopes to advance his future research in neuroscience, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence as a physician-researcher.

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