Luan Chau

"Aerodynamically, the bumblebee should not be able to fly, but the bumblebee does not know it, so it goes on flying anyway" - Mary Kay Ash

As a gender-fluid and queer cognitive scientist, I’ve been on a continuous journey to explore both my identity and the boundaries of who I can become. Driven by curiosity, I’m deeply interested in how the human mind is shaped by the world around us—and how our interactions with people, environments, and information help us make sense of ourselves and our place in the world.

This identity has driven me to achieve accomplishments I might never have reached otherwise. After earning a Bachelor's degree in English Studies in Vietnam, I became deeply fascinated by how the human brain learns languages and processes information. This passion led me to pursue a Master's degree in Psycholinguistics—a joint program between the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and Aston University in the United Kingdom. Since then, I have traveled and worked in 25 countries, each experience enriching my understanding of language, culture, and cognition.

I obtained my first PhD in Linguistics at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, and currently pursuing a second PhD in Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota, the United States of America — where both my heart and mind feel at home. 

My research interests focus on the cognitive processes underlying learning from (digital) texts. I am currently a member of the Reading and Learning Lab at the University of Minnesota, directed by Professor Panayiota Kendeou, who is a global leading expert in text comprehension, misinformation, and knowledge revision, as well as a valued mentor of mine.  I am also a member of the Learning Informatics group.

I'm glad you're interested in exploring the following pages to learn more about my research, teaching, mentorship, community service, and funding portfolio!