Director

Jonathan Peelle, PhD

Dr. Peelle is a Professor at Northeastern University, in the Institute for Cognitive and Brain Health, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Department of Psychology. His research is focused on how the brain understands spoken language. Dr. Peelle has over 80 published research articles in the area, and has authored the textbook The Neuroscience of Language (2025, Cambridge University Press). He is a past editor for NeuroImage and Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, and is currently an action editor for eLife and Neurobiology of Language. He is currently the Chair of the Society for the Neurobiology of Language.

Personal website: jonathanpeelle.net

CV (PDF version): PeelleCV.pdf

Faculty

Arthur Wingfield, PhD

Art Wingfield received a B.A. in psychology from the University of Connecticut, followed by a master’s degree in speech pathology and audiology from Northwestern University and a doctorate in experimental psychology from the University of Oxford. After postdoctoral research at the UK Medical Research Council Psycholinguistics Research Unit at Oxford he returned to the U.S. to take a faculty position at Brandeis University, becoming professor emeritus in June, 2025. He served for 10 years as Director of Brandeis University’s Volen National Center for Complex Systems, an interdisciplinary institute for research on the interface between neuroscience, cognitive science, and computer science. As the Nancy Lurie Marks Professor of Neuroscience, he held academic appointments in the department of psychology and the program in neuroscience at Brandeis. His research on hearing acuity, speech comprehension, and memory in adult aging has been recognized by two successive MERIT Awards from the NIH National Institute on Aging, “for [his] outstanding record of sustained scientific achievements and leadership in the field of aging research,” an Editor’s Award from the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research for his early work on perception of time-compressed speech, and the Baltes Distinguished Research Achievement Award from the Margaret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation of Berlin, Germany and the American Psychological Association. He has served on review panels and task forces for the National Institutes of Health, the American Academy of Audiology, the National Academy of Sciences. and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in India. His current research focuses on sensory-cognitive interactions in adults receiving cochlear implants.

Staff Scientists and Postdocs

Michael Jones, PhD

Mike switched to neuroscience after a brief career in structural engineering and the software industry. Before moving to cognitive neuroscience, he studied the brain one neuron at a time, first as a grad student at the University of Colorado and then as a postdoc at Saint Louis University. Outside the lab, Mike can be found riding his Trek, nursing his obsolete MacBooks (cat-themed OS X > outdoor-themed OS X), and writing math and science articles for his obscure website.

Ryan O’Leary, PhD

Ryan completed his PhD at Brandeis University, where he studied how people comprehend spoken language under challenging conditions. He has written on a variety of topics, including factors that underlie sentence comprehension, listening effort as measured by pupillometry, and the heritability of age-related hearing loss. In his free time, Ryan enjoys playing guitar and spending time in nature in search of wildlife.

Research Coordinators / Technicians

Sarah McConkey

Sarah is a research assistant and the lab manager at Washington University in Saint Louis. She loves horror movies, ferments, and cats. Formerly a pastry cook and confectioner, she enjoys creating things that make you go hmmm.

Stephen Valente

Stephen is from Melrose, MA. He graduated from Providence College in 2022 with a degree in History and a minor in Business and Innovation. He is an avid Providence basketball and soccer fan. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and tennis and watching movies.

Graduate Students

Bridget Carey

Bridget graduated from Boston College manga cum laude with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a minor in Management and Leadership. Her undergraduate honors thesis was on the role of the BLA and oxytocin in female social preference behavior. In her graduate studies, she is interested in studying how exercise can help all types of cognitive processes. For fun she works out daily, enjoys country music concerts, trying new restaurants in the city with friends, attending BC football games, and spending time with her family.

Hailey Smith

Hailey is a Ph.D. student at Northeastern University. She completed her undergraduate degree at Arcadia University in Psychology and Neuroscience. For fun, Hailey likes to explore, read, pick up new hobbies, and play video games (although she isn’t very good at them). She looks forward to seeing you in the lab!

Undergraduate Students

Sam Baldwin

Sam is from Storrs, Connecticut, majoring in data science. In his free time he enjoys watching and playing soccer, backpacking, scuba diving, and playing chess. He loves watching movies and hanging out with his cats.

Karim Camara

Karim is from Milton, Massachusetts majoring in computer science and behavioral neuroscience. He is interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine. In his free time, Karim loves to play soccer, go skiing, go on hikes, play video games, and listen to music.

Namratha Chembeti

Namratha, from Edison, NJ, is majoring in Health Science with a minor in Economics. As a dedicated EMT, she is deeply passionate about pursuing a career in medicine and plans to attend medical school in the future. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exploring new food spots, and watching Hallmark movies!

Blakely Cummings

Blakely is a psychology and communication studies student from Richmond, Virginia. They have been interested in psychology for as long as they remember, with interests in cognitive psychology and developmental psychology. In their free time, you can find them baking or acting on the stage.

Gabriella El Moucary

Bella is originally from Lebanon, and recently moved to Norwood, MA. She is majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience, planning to attend medical school after earning her bachelor's degree. Bella likes to spend her time dancing, listening to music, going on a walk outside, or mentoring her little at BBBS.

Claire Fiedler

Claire is from Wexford, PA majoring in Psychology and Linguistics. She is very interested in how language functions in the brain, and hopes to pursue a career in either speech-language pathology or occupational therapy. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going on hikes, writing, and exploring Boston.

Ellie Finnigan

Ellie is from Suffield, CT, majoring in Psychology and on the pre-med track. She is interested in becoming a Psychiatrist and possibly working out of a hospital. In her free time she loves to watch movies, listen to music, read, and go on walks.

Diya Ganesh

Diya is a second-year student from Massachusetts majoring in Data Science and Behavioral Neuroscience, with an interest in neuroimaging techniques and data analysis. In her free time, she loves going to concerts (her record is 3 in one month!) and cafes (currently trying to find the best caramel latte in Boston).

Daria Kabiri

Daria is from Northern Virginia and majors in Health Science and Business. She aims to pursue a career in prevention, whether it be of cognitive decline or chronic diseases - she’s determined to tackle it all! Daria spends her time with her Aussie puppy, reading about human physiology, and staying active at the gym.

Reyna Layous

Reyna is an undergraduate Behavioral Neuroscience major at Northeastern University with plans to attend medical school. She is particularly interested in the connection between music and the brain. Beyond academics, she plays the saxophone at nursing homes and hospitals, volunteers at soup kitchens, and stays active through weightlifting and yoga. In her downtime, she enjoys shopping and exploring new styles.

Elizabeth Levins

Lizzie is from Connecticut interested in linguistics, speech-language pathology & audiology, and philosophy. She enjoys spending time with young kids and works at a preschool through a program called Jumpstart. She also plays cello through Northeastern's symphonic orchestra.

Meghan MacIver

Meghan is from Ellicott City, Maryland and majors in Behavioral Neuroscience. She is particularly interested in neuroimaging techniques and plans to attend medical school in pursuit of a career working with children affected by neurological disorders. In her free time, Meghan loves working out, spending time with kids with special needs, and trying new cuisines while traveling.

Maya Sachidanand

Maya is from San Jose, CA majoring in Data Science and Behavioral Neuroscience. She is interested in the intersection between technology and the human mind. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, exploring Boston, cooking, and watching basketball.

Sia Shah

Sia is from Upstate NY, majoring in Health Science with a minor in Biochemistry. She is interested in language acquisition and the influence of lifestyle factors on hearing. Sia also works in the emergency room at Boston Children’s Hospital and hopes to attend medical school in the future. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, playing volleyball, reading, and going on hikes with her family.

Prajana Sriram

Prajana is from Westford, MA majoring in Biochemistry and Data Science. She has had a life long passion for medicine and hopes to attend medical school and specialize in neurosurgery in the future. In her free time she enjoys playing tennis, going on walks, watching sunrises and sunsets, and travelling.

Sofia Wojtaszek

Sofia is from Wakefield, MA majoring in behavioral neuroscience. She is an EMT who is very passionate about pursuing medicine and plans to attend medical school in the future. In her free time, she enjoys playing softball, hiking, baking, and cycling.