UTSA Neurosciences Institute hosts bilingual brain research symposium

brain

Share this Story

(Oct. 28, 2011) -- Scholars, students, Region 20 educators and members of the Defense Language Institute gathered at the UTSA Main Campus Oct. 25 for "The Bilingual Brain," a research symposium featuring some of the country's top bilingual brain scholars. The symposium was hosted by the UTSA Neurosciences Institute.

A panel of some of the country's leading bilingual brain researchers discussed their research and fielded questions from scholars and others.

Judith Kroll, distinguished professor of psychology, linguistics and women's studies and director of the Center for Language Science at Pennsylvania State University, discussed research suggesting that the bilingual brain inhibits its first language when it juggles two languages.

Nicole Wicha, assistant professor of biology at UTSA and assistant professor of the Research Imaging Institute at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, discussed how the bilingual brain gets to the meaning of words.

Lee Osterhout, professor of psychology and director of the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language Lab at the University of Washington, spoke on what the brain's electrical activity says about how people learn (and forget) a second language.

Karen Emmorey, professor of speech, language and hearing sciences and director of the Laboratory for Language and Cognitive Neuroscience at San Diego State University, described how the bimodal, bilingual brain works when language is spoken and signed.

Following the four research presentations, the UTSA Neurosciences Institute led a panel discussion, which will be available on its website.

"The Bilingual Brain" was sponsored by the UTSA Neurosciences Institute and the Specialized Neuroscience Research Program, which is supported by the National Institutes of Health.

 

 

Events



Spotlight

UTSA Bold Promise CTA

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.