Alisha is in the final year of her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto with a specialist in Health and Disease, a major in Cell and Molecular Biology and a minor in Music History and Culture. She has always had a passion for neuroscience, with a specific interest in early childhood cognitive and neurological development. In terms of research, Alisha has worked as part of investigative teams to help understand behavioural, cognitive and neural phenotypes of a number of neurodevelopmental disorders. Creative outlets such as language and music have been long-standing hobbies of hers, sparking her interest in characterizing the intersection of such outlets with brain development. After completing her undergraduate degree, Alisha looks forward to pursuing a medical career in paediatric neurology and to continuing her engagement in language and music learning. When she’s not studying or in the lab, you can usually find her signing, cooking or baking! 

Asli has a BSc from the University of Toronto in Biology and Physiology. She has a passion for academia and hopes to pursue a doctorate in neuroscience, specifically regarding neurological development & disorders. After becoming a scientist, Asli hopes to return back home to Somalia and help the redevelopment of the country's education and healthcare system, while (hopefully!) contributing to the world of science. In her free time, Asli enjoys spending time outdoors and hanging out with family and friends.

Becky has a BSc from the University of Toronto where she studied Psychology, Neuroscience, and German. She is interested in clinical research, specifically the intersection of substance use and developmental disorders. In the future, she is hoping to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology.

Bowrnamy has a BSc from the University of Toronto where she studied Health & Disease, Psychology and French.  Growing up, she always had a deep fascination for the different languages and cultures of the world, trying to learn as many as she can,  including English, Tamil, French, Spanish, Pashto and Portuguese. Her passion for learning also translates to the sciences, especially the biological and psychological mechanisms of child development.  She hopes to use her love for children and background in cognitive development to improve current school curriculums in ways that accommodate children of all abilities. In her spare time, Bowrnamy loves to take and edit photos, create music, play sports and spend time with her family.

After a long career of thumb sucking, Brianna decided to pursue her interest in science. She graduated from the University of Guelph in 2017, with a B.Sc. Biochemistry (Co-op) degree and a minor in Psychology: Brain & Cognition. She worked in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph as a Research Assistant and has several publications. Brianna discovered her interest in Speech-Language Pathology by volunteering with multiple group programs for preschool children with language and communication disorders. Brianna is now in her first year of the MHSc Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Toronto, and aspires to continue working with children as a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Brittany is a Speech-Language Pathologist currently working with both adult and child populations. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Master of Health Science in Speech Language Pathology program. She also completed her undergraduate degree at Carleton University in Linguistics and Discourse studies. She has always had a passion for helping others and a special interest in child development. When she is not working you can find her spending time with friends and family, baking or reading!

Christine completed her Honours BSc. at the University of Toronto with a Specialist in Psychology and a Major in Neuroscience. Her honours thesis investigated the longitudinal cognitive, behavioural and academic outcomes in children born very preterm. She is currently a graduate student completing her MHSc. in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Toronto. In the fall, she will be starting an Msc. in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Toronto with the hopes to pursue a PhD and work as a clinician-scientist. In the BAM lab, she is working on a project investigating sound-shape correspondents in monolingual and bilingual 12-month-old infants. Additionally, she is working on an online study investigating voice familiarity and spoken language processing in monolingual and bilingual adults. Her research interests include atypical speech and language development of children with developmental disorders and acquired brain injuries.

Sharmigaa Ragunathan obtained her master's degree in School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP) at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE), UofT. She received her Honours Bachelor of Science degree, with a double major in Psychology and Linguistics, at UTSC. In terms of research, her master’s thesis focused on the role of development, phoneme position and first language typology on second language spelling accuracy in elementary school English Language Learners coming from different home language backgrounds. In her spare time, Sharmigaa enjoys photography, writing poetry, trying new foods, and drinking Mocha Iced Capp.

Shumira has a BA from the University of Toronto in Cognitive Science (Language and Cognition) and Linguistics. Being born and raised in the linguistically diverse city of Toronto, Shumira is particularly interested in the cognitive development of multilingual children. She is also very interested in communication disorders and hopes to conduct research on the effects of multilingualism on children with developmental disorders. She aspires to obtain a graduate degree in speech-language pathology and further practice speech-language pathology. When she isn't pursuing her research interests, Shumira loves walking, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.  

Claire is a Speech-Language Pathology student at the University of Toronto. She completed her Master’s level research training in Communication Sciences and Disorders at McGill University. Claire aspires to become a clinician-researcher working with the neonatal/paediatric population. Shaped by her experiences growing up trilingual in Montreal and working in infant language research, her interests currently reside in early multilingual speech development and perception. 

Crystal Lim is a student in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program at the University of Toronto. She completed a Bachelor in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies at the University of Calgary. Growing up in multilingual environments, Crystal enjoys learning new languages and working with immigrant populations. Her Master's research explores how language comprehension is impacted by the use of interlocutor familiarity in monolingual and bilingual adults. She is also interested in how Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists can collaborate inter-professionally to provide holistic client-centred care.

Gabriel completed a B.Sc in Neuroscience and French Linguistics at the University of Toronto in 2020.  His research interests are centred around finding the links between language, genetics, brain connectivity and developmental disorders. Currently pursuing a M.Sc in the Neuroscience Department at McGill University, Gabriel combines various research methods including EEG, fMRI and genetic sampling to better characterize language deficits in infants with autism. At the BAM lab, he collaborated  on a project that uses EEG recordings and heart rates to explore auditory attention. In his free time, Gabriel enjoys playing music and petting cute doggos.

Glynnis was a post doctorate fellow in the BAM lab working on a study validating an app for the evaluation of speech and language development in babies and toddlers. Glynnis is a speech language pathologist and registered nurse. Her PhD research looked at using music and movement as an adjunct to traditional listening and spoken language therapy to support school readiness skills in preschool children with hearing loss.

Hayley is a clinical master’s student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at U of T. She is a graduate of McGill University where she studied Linguistics and Psychology. Living in the bilingual city of Montreal is where her curiosity and excitement for multilingualism flourished. Her research interests include understanding how the characterization of communication disorders and other pathologies differ in monolingual and bilinguals and how this can affect clinical intervention. Hayley's undergraduate honours thesis investigated the morphosyntax of bilingual and monolingual children with developmental language disorder (DLD), to assess whether cross-linguistic influence could benefit a child with DLD.

Isabella is currently in the MHSc in Speech-Language Pathology program at University of Toronto. She completed her undergraduate degree at Carleton University where she studied Linguistics with a concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders. In terms of research, Isabella completed her honours thesis where she looked at the effects of language background and experience on audio-visual language processing and multi-sensory integration. Currently she is working on a project looking at the efficacy of parent-report data on bilingual child language abilities. Isabella is also passionate about advocating for appropriate assessment and treatment of culturally and linguistically diverse clients with communication disorders. After she completes her MHSc, she hopes to be both a practicing Speech-Language Pathologist as well as continue to be involved in research. Outside of school, Isabella enjoys exercising, cooking and spending time with her dogs!

Jareeat has a BSc from the University of Toronto where she studied Neuroscience and Biology. She has a passion for research and has been involved with studies examining decision-making, mood disorders, and visual attention. She also loves languages and is interested in the cognitive neuroscience behind language processing. In her free time, you can find her reading, writing creative stories, and cooking!

Jayme is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, with a BA in Psychology, Linguistics and Practical Spanish. Jayme has always had a strong interest in language. This started with a desire to learn a second language and continued on into the field of Speech-Language Pathology after volunteering with a local Speech Pathologist prior to starting her undergraduate degree. She spent her years at Western studying Spanish, taking advantage of various study abroad opportunities, and continuing to nurture her love of Speech-Language Pathology. Jayme is now in the MHSc Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Toronto, and hopes to expand her knowledge in the field of multilingual language development.

Jodee recently graduate from the University of Toronto where she studied Linguistics. Her interest in the field was inspired by a friend, who fascinated her with the explanation of the difference between aspirated and unaspirated voiceless stops. She has worked alongside Dr. Monika Molnar, Dr. Marcel Geizen and Kai Leung on the Tweety Project. In her spare time, Jodee enjoys reading, singing and hanging out with her cat, Tima.

Jodi is a student in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program at the University of Toronto. She previously obtained her Bachelor of Medical Sciences with an Honors Specialization in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences at Western University. In the lab, Jodi is currently involved in investigating how interlocutor familiarity can affect language comprehension in monolingual and bilingual adults. Jodi is interested in the intersection between Occupational Therapy and Speech-Language Pathology disciplines in research and clinical care. In her free time, Jodi enjoys reading and crocheting.

Liliane has a BSc from the University of Toronto where she studied Pharmacology and Cell & Molecular biology with a focus in stem cell and development biology. Growing up in a multinational family, she was exposed to many languages at an early age and spent her youth growing up in three different countries. Having a strong interest in education and working with kids, Liliane is involved in research aiming to evaluate dynamic assessment tools that identify at risk-learners in the French Immersion program. In the future, she’d like to pursue clinical research and continue with her interest in early childhood education and language development.

Lindsay completed her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Linguistics at McGill University, and completed her Master’s degree at the Basque Centre on Cognition, Brain, and Language. Her Master’s research focused on the factors influencing interlingual competition and interference in bilinguals, and she continues to be interested in this topic, in addition to an interest in cognitive differences between bilinguals and monolinguals. In her free time, Lindsay loves hiking, pursuing various creative hobbies, and finding time to practice her own L2s, Spanish and German. 

Mariya Kika is a previous Research Assistant to the BAM Lab. Her time with the lab had coincided with her time in the MHSc. Speech Language Pathology program offered at the University of Toronto. While with the lab, she worked closely on projects that centred  clinical practice and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her interests lie in the intersection of culture and language, how this creates unique patient profiles, and the ways in which the field of speech language pathology can address this for best practice. She may be reached at mariya.kika@mail.utoronto.ca

Maya is currently in the Speech-Language Pathology MHSc program at the University of Toronto. She completed her B.A. at McGill University in Honours Psychology with a minor in Linguistics. Her thesis focused on how bilingualism plays a role in our ability to learn syntactic patterns in language acquisition. Currently, she is interested in how bilingualism/multilingualism may impact the presentation of communication disorders and how we can improve our current practices for culturally and linguistically diverse individuals. Maya is currently developing a survey with the BAM Lab investigating the cultural and linguistic profile, practices and barriers of Canadian Speech-Language Pathologists working with culturally and linguistically diverse children. Outside of school, Maya enjoys taking her dog on long walks, cooking new foods and hosting game nights.

Mia has an undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science from York University. She is currently completing a Master’s of Health Science in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Toronto. Mia is extremely interested in the study of language acquisition and development in children. She completed her undergraduate thesis on bilingualism and its effect on executive functioning. She is also interested in how bilingualism affects children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the prevalence of various signs and symptoms. In her spare time, Mia enjoys long walks and shopping! Mia is extremely excited to become a future Speech Language Pathologist.

Nicole holds a B.A honours degree from UofC’s psychology program and is a clinical masters student in the Speech-Language pathology program at UofT. Growing up in a multilingual family, Nicole is particularly interested in developmental psycholinguistics and the effects of multilingualism on cognitive development as well as emergent literacy skills. Her undergraduate honours thesis involves a systematic review that investigates the relationship between children’s home literacy environments (HLE) and their future performance on language and literacy assessments. For over 2 years, Nicole has been a literacy instructor helping children who have difficulties reading and writing, which is why this ongoing project is especially meaningful to her. Outside of the lab, Nicole enjoys running, hiking in the Rocky Mountains, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Qadriy has a BSc from the University of Toronto where she studied Health & Disease,  Nutritional Sciences and Spanish. She has always had a passion for language and its interplay with neurological development in children. In the lab, Qadriy is assisted with the Online Literacy Study and the auditory attention systematic review.  Qadriy looks forward to pursuing a medical career and hopes to become a paediatrician. When she is not working on her studies, you can usually find Qadriy cooking Afghan dishes, writing poetry, and spending time with family and friends. 

Siobhan Galeazzi has a BSc in Psychology and Cognitive Science from the University of Toronto. Growing up in Quebec within a multilingual family sparked her interest in multilingualism and its impact on learning, development, and aging. She hopes to pursue graduate studies in clinical Speech-Language Pathology and eventually work as a clinical Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in treating underserved populations. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, drawing and painting.

Somayah graduated from the University of Jordan, with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. She also holds an Honours bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences. She currently works as a Speech-Language Pathologist in private practice. Somayah has an interest in studying and providing normative data for typical cognitive and language development in multilinguals. Obtaining such data is much needed in the clinical and research community to develop speech and language assessment and intervention tools for multilinguals. She hopes to pursue a research-based degree in SLP.

Xiaohan is a graduate of the University of Toronto. She has a strong passion for public health, disease prevention and health promotion. During her free time, she loves dancing and outdoor sports!

Yash is in the final year of his undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto St. George and is pursuing a Neuroscience Specialist along with a double minor in Immunology and Bioethics. As someone who grew up in a multilingual household, the relationship between language acquisition and neural cognition has always fascinated him. In terms of research, Yash is particularly interested in the use for neural stem cells in treating neurodegenerative diseases and the affect of bilingualism on neural pathways. After completion of his undergraduate degree, Yash hopes to pursue a career in regenerative neurobiology and further understand the cellular mechanisms of injury and repair in the nervous system. Outside of academic and lab work, you can normally find Yash listening to music, skiing or enjoying walks with his dog!

Zanib graduated from the University of Toronto in 2022 with a Honors BSc studying Neuroscience and Molecular Biology and Disease Sciences and Psychology. From a very young age, she has been exposed to a Canadian and South Asian culture which has only furthered her interest and intrigue in contributing to the healthcare system, especially to overlooked communities and populations. Even before entering the academic life of university, she have been amazed by the innovative capacity of the human brain and hopes to pursue a career in medicine in her future.