Hi! I’m Halie. I’m a developmental cognitive neuroscientist, a fiction reader, an endurance sport enthusiast, and that person who brings her dog into lab.

I defended my PhD in Spring 2023 in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences program at MIT, where I studied the development of language in the minds and brains of children. I was lucky enough to have two fantastic advisors, John Gabrieli and Rebecca Saxe. I am thrilled to be staying at MIT as a postdoc in Ev Fedorenko‘s lab and Rebecca Saxe’s lab.

I want to figure out how early life experiences and environments impact brain development, particularly in the context of language, and in turn what this means for children’s outcomes. I want to figure out a lot of other things, too. How do toddlers’ brains process language? How does the brain respond to language about things that you are really, really interested in? How do language networks in the brain develop when there are structural constraints? To approach these questions, I use neuroimaging tools like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), as well as cognitive and behavioral measures.

I know that I wouldn’t be a scientist if not for the mentorship I’ve had along the way. I am committed to being the best mentor I can be for students of all backgrounds. I’m also committed to making my science accessible, both to the research community and to those outside it.

Thanks for stopping by, and don’t hesitate to reach out!

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You can find my CV here.