Monica E
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
Expertise
Developmental cognitive neuroscience, language development, equity in education, socioeconomic and racial discrimination, resilience
Bio
I’m interested in how children’s early experiences shape their linguistic and cognitive development. Why do some children seem to thrive in school, while others don't? My research integrates what we know about the structure of society with what we know about children's brain development to understand the barriers some children face to success, and how they are able to adapt and thrive in the face of these barriers. I use behavioral (e.g., noting a child’s response in a game), psychophysiological (e.g., eyetracking), and neuroimaging (e.g., MRI) methods to help answer these questions. My research would not be possible without the help of amazing college student Research Assistants, and I find I learn as much from them as they learn from me! I’m excited to work with Polygence students in the same way. To stay grounded, I love taking advantage of the amazing California Bay Area weather year-round and hiking, hanging out with friends, and, more recently, baking (like everyone else in the pandemic).Project ideas
Why do some children do better in school than others?
Often, we answer this question by thinking about the skills children come to school with. But what if schools have simply been designed to serve some students better than others? In this project, we’ll do a deep-dive into early education literature, and think through how this relates to structural inequity and children’s early language experiences. This would be an awesome review paper for a student journal.
How are parents affected by their access to resources?
Some parents have more resources than other parents, whether this is a steady bank account, access to high-quality schools for their children, a social strong support system, or a safe neighborhood. This inequality has been made apparent and exacerbated in the pandemic. How do these factors affect parents’ interactions with their children? How are both parents and children affected by their external worlds? A project like this could involve talking to parents, doing a review of the literature, and/or writing a paper for a student journal.