Network Exploration for Scientific Purposes
Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Speech Syntax Processing at the University of Rochester
At the University of Rochester's Center for Advanced Brain Imaging & Neurophysiology (CABIN), a senior biomedical engineering student from Bangladesh, Biswas, is conducting research on speech syntax processing using electroencephalography (EEG) technology.
Biswas joined Edmund Lalor's research team, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Neuroscience, and a member of the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester. Lalor's research team is instrumental in propelling the careers of undergraduate students, as evidenced by Biswas's research opportunity.
The research experience provided to Biswas is intended to enhance her competitiveness for future academic opportunities. Students involved in this research gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge neuroimaging techniques, particularly EEG, which is essential for understanding neural processing of speech syntax, a complex cognitive domain.
Combining linguistics, cognitive neuroscience, and engineering methods, the research prepares students to tackle problems at the intersection of language and brain function. This broad skill set enhances their competitiveness for graduate programs and research positions.
Undergraduate students also learn to formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and analyze complex datasets, which are fundamental skills for academic research and beyond. They are exposed to research design and analysis, collaboration with leading experts, and have the opportunity to develop critical thinking and communication skills.
The research experience offered by Lalor's team is not only beneficial for academic neuroscience but also for related fields like speech-language pathology, neurotechnology development, and AI-based language processing.
Edmund Lalor expresses excitement about involving junior students in research and finds it gratifying when undergraduate students show interest in research. He acknowledges the hard work, ups and downs, and occasional disappointments in research, but believes in providing undergraduate students with opportunities to learn and grow.
Biswas's research opportunity came after taking a class on biosystems and circuits taught by Edmund Lalor, PhD. She also earned a Schwartz Discover Grant, which provided her with a summer research experience. The research experience was full-time and aimed at enhancing her competitiveness for future fellowships and advanced research opportunities.
Lalor's research team is dedicated to nurturing the academic growth of undergraduate students and committed to mentoring them. The benefits of undergraduate research in speech syntax processing using EEG at the University of Rochester's Center for Advanced Brain Imaging & Neurophysiology provide substantial benefits for students' future academic and research careers by equipping them with interdisciplinary expertise and practical skills critical for advanced study and professional development.
- Students in Lalor's research team, such as Biswas, are not only gaining hands-on experience with neuroimaging techniques like EEG, but they are also learning about the neural processing of medical-conditions like speech syntax, which can be related to health-and-wellness, at the intersection of language and brain function.
- As technology advances, research in speech syntax processing at the University of Rochester's Center for Advanced Brain Imaging & Neurophysiology is preparing undergraduate students not only for academic positions, but also for related fields like technology development in AI-based language processing.
