SFU Language & Brain Lab

It's time to welcome another new lab member! This week we welcome, Janitta. We asked her some questions to get to know her a little better, let's see her answers...

What are you studying at SFU?
I am currently in the Linguistics post-baccalaureate program and working towards completing a certificate in Speech Science. Previously, I had completed a BA in Communication, also at SFU.

What is your position in the LABlab?
My position is a research volunteer - I am so thankful to have the opportunity be a part of the LABlab!

What are you looking forward to the most in the LABlab?
I am most looking forward to applying my theoretical knowledge and gaining research experience in Linguistics, as well as supporting the amazing research studies that are currently in progress. I can’t wait to meet everyone in person this Fall.

If you had to eat one food forever, what would it be?
I can never tire of Vietnamese food! It’s the perfect comfort food for every season - pho during colder months, vermicelli bowls in the summer - and everything else whenever!

Welcome, Janitta!

It’s time to welcome one of our newest LAB lab members! This week we would like to welcome Marina. Let’s ask her some questions…

Q: What is your position in the lab?
I am currently measuring learners’ F0 (fundamental frequency) data in a tone perception and production study about Mandarin tones.

Q: What prompted your interest in Linguistics?
After I graduated with my BA in Psychology, I got my CELTA to teach English to adults. At the time I figured it would be fun to travel and teach English while I decided what to do with my life. I had some shaky plans to go to Japan through the JET program, but also lots of question marks and hesitation. I ended up getting cold feet and just teaching here in Vancouver at a private English language school for almost 2 years. That experience made me really appreciate the magic of learning a language. How two students with different native languages could come here to learn a separate common language (English), then become friends only through that new shared language – that was magic to me. That was when I developed the idea to merge what I had learned in Psychology with Linguistics to eventually become a speech therapist, and thus facilitate human connection and friendship (aka: magic).

Q: What are you looking forward to most in the LAB lab?
At the most basic level, I am truly excited to contribute to the field of Linguistics research through my work, and to learn in a more hands-on way than most classrooms can offer. I am also looking forward to helping run in-person research studies (fingers crossed!) when this pandemic is over.

Q: If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
Teleportation! Especially now that air travel is not really an option with COVID… I would love to teleport over to sunny beaches or the jungle in South America for the weekend now that it’s cold and rainy here!

Welcome Marina!

We have some wonderful news to share this week! Two of our lab members, Erika and Simrin, and two of our former lab members, Ashtyn and Quince, have been invited to join the Speech-Language Pathology program at UBC this fall! Congratulations to our future SLPS!