Amy's Interests

Models of language and conceptual representation In my research with Josh Tenenbaum, I'm exploring how to apply Bayesian reasoning models to linguistic and conceptual development. How do children learn that different domains, like biology and social domains, have different structures? How do they learn which features are important in each? How does language learning affect this process?

Language acquisition and innateness How related are language processing and learning abilities to general cognitive performance? How much of our linguistic ability can be attributed to domain-general mechanisms, and how much is language specific? Relatedly, what can individual differences in linguistic ability tell us? I approach these questions both computationally and experimentally, by examining children and adults in the lab and "in the wild."

Evolutionary linguistics How might the complexities of modern language have evolved in intelligent apes? I seek to address this question using simulated systems of agents (i.e., I computationally model the evolutionary process). Most specifically, I'm interested in to what extent one might be able to explain characteristics of human language today (e.g., rampant ambiguity, word length/frequency effects, and learnability concerns) as a consequence of evolutionary considerations. I currently don't have any active projects in this topic but it is something I wish to return to when I can.

Complex systems All of the social systems that I'm most interested in are systems with emergent, complex behavior. For instance, how do languages and cultures with complex organizational structure and function arise and develop? Can we characterize the development and change of these systems, given knowledge of their lower-level constituents and relations? How do social networks affect language change, meme transfer, and cultural evolution? I'm not yet actively studying these questions directly, but hope to do so as my research program evolves.

Issues in development and globalization Since being a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mozambique, I've been fascinated by the dynamics of massively different cultures colliding. The upheavals and change are now routine on the world stage, and I think it will get even worse. I'm less interested in large-scale issues like wars than "smaller" ones like literacy, women's rights, and education; cultural change and how it interacts with politics, health, and identity; and how to get a handle on this brave new world we (as a species) are hurtling into, none of us sure where we are going.

Rugby I also love playing rugby! Since starting at Stanford University, I played with a club team in San Francisco and (except for this season) have played flanker/scrumhalf for the MIT Women's Rugby Team. I love the girls on the team, and I still have yet to find anything that beats routinely pounding your heart, body, and opponents on a rugby pitch every weekend. Check out this article I wrote a few years ago titled Why Play Rugby, and some pictures of the team.

Travel Ever since college, I've been bitten by a travel bug; I go as many places as money and time allows. I'm especially a fan of out-of-the-way, non-touristy places. When I went to Peru before entering grad school, we made a real point to travel deep into the Amazon where few tourists came; when I was in Fiji I went with our rugby team, so we got to play local teams and interact with local women; and when I was in Swaziland we got invited to an annual ceremony in which the king chooses from tens of thousands of dancing maidens for his new wife. Travel really makes you see how rich and varied the human experience can be.

Books No "interests" page would be complete without mentioning books, which have been my biggest hobby for literally as long as I can remember. I read lots of nonfiction, particularly related to the interests above, plus physics and politics. I am also insatiable when it comes to sci-fi and fantasy. I will enjoy a good fiction novel, but I'm more picky when it comes to "pure" fiction. Oh, and I like to write, too... check out my novel here.

 

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