Arielle Borovsky (PI)
Dr. Arielle Borovsky is an associate professor in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, with a courtesy appointment in Psychological Sciences. Dr. Borovsky uses a broad methodological arsenal to explore how humans learn language. Her work seeks to inform scientists, clinicians and educators about the cognitive, linguistic and experiential factors that can help all children learn to communicate and identify early language disorders. Her work appears in multiple scientific outlets and has been funded by the National Institutes of Health. She additionally engages with a diverse array of scientists, students and families in a variety of community and scientific venues.
Email: aborovsky@purdue.edu
Website: http://borovsky.net
Mine Muezzinoglu (Laboratory Coordinator)
I graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2020 with a double major in Neuroscience and French. During my time at Vanderbilt, I was involved in Music Cognition Lab as an undergraduate research assistant, investigating the relationship between music, language, and social development in infants and children with typical and atypical development. I completed a thesis project exploring social engagement during musical activities in preschoolers with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I am interested in the intersection of linguistics, social cognitive development, and neuroscience through the use of eye-tracking and EEG methodologies. I am very excited to join the LLAMA Lab team and explore the Lafayette area!
Email: mmuezzin@purdue.edu
Sabrina Horvath (Post-Doc)
I am a post-doctoral fellow in the Speech, Language and Hearing Science Department. I received my B.A. in history and linguistics from the College of William and Mary; my M.S. in speech, language and hearing sciences from UNC-Chapel Hill; and my Ph.D. in speech, language, and hearing sciences from Boston University. Between my master’s and doctorate, I worked as a speech-language pathologist for the Children’s Hospital of Richmond. My research focuses on how children learn the meanings of words. I am particularly interested in children’s verb vocabularies because verbs are so important for the subsequent development of grammar. I also explore possible differences in word-learning strategies between typically developing children and children with or at risk for language disorder, with the long-term goal of supporting earlier identification of and new treatments for preschoolers with language disorder.
Email: horvath7@purdue.edu
Justin Kueser (Graduate Student)
I’m a PhD student in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. I have studied linguistics and speech-language pathology and worked as a speech-language pathologist in the schools. My research interests focus on how children learn language — I study children with typical language development and children who have difficulties learning their first language. My current projects involve verb learning, the effect of frequency and predictability on language production, and other factors important in early word learning and grammatical development.
Email: jkueser@purdue.edu
Michelle Indarjit (Graduate Student)
I am a first-year PhD fellow asking the following: “How do sensorimotor experiences contribute to conceptual knowledge and language learning? What is the developmental trajectory for typically developing and clinical populations, and how can the modification of these experiences better assist one’s learning environment?” Outside the lab, I enjoy being a non-skating official for roller derby bouts and scrimmages. Fun fact: I was the LLaMA Lab’s first lab manager!
Email: mindarji@purdue.edu
Mariel Schroeder (Graduate Student)
Mariel is a combined MS-SLP and PhD graduate student interested in child language development. She is particularly interested in syntax and morphology and the early assessment and treatment of developmental language delay. She attended the University of Notre Dame (BA Mandarin) and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (MA TESL) and worked at Washington University in St. Louis developing optical neuroimaging techniques for use across the lifespan.
Email: schro132@purdue.edu
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Kaitlyn Arvin
Hello! My name is Kaitlyn, and I am currently a sophomore at Purdue studying Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Critical Disabilities. I just recently joined the LLaMA Lab, and although I am fairly new to the world of research, I am very excited to learn more about how children develop language. I am currently interested in understanding how a child’s environment affects their language development. I have always loved working with children, so I am very excited to expand my knowledge through getting to be a part of the LLaMA Lab. I am from a small suburb of Indianapolis, and in my spare time, I love to cook, craft, and watch movies. In the future, I would like to become a certified SLP and work with children in a medical setting.
Maria Bushman
I’m a sophomore at Purdue studying Speech Language Hearing Sciences. I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio. The majority of jobs I have held throughout my high school and college career have all been related to children somehow, from a nanny the past two summers, a camp counselor and a lifeguard at a summer camp, so I was so excited to get a research position within the LLaMA lab. As of right now, I’m interested in researching how the brain acquires language because it is such a difficult process that kids seem to acquire almost seamlessly. In the future I would like to work in a neonatal unit and teach premature babies how to swallow!
Rita Deitz
My name is Rita, and I am a junior here at Purdue studying Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Psychology. I joined the LLaMA Lab in January of 2020. I am interested in how the differences in a child’s development and upbringing can affect their acquisition of language, as well as the neuroscience behind that. I’m from Richmond, IN, and in my spare time I like to spend time with family, listen to true crime podcasts, and go to my job where I work as a nature class instructor for kids at an arboretum! In the future, I want to work as a certified speech pathologist in a medical setting with both kids and adults.
Hannah Guy
I am a junior from Brownsburg, Indiana majoring in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences with a double minor in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies. I began working in the LLaMA Lab in the spring of 2020 and have since cultivated my research interests in early language development, language disorders, and aphasia. In the future, I aspire to become a speech language pathologist, but meanwhile I love assisting in the LLaMA lab to learn more and prepare to become a better speech language pathologist. Outside of lab, I also enjoy reading for fun and spending time with friends and family.
Candace Jarzombek
I am a senior double majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Brain and Behavioral Sciences. I have been a research assistant in the LLaMA Lab since January 2018, and I am currently conducting an undergraduate thesis project examining parent-child interaction in play and how play relates to language development. My research interests include identifying early differences between children who are typically developing and those who develop language disorders and delays, and investigating how research can be translated to public health and community settings to reduce disparities in health and education. In the future, I hope to obtain a Master’s of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health and work in community-based organizations.
Caitlin Jelensky
I’m from Orange, California. I am a junior studying Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences. I began working in the LLaMA Lab in the Summer of 2020. I realized that I have a passion for working with children, and I am very interested in child language development. In my free time, I love to volunteer and spend time with my friends and family. In the future, I aspire to be a Speech Pathologist and work with children with disabilities.
Jaelyn Kelly
I am a senior from Atlanta, Georgia double majoring in Anthropology and Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences with minors in Linguistics and Psychology. My research interests include the social, cultural, and structural variability of language. I joined the LLaMA Lab in the Summer of 2019 and since then have developed a particular interest in toddlers with language delay. My ultimate goal is to become a speech pathologist, but until then, my hope is that the research I assist with can help current clinicians learn more about the populations they serve.
Salsabila Lane
I am from Surabaya, Indonesia but have lived in 5 different countries throughout my life! I’m a Junior studying Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences with a minor in Psychology. I’m interested in learning about how culture, more specifically how multilingualism, plays a role in a child’s language development. In my free time I love to spend time outdoors, journal, meditate, and spend quality time with the people I love. In the future, I hope to become an SLP and bring back my experience and knowledge to my home country where there is a lack of education regarding speech and language!
MaryKate Lindenman
I am a sophomore at Purdue University majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. I joined the LLaMA Lab in January of 2020 and I am excited to continue working to find more information about language development as a whole. I am interested in development of skills and language specifically for those who have critical disabilities, especially those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Through working in the LLaMA Lab, I hope that I can learn more about development of language for all types of individuals and how that effects our daily lives.
Grace Lovell
I am a junior studying Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Psychology here at Purdue! I am from Evansville, Indiana, and I enjoy learning American Sign Language, reading, and volunteering at the animal shelter. This will be my fourth semester in the LLAMA Lab, where I currently head an Honors Thesis Project studying social play. I am interested in learning about how the amount of time a child spends in differing levels of social play corresponds to the development of language and vocabulary in parental settings. In the future, I hope to become a Speech-Language Pathologist in a medical setting, specifically working with patients who present difficulties with language production and comprehension following a stroke or traumatic brain injury. I hope to use my experiences with language development in the lab in evaluating and treating future patients!
Sarah Nicholas Cruz
I am a junior studying Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Psychology and Spanish. I am from the suburbs of Chicago where I enjoy spending time with family and friends, biking, and scrapbooking! I joined the LLAMA lab to strengthen my research skills through my Honors Thesis. I was also interested in how parent engagement affects a child’s language acquisition and how caregivers can assist children in their language development. In the future, I hope to become a speech-language pathologist for children, so that I can take what I learn from this lab and implement it in a real life setting.
Aris Peh
I am from Singapore, currently a senior studying Speech-Language & Hearing Science with a Linguistics minor. My research interests include learning about different methods to assess the hearing of children with autism, implementing different techniques to capture their attention, and providing them with a more interactive hearing assessment so that the results can be reliable and helpful for them. I aim to apply research evidence on this topic into practical use, to provide children with autism dependable hearing screenings so that they can be diagnosed and treated at an earlier age.
Maya Radjenovich
I am currently a freshman studying Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences here and Purdue. I hope to become an SLP working in pediatrics in the future. I am also receiving a certificate of acting, and in my free time, enjoy being apart of plays, musicals, and working for Magic, Music, and More Chicago as a Princess Party Performer! I have a love and special spot in my heart for children, and I only hope I can use my love of words and their impact to strengthen the communication skills of others.
Madeline Rotundo
I am from Fort Wayne, Indiana. I am currently a sophomore majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a minor in Linguistics and Human Development. My dream job would be to work as speech pathologist in a clinical setting, preferably with children with speech-sound disorders. When I’m not in class, studying, or in the lab, you can find me on any comfortable chair around campus with a book in hand. I am very excited to gain experience in the LLaMA Lab and meet new people along the way!
Bethany Schuster
Hello! My name is Bethany, and I am from La Porte, Indiana. I am a junior studying Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with minors in psychology and human development and family studies. This is my second semester working in the lab, and I am very excited to continue working on our project! My research interests include social levels of play, prenatal and early childhood development, and neurogenic communication disorders such as aphasia. I am very excited to continue my learning experience in the LLaMA Lab and see how the knowledge I gain will aid me in my future career as an SLP. In my free time, I love to golf, shop, and spend time with friends and family.
Kendall Shoemaker
I’m a Junior studying Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences with a minor in both psychology and human development and family sciences here at Purdue! I’m from Greenwood, Indiana. This is my second semester in the LLaMA lab. In the future, I hope to go to graduate school to become a Speech Language Pathologist. I have developed an interest in the birth to three age range. Specifically, toddlers that have a language delay. I’m also interested in working with newborn babies that have trouble swallowing. In my free time I enjoy swimming, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Kennedy Skipper
I’m a junior from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am majoring in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences and minoring in Linguistics and Psychology. This is my second semester here in the lab. I am interested in learning more about language development and the different mistakes that children make while learning how to communicate verbally. When I’m not studying or doing research in the lab, I enjoy reading a good book, painting, and watching my favorite TV shows.
Kailyn Smith
I am a junior studying speech language and hearing science with a minor in psychology and human development and family studies, and possibly a third minor in learning science. I am particularly interested in how children acquire language, cognitive development, as well as how different areas of the brain work together to produce and remember speech typically and atypically. I hope to be a pediatric speech pathologist after graduate school. I also started working as direct support professional to gain experience in the field and hope to use research and personal experience in my future career. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, painting, playing volleyball, and volunteering.
Elizabeth Spindler
I am a junior from Haubstadt, Indiana, studying Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences with a Spanish minor. I’m interested in learning about methods to foster language development and early intervention for speech and language disorders. In the summer of 2019, I took a step out of my comfort zone and joined the LLaMA Lab. Being involved in research has given me a new perspective on my future career as a speech-language pathologist. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading, and crafting.
Allicia Wilfong
I am currently a senior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with a double minor in Human Development and Psychology. I began working in the LLaMA Lab in fall 2019 after taking Dr. Borovsky’s course on language development. My research interests include learning about the early identification and treatment of speech and language disorders. As a future speech-language pathologist, I aim to apply research evidence to better assist my clients and their families. I love being a part of our research team and seeing the diversity of our interests combine! In my free time, I enjoy doing yoga, crafting, and spending time with my friends and family.
Lab Alumni
Graduate students
Ryan Peters (PhD, 2019), Postdoctoral Scholar, Cognitive Science, Indiana University
Angele Yazbec (PhD, 2019) – Data Scientist, Evergreen Solutions.
Julie (Carranza) Madden (PhD, 2019) – Assistant professor, Psychology, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Lab Managers
Kat Chia, graduate student (PhD), Florida State University
Chris Cole, graduate student (PhD), DePaul University
Nicky Hopkins, graduate student (MSW) at Universty of Central Florida
Virginia Prestwood, graduate student (MS) Texas State University
Undergraduate thesis students
Edda Rodriguez, graduate student (MPH), Florida State University
Megan Foley, graduate student, (PsyD) University of Hartford
Juan Ospina, graduate student (PhD), Ohio State University
Emanuel Boutzoukas, graduate student (PhD), University of Florida
Undergraduate research assistants
*want to be included here? Send an email to Arielle – she’d love to hear from you!
