Our Team

Our research team is made up of graduate students, undergraduate students completing theses and independent projects, and many undergraduate volunteers.

Dr. Stanka Fitneva

Lab Director

I direct the Language and Cognition Lab at Queen's University. My interests are in the development of language, communication, and social cognition. Outside the lab, you can catch me hiking, doing yoga, baking or practicing on the piano at home.

Kat Snelling

PhD Student

MA Developmental Psychology, 2021

BAH Psychology, 2018

I am in the third year of my PhD in Developmental Psychology. My research examines the role of prediction in language processing and learning. From infancy, people make predictions while listening to speech. My research evaluates the impact of correct and incorrect predictions on language processing and word learning. One of my favourite things to do in Kingston is watching the sun set over Lake Ontario!

Anisha Imtiaz

Summer Lab Manager

Joint Honours in Psychology and Sociology

Hi! My name is Anisha. I've just completed my second year as a joint honours student in Psychology and Sociology. I love working with children and I am looking forward to administering experiments for the first time! I am particularily interested in how expertise affects cognition, and the learning differences between children who are monolingual and bilingual. Outside of the lab I love fashion, baking and cooking.

Kelly Huangfu

Summer Research Assistant

Psychology Major

Hi! My name's Kelly and I'm going into my third year of Psychology. This is my first year with the Language and Cognition lab and I hope to learn lots about how the presentation of information changes how people react to it. Outside of the lab, you can find me listening to music or going on walks with my friends.

Samara Osten

Honours Thesis Student

Psychology Major

My name is Samara, and I am a fourth-year psychology major completing my honors thesis in the lab. I joined the Language and Cognition Lab because I am interested in developmental psychology and psycholinguistics. After completing my undergraduate degree, I hope to pursue graduate studies in speech-language pathology to learn about language development in children. Outside the lab, I love playing hockey, dancing, traveling, volunteering with children with special needs, and spending time with people I love.

Haani Syed

Summer Research Assistant

Computing Major

My name is Haani Syed and I'm an enthusiastic second-year undergraduate computing student passionate about utilizing programming principles to tackle challenges within cognitive psychology and healthcare. Apart from my academic pursuits, I also enjoy practicing martial arts, and music, and making the most of life's adventures.

Georgia Brunicke

Summer Research Assistant

Psychology Major

My name is Georgia, and I am a third-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology. This is my first year as a research assistant with the lab and I am excited to explore how children assign blame and gather information. Outside of the lab, I enjoy volunteering, listening to podcasts, spending time with friends, and going to the gym!

Yousif Al-Aboosi

Summer Research Assistant

Health Sciences Major

Hello, my name is Yousif Al-Aboosi, I am a Health Science Honors student at Queen's University. I firmly believe that gaining an understanding of how humans learn and use language is essential in furthering our knowledge of human behaviour and cognition. Language is a key component of human communication, and exploring this field has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach education and language learning. Outside the lab, I enjoy going to the gym and going out with friends.

Alexandra Culbert

Undergraduate Volunteer

Psychology Major, History Minor

My name is Alexandra, and I am a second-year student majoring in psychology and minoring in history. This is my first year volunteering in the lab and I am excited to gain experience and learn more about my passions within psychology. I am particularly interested in blame association and influences on word learning. Outside of the lab I love reading, baking and listening to music.

Breanna Way

Undergraduate Volunteer

Psychology Major, Linguistics Minor

I am a third-year psychology major with a minor in linguistics, and this is my first year volunteering in the lab! I’m super excited to take a closer look at the cognitive functions behind language this year, I specifically have a lot of interest in psycholinguistics and language acquisition. Outside of the lab I enjoy reading, playing music, and binge-watching reality TV.

Lab Alumni

Honours Thesis Students

2022-2023: Shiyi Bin

2021- 2022: Hannah Clark

2020-2021: Rina Gutzin, Bronwyn Bates

2019-2020: Joanna Mrowca-Migiel, Jamie Fournier, Sydney Thib

2018-2019: Alexis Winfield

2017-2018: Blake Noyes, Katherine Snelling

2016-2017: Jennifer Zhang

2015-2016: Ida Liao, Samantha Lenahan, Alexandra Macisaac

2014-2015: Peter Elliott, Katie Harper, Sandra Krause

2013-2014: Breanna Kelly, Alastair Hibberd

2012-2013: Nancy Dai

2010-2011: Amy Wainer

2009-2010: Laurel Dault, Justin Goddrad, Arielle Mida

2008-2009: Kristen Hadfield

2006-2007: Scott Ross

2005-2006: Bronwen Fullerton

2004-2005: Ketana Teav, Erin White

Graduate Students

Katharine Bailey (co-supervised with Dr. N. Im-Bolter), PhD 2021.

Now instructor, Concordia University of Edmonton.

Katherine Snelling, MA, 2021.

Now PhD student in Psychology, Queen’s University.

Michael Slinger, MSc, 2020.

Now PhD student in Sociology, Dalhousie University.

Rana Pishva, MSc, 2010.

Now in clinical practice.

Kristen Dunfield, MA, 2006.

Now associate Professor, Concordia University.

Lab Managers

Anya Den Hartog

And many more directed lab students, summer interns, and volunteers! Thank you!