A new study is underway at the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences which could give a compelling new reason to expand second language learning in schools. The study, led by psychology graduate student Jose Ceballos in Chantel Prat’s lab, will use a combination of behavioral testing and powerful statistical tools in hopes of revealing links between bilingualism, impulsive behaviors, … Read More
Dispatches from the 2015 Summer Internship
You might consider it the ultimate boot camp for students who want to be immersed in the work of one of the world’s leading research centers on child development and neuroscience. Described as a “soup-to-nuts science experience” by Sarah Roseberry Lytle, I-LABS director of outreach, the I-LABS summer internship is designed for budding scientists who are interested in early learning … Read More
New PBS Documentary ‘Born to Learn’
A prominent Pacific Northwest PBS station will premiere a new documentary showcasing I-LABS research. “Born to Learn,” produced by KSPS Public Television in Spokane, first aired on July 30, 2015 at 7pm and has been shown on other PBS stations. It can also be viewed on the KSPS website. Seeking experts in the latest science of child brain development, KSPS producers sought out … Read More
Babies’ brains show that social skills linked to second language learning
Babies learn language best by interacting with people rather than passively through a video or audio recording. But it’s been unclear what aspects of social interactions make them so important for learning. Now findings by researchers at the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) demonstrate for the first time that an early social behavior called gaze shifting is linked … Read More
I-LABS Research Featured in Kristof and WuDunn’s ‘A Path Appears’
The best-selling authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn cited research from the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences in their latest book. The book, “A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity,” covers social problems and profiles people and programs that are helping to improve lives around the globe. “Nobody clarifies the social challenges of our time, or the moral imperative … Read More
CraigFest2015: A Man of Many Talents
Craig Harris, research coordinator at the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences at the University of Washington, is retiring after 37 years. If you’ve heard of and – we humbly hope – been amazed by any of the groundbreaking research discoveries coming out of the Institute, then you’ve been amazed by work that Harris has helped produce. If you’re among … Read More
Babies’ Brain Responses to Touch Reveal Body Map
See an adorable baby and it can be hard to resist reaching out for a cuddle. The sense of touch is the earliest form of communication between babies and their caregivers. It’s one way we say “I love you” long before infants understand language. Now scientists at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) and Temple … Read More
New Hearst Fellows Program to Expand Outreach to Early Educators, Parents
The Outreach and Education division of the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences has announced the recipients of a new fellowship intended to expedite the delivery of the latest scientific findings to people working with children. Leoandra Rogers and Jason Yeatman, researchers at I-LABS, are the inaugural fellows of the Hearst Fellowship Program at the Institute. They began their fellowships at the beginning of June. … Read More
Preview: I-LABS Research at Human Brain Mapping Conference
The world’s largest conference for brain imaging researchers will take place June 14-18 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Held at a different location around the globe each year, the Organization for Human Brain Mapping conference is expected to attract about a thousand attendees to its 2015 meeting. About a dozen scientists from the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences will be among the attendees. They … Read More
Smithsonian: Baby Talk Gives Infant Brains a Boost
Studies by researchers at the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences are highlighted in a Smithsonian feature about how infant-directed speech (“parentese”) is much more than child’s play—it’s an important learning tool. The Smithsonian story, published online May 28, includes these I-LABS studies: Infant brains ‘rehearse’ speech mechanics while listeningResearch article available here »Also, Discover magazine named this study one of the top science … Read More