Lab People

Dr. Froud is the director of the Neurocognition of Language Lab and is an Associate Professor. She holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from University College London. Her research is concerned with the neural correlates of linguistic processing and representation in normal and disordered language. She teaches graduate level courses in Neuroscience and Language Disorders at TC, whilst maintaining a wide range of collaborative research projects in linguistics and the neurosciences. As well as her teaching and research, Karen has led programs for clinical training and service provision in Cambodia since 2008 to learn more about SLP Cambodia.

Chaille is a post-doctoral researcher collecting additional data for her doctoral research using event related potentials to study different forms of reasoning. Chaille is also managing the research project with Professor George Bonanno for the lab.

Lisa M. Levinson is a lecturer in the Neuroscience & Education program. She is a professionally trained research scientist who uses electroencephalography to eavesdrop on the brain. Her research is focused on studying the intersection between brain and behavior as it relates to reading acquisition and the underlying causes of reading disability. She has worked in the Neurocognitive of Language Lab at Teachers College for over a decade and collaborates with Dr. Karen Froud. She earned a Master of Science in Neuroscience and Education and has a Ph.D. in Communications Sciences & Disorders, both degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University.

When she is not thinking about brains, she loves to ski, play tennis, hike, go to the beach, dance and hang out with family and friends. Favorite shows: Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, and The Late Show with Steven Colbert. She is a big Game of Thrones fan and currently loves Ozark. She supports Muddy Paws, a local rescue organization for dogs, and National Public Radio. Goals for 2022, meditate and develop two new courses.  

Paul Smith is the current lab manager in the Neurocognition of Language Lab, as well as a previous research assistant. A recent graduate of the Neuroscience and Education program, he is
planning to pursue a Ph. D. in Cognitive Studies at Teachers College this fall. His interests include the neurological underpinnings of speech and language, as well as the intersection of llinguistic processing with moral decision-making and moral intention. Paul can be seen around the College as a teaching assistant, and additionally teaches courses in statistics and neuroaesthetics at Pratt Institute.

Sarah Bennett is a master’s student in Neuroscience & Education at Teachers College, Columbia university. She is currently working as a research assistant on the Digital Print Media Study at the NCL Lab. Sarah is also a research assistant at the Developmental Affective Neuroscience Lab at Columbia University and a research volunteer at New York State Psychiatric Institute. Coming to TC with a background in music and arts education, Sarah received her Bachelor’s degree from NYU in Percussion Performance with a minor in Social & Cultural Analysis. She is currently interested in the long-term physiological impacts of early-life stress and their neural correlates, particularly during adolescence. Sarah hopes to combine her interests in music education and neuroscience and pursue work that can help young people understand their brain and body’s response to trauma, in order to help facilitate healing and thriving. On campus at TC, she is so excited to be part of the leadership team of The Synapse, a student organization that is passionate about fostering community and making neuroscience research findings accessible to all who can benefit from it.

When not at TC, Sarah loves working at sunny coffee shops, going on long walks down the coasts of Manhattan, and enjoying meals, tunes, and movies with friends and loved ones.

Bonnie is a research assistant at the NCL lab. She is a master's student working towards a degree in Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College. Before starting at TC, she majored in Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester with a focus on neurobiology and neuropsychology and minored in clinical psychology. She was also a fencer at URFC and took photos at tournaments. 

Girija Chatufale is a first-year master’s student in the Neuroscience & Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is also a Graduate Research Assistant at the NCL Lab where she will be assisting with the development, execution, and analysis phases of the DPM study. Prior to joining TC, she received her B.S. in Cognitive Science and a minor in Neuroscience from UCLA, where she began exploring her interest in the intersection between neuroscientific research and educational practice. She holds a continued curiosity regarding the relationship between classroom dynamics and student learning, especially within the context of stress and active learning models, and hopes to pursue research within these fields in the future. Outside of academia, you can find her experimenting with coffee recipes, creating a new jazz playlist on Spotify to listen to on repeat, trying new brunch spots in the city with her friends, and spending time with her family.

Luiza Lodder is a research assistant in the NCL lab and a student in the Neuroscience and Education MS program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to begining her graduate studies at TC, she was an English major at Penn State, an academic tutor, and a special education paraprofessional. She is interested in research that probes brain-environment interactions as well as the neurocognitive processes that underlie variations in reading and mathematical ability. Her professional goals lie at the intersection of research, teaching, and educational equity-related activism. A Brazilian native and long-time lover of New York City, Luiza spends her free time writing creatively, singing, and watching food-related videos.