Bio

My research is at the intersection of Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, and Neuroscience, with a focus on building computational models of language processing in the brain that can also improve natural language processing systems. See this 5min video for a brief summary of my research highlights and future directions.

I lead the Bridging AI and Neuroscience group (BrAIN) at the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems. I'm actively looking for strong candidates for postdoctoral, PhD, and research internship positions.

Prior to MPI-SWS, I was a C.V. Starr Fellow at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, where I studied the role of episodic memory in language comprehension together with Ken Norman and Uri Hasson. I received my Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in a joint program between Machine Learning and Neural Computation, where I had the privilege of being advised by Leila Wehbe and Tom Mitchell towards my Ph.D. thesis "Bridging Language in Machines with Language in the Brain". Before beginning my graduate studies at CMU, I received a B.S. in both Computer Science and Cognitive Science from Yale University.

I also enjoy taking care of (helpful) bacteria and yeast and turning them into Bulgarian yogurt, kombucha, and sourdough bread from time to time. One of my favorite ways to relax is to bike or run along the many beautiful European paths with my husband Christoph Dann, who is always looking for sample efficient ways to reinforce my learning.

News

• Sept 24: 🎉 Work by PhD student Gabriele Merlin accepted to EMNLP 2024!
• July 24: Wrapping up preparations for CogSci 2024 in Rotterdam! Come join us!
• June 24: 🎉 Works by research interns Subba Reddy Oota and Ruchit Rawal accepted to ACL 2024 and ACL 2024 Findings!
June 24: Speaking at the Symposium on Neuro-AI: Bridging the gap between biological and machine intelligence about validating and improving LLMs as model organisms of human language processing.
• May 24: Speaking at ICLR 2024 Workshop on Representational Alignment about improving LLM's alignment to the human brain.
• May 24: Speaking at Brain Science and Large Language Models: has a quantum leap occurred? about LLMs as model organisms of human language processing.
• Jan 24: Teaching a seminar course on Bridging Language in Machines with Language in the Brain.
• Sept 23: 🎉 Work by research intern Subba Reddy Oota revealing joint processing of syntactic properties in LLMs and brains accepted to NeurIPS 2023.
• Feb 23: 🎉 Together with 12 other faculty in Saarbruecken, awarded funding by DFG for a research training group on neuro-explicit models for language, vision, and action. Check out more info here: neuroexplicit.org .

Recent and Upcoming Talks

• Aug 24: DFG AI Initiative Intermediate Colloquium
• Sept 24: Keynote at Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Retreat
• Nov 24: Brain Prize Webinar on “LLMs and Human Language Processing”
• Jan 25: Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, UCL