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I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Yale University. I am also affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and the Wu Tsai Institute. I study computational linguistics using techniques from cognitive science and artificial intelligence.

My research focuses on the computational principles that underlie human language. I am particularly interested in language learning and linguistic representations. On the side of learning, I investigate how people can acquire language from so little data and how we can replicate this ability in machines. On the side of representations, I investigate what types of machines can represent the structure of language and how they do it. Much of my research involves neural network language models, with an emphasis on connecting such systems to linguistics.

For a longer overview of my research, click here. If you want an even more detailed discussion, you can read this summary for a linguistics/cognitive science audience or this summary for a computer science audience, or check out my publications.

Conversation topics

Do you have a meeting scheduled with me but don’t know what to talk about? See this page for some topics that are often on my mind.

Prospective PhD students, postdocs, and undergraduate researchers

I am currently considering postdoc applications for Fall 2026. See here for more information.

I will also be considering PhD applicants for Fall 2026. See here for more information.

I am not accepting Master’s students at this time.

If you are a current Yale undergraduate interested in research, feel free to email me to check if there are any research opportunities available. Unfortunately, I am unable to host undergraduate research assistants who are not current Yale students, and I am unable to host high school students as research assistants.

Representative papers