By Nicole North

What inspired you to apply to UBC’s Speech-Language Pathology PhD program? 

I first became interested in speech-language pathology (SLP) while taking the course Topics in Linguistics II: Neurolinguistics. I've always been curious about how the brain processes language, which led me to get involved in several psycho- and neurolinguistic experiments in the past to explore this further. After completing the course, I began to wonder more about how I might apply what I’ve learned to support individuals who experience language difficulties.

My Master’s thesis focused on the role of orthographic input in word learning. Inspired by this, I spoke with my supervisor, Dr. Henny Yeung, about the possibility of pursuing research on dyslexia for my PhD studies. He encouraged me to consider applying to the SLP PhD program at UBC and kindly introduced me to a professor in UBC’s School of Audiology and Speech Sciences to explore potential research opportunities. Thanks to Dr. Yeung’s support and reference letter, along with recommendations from Dr. Yue Wang and Dr. Chung-hye Han, I’m thrilled to be joining the SLP program this fall. I’m very excited for this next chapter, with so many new ideas and opportunities waiting to be explored! 

“Through my research, I hope to contribute to the development of non-invasive diagnostic tools and treatments for language disorders.”

Tell us more about your passion for research. 

Every research project I’ve undertaken has been equally meaningful to me, since they’ve each served as stepping stones that have brought me to where I am today. I originally started as a syntactic researcher, and Dr. Yu-yin Hsu at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) was the mentor who sparked my love for general linguistics during my undergraduate studies. I was honored to work with her on several eye-tracking and behavioural studies investigating how people interpret ambiguous sentences and complex characters. That experience ignited my curiosity about how language is processed in the mind.

Thanks to Dr. Hsu’s introduction, I later had the opportunity to work with Dr. Stephen Politzer-Ahles, now an associate professor at the University of Kansas. Much of my academic portfolio was built through our collaboration on various EEG and priming studies. He played a key role in developing my interests in psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics, as well as instilling a rigorous and detail-oriented approach to experimental research. After working with him, I knew I wanted to pursue these areas more deeply in my future research.

Through Dr. Hsu and Dr. Politzer-Ahles, I was also introduced to Dr. Yao Yao, Dr. Mo Momenian, and Dr. Si Chen at PolyU. Working with them allowed me to broaden my experience, whether it was collaborating with professionals from different sectors, conducting MRI scans, or communicating with children with ASD. These experiences led me to explore neuroscience and language disorders more seriously.

At SFU, working closely with Dr. Yeung and Dr. Wang, both in research and teaching, further helped me solidify my foundational knowledge in neurolinguistics and psycholinguistics. This, in turn, inspired me to explore connections between psycho/neurolinguistics, cognitive neuroscience, and language disorders more deeply. I’ve come to realize that understanding theories and mechanisms in psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics requires a strong grounding in neuroscience. Through my research, I hope to contribute to the development of non-invasive diagnostic tools and treatments for language disorders.

In short, my academic path has never been linear, but each challenge and opportunity has shaped who I am as a researcher. I’m truly grateful to all the mentors and collaborators who have guided and supported me along the way.

Please share any additional insights from your time at SFU. 

The learning experience in Canada has been quite different from what I encountered before. In my view, the teaching approach back home in Hong Kong tends to prioritize fast-paced learning and practical skills, sometimes at the expense of a deeper understanding of the underlying concepts. 

In contrast, Canadian universities tend to encourage students to slow down and spend more time exploring their fields of interest, allowing us to build a stronger foundation in the subjects we’re passionate about. 

Over the past two years, as a student, teaching assistant and research assistant, I’ve had the opportunity to delve into various subfields of linguistics as well as related disciplines such as psychology and neuroscience. These experiences have reinforced my belief that to truly understand our own field, we must look beyond it. When we do, we begin to see how interconnected everything is.

I truly enjoyed my two years at SFU. The people in the Department of Linguistics were incredibly kind and welcoming. Getting to know them has been one of the most rewarding and meaningful parts of my MA studies.