Mandy J Maguire, PhD

Dr. Maguire’s research interests include studying children’s typical language development through behavioral and electrophysiological responses. Her primary goal is to study the neurological underpinnings of typical language development as a foundation for better understanding of language disorders and delays. To learn more about the current research in the lab, see our “Studies” page. For a list of Dr. Maguire’s publications, see “Publications.”

Dr. Maguire received her undergraduate degree in psychology at Penn State University where she focused on cognition and development. Following a year as a research assistant in Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging, she began the Developmental Psychology PhD program at Temple University. There she worked with Kathy Hirsh-Pasek studying semantic development in children, focusing primarily on verb learning. In her dissertation she identified various cues that children use to learn new verbs, and then extended that work with English speaking children to those learning Japanese and Spanish. Dr. Maguire then returned to her work in cognitive neuroscience during a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Louisville in the Developmental Neuroscience Lab where her primary work included collecting data for a longitudinal study of early EEG markers of later reading disabilities. Since starting at The University of Texas at Dallas her work has worked to combine behavioral and neurolinguistic techniques to better understand typical language development.

Rowan Levick completed their bachelor’s in linguistics from William & Mary in December of 2023. There they worked as a research assistant and honors thesis fellow in Dr. Kate Harrigan’s Child Language Lab to study English-speaking children’s ability to discriminate sub-phonemic and novel phonemic vowel length. They plan to pursue a PhD to continue doing laboratory research involving child word-learning and phonetic/phonological acquisition and theory. Outside the lab, Rowan enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, glassblowing, and spending time with friends and family.

Kathleen Denicola-Prechtl is a doctoral candidate in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences program. She completed her bachelor of science in speech and hearing sciences at The State University of New York at Cortland and her master of science in communication disorders from The University of Texas at Dallas. As a licensed speech language pathologist, Kathleen has years of clinical experience working in both school-based and in-patient medical settings. Her dissertation research investigates maternal well-being and the protective factors of language development in young children.

Mohammad Hossein Behboudi is a doctoral student in cognition and neuroscience. He earned his master’s degree in applied cognition and neuroscience from The University of Texas at Dallas in 2024, following his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from K. N. Toosi University of Technology in Tehran, Iran, in 2020. Prior to joining our lab, he worked on EEG signal processing and the application of Machine Learning in brain studies and diagnostics. His primary research interest lies in understanding brain function and connectivity through high-level analysis during cognitive tasks, such as language learning. In addition to his academic pursuits, he enjoys running and spending time with friends.

Prasanth Chalamalasetty is a master’s student currently working towards a MS in applied cognition & neuroscience. After graduating, he plans to learn more about the mysteries of the brain through patient interaction, diagnoses, and research. Some of his hobbies include painting, playing table tennis, and reading in his free time.

Kylie Fernandez is a master’s student currently working towards a MS in speech language pathology. She is especially interested in researching the parental factors that influence child language development. In her free time, she enjoys volleyball, walks outdoors, and trying new restaurants.

Yalda Ghorbani is a master’s student currently working towards her MS in applied cognition and neuroscience. After graduating, Yalda plans to continue her education to further explore the neural bases of multilingualism. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, gardening, hiking, and reading.

Sanjonaa Rudraraju Venkata is a master’s student currently working towards a MS in human development and early childhood disorders. After graduating, she plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology with an emphasis in children & family. In her free time, she loves to read fantasy novels, watch tv shows, and spend time with family & friends.

Manuel Cruz is a speech language and hearing sciences major and plans to become a speech language pathologist. He is especially interested in bilingual language development and swallowing disorders. He likes to spend time with his family, read, and write stories.

Rebecca Glick graduated from Rhodes College in 2024 with a BS in neuroscience and a dual minor in psychology and music. She plans to pursue a PhD in counseling psychology before working as a researcher and therapist with an emphasis on treating women with Postpartum Depression. In her free time, she enjoys playing the viola, baking, and going on walks.

Emily Leung is majoring in neuroscience with a minor in Spanish. She hopes to go on to medical school after graduation. In her free time, she loves playing guitar, trying different crafts, and finding ways to be active with friends.

Lyan Alshaikhsalama is a junior majoring in child learning and development. She is working towards obtaining an MD-PhD degree to begin research as a pediatrician focusing on children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her younger siblings, working out, and reading. Additionally, she is passionate about advocating for underrepresented voices and promoting peace.

Shriya Angara is a junior in biology who aspires to go to medical school in the near future. She aspires to become a doctor so that she can offer her time to service those with impeded access to medical care. She is a big fan of singing, rewatching sitcoms, playing violin, and hanging out with friends and family.

Yessica Favela is a senior majoring in biology with a minor in psychology. She plans to pursue a career in medicine after graduating and eventually specializing in pediatrics. Her interests outside of school include trying out new baking recipes, running, and reading novels. She also enjoys spending time with her dog and watching movies with her mom.

Abdullah Farhat is a pre-med student majoring in neuroscience. He aspires to become a physician, leveraging foundational and empirical knowledge of behavioral sciences to further enhance healthcare. He enjoys hanging out with friends and family, reading, playing chess, sketching comic book characters, and drinking lots of coffee.

Amy Fowler is a senior healthcare studies major with plans to go to medical school in the future. She hopes to work in rural medicine to provide healthcare to those in low access areas. In her free time, she enjoys drinking coffee, reading everything she can get her hands on, and spending time with her best friend (her cat).

Janett Gomez is a speech, language, and hearing sciences major and plans to become a speech pathologist. She is interested in bilingual language development, swallowing disorders, and aphasia in adults. She is a fan of TV shows and enjoys spending time with her family. She also enjoys participating in any Mexican culture and enjoys traveling to Mexico.

Fatima Jafri is a psychology and child learning and development double major and plans to pursue a career in counseling psychology. Her interests include researching diverse therapy approaches in clinical settings and how language defines perception of feelings. In her free time, she likes to write, read, and travel with friends.

Varsha Manellore is a healthcare studies major with a minor in healthcare management. Aspiring to become a physician, she is passionate about improving healthcare outcomes for vulnerable populations in her community. She scribes in an emergency department while also volunteering as a tutor for underprivileged youth. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and discovering new cafes.

Luery Pineda is a speech-language and hearing sciences major with a minor in Spanish and aspires to become a bilingual speech-language pathologist. She is primarily interested in bilingual language development in children and hopes to work in clinical/hospital settings. She adores partaking in Latin social dancing (bachata, salsa), has an identical twin, enjoys the city night life, and loves spending quality time with her family and friends.

Patricia Quispe is a dedicated pre-med student with a strong background in biology and healthcare management. She is passionate about molecular biology, where she unravels the secrets of life at its core. She aspires to become a primary care physician, forging lasting connections with patients and delivering holistic healthcare.

Randi Sherwood is a speech-language and hearing sciences major. She intends to become a Speech Language Pathologist after earning her master’s degree. She is interested in feeding therapy, and language development. She hopes to work within the neurodiverse community along with other underserved populations. Randi enjoys reading, volunteering, going to estate sales, and spending time with her friends and family in her free time.

Suhana Siwakoti is majoring in psychology. She hopes to attend medical school in the future and eventually specialize in emergency medicine. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family and friends and explore the Dallas area.