Dr. Su’s research focuses on language development and caregiver-child interaction in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and bilingual children. She uses experimental methods (such as eye-tracking), behavioral measures (such as language sample analysis), and observational methods including the use of all-day recording in her work to understand how children with different language experiences acquire language.

Dr. Su completed her PhD in hearing and speech science and MS in neurodevelopmental disabilities with a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder at Vanderbilt University. Upon graduation, she pursued postdoc training in bilingualism at University of Delaware. She is also a state-licensed and ASHA-certified (CCC-SLP) speech-language pathologist.

In her spare time, she likes to snuggle with her 50-lbs sheepadoodle puppy and 2 cats, swing dance, play ukulele, and care for her many plants.

Aline is a first-generation undergraduate senior majoring in neuroscience. Passionate about closing the research gap in underrepresented communities, she is eager to dive into the world of bilingualism. Growing up in a bilingual home herself, she is excited to explore this topic further, drawing from her own experiences for a deeper understanding.

In her free time she loves to roller skate, go to concerts, and trying new coffee shops.

McKenzie is a doctoral student with research interests in understanding how phonological and semantic information contribute to word learning in early childhood, specifically in children with language differences and disorders. McKenzie completed her bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders at The University of Texas at Austin. She then pursued her master’s degree in communication disorders from The University of Texas at Dallas. She is additionally a speech-language pathology intern at the Callier Center.

Outside of research, McKenzie enjoys attending concerts, solving the daily crossword, playing with her dogs, Dakota and Lucy, and traveling.

Rainy Sun is a second-year PhD student with interests in Mandarin-English bilingual language development. She is a Mandarin-Chinese native speaker and a Korean language learner. Rainy obtained her MS in speech-language pathology from MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, MA. She then worked as an SLP for 2 years in rural Iowa and Minnesota as a generalist across multiple settings and domains. Rainy is excited to learn more about research after getting some initial experience from completing her master’s thesis. 

In her spare time, Rainy enjoys traveling, exploring restaurants, and spending time with her family. 

Vivian is a second-year MS-SLP. Growing up speaking two languages, she is especially interested in child language development, bilingualism, and diversifying research. She is excited to continue to learn about and participate in research and hopes to gain a plethora of knowledge regarding language development in underrepresented populations.

In her spare time, she enjoys crocheting, reading, making music playlists, hanging out with family and friends, and trying new restaurants.

Sofia is a first year MS-SLP at UT Dallas. Growing up learning Italian and English, she is eager to learn more about the field with emphasis on the effects of bilingualism on communication and language development. She hopes to explore the field of research and aid in making a lasting impact.

In her free time, she enjoys ice skating competitively, reading, spending time with family, and traveling.

Tiffany is a first year MS-SLP at UT Dallas. Being a first-generation Mexican American student, she is passionate about research representing diverse backgrounds. Tiffany has always been fascinated with how easily children are able to acquire language and their desire to constantly learn from the world around them. She hopes to expand her knowledge about the research field and gain experience as an avid learner herself.

In her free time, Tiffany enjoys watching movies, playing ultimate frisbee & video games, and feeding ducks (that is if they don’t run away from her).

Natalie is a master’s student in human development and early childhood disorders at UT Dallas. Born in Malaysia, she speaks three languages and one dialect. She is passionate about supporting children in bilingual families and exploring how attachment styles influence development. Natalie hopes to bring the experience she’s gained in the U.S. back to Malaysia to help children with developmental delays.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, photography, and painting.

Marleen is a first year MS-SLP student. She got her bachelor’s degree at The University of Texas at Dallas in speech, language, and hearing sciences. After graduating, she spent some time substituting for Dallas ISD where her passion of working with children grew even more. Although she is new to research, she is looking forward to expanding her knowledge of language acquisition and working with bilingual children. She is excited to become a bilingual speech language pathologist in a school setting.

In her free time, she enjoys watching shows, reading, listening to music, and listening to true crime while crocheting next to her cat.

Mengjie is a junior neuroscience major student at UT Dallas. Growing up with two young siblings in a Mandarin and English-speaking family she has rich experience with bilingual children. As a fresh researcher, Mengjie hopes to learn more in children language development field and gain research study experience for future career.

In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, playing piano, and spending time with pets.

Sumedha is a junior at UT Dallas majoring in neuroscience. She became interested in child development because of her passion for understanding how early life experiences shape long-term health and well-being. She plans to apply what she learns in child development to the medical field to enhance patient care. With extensive experience working with children of various age groups, she is eager to continue this journey with the LILAC lab. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, trying new restaurants, and attending concerts!

Sana is a sophomore majoring in healthcare studies. Growing up learning Urdu and English, she became interested in language development in children. She plans to pursue a career as an emergency medicine physician in underserved areas. She is excited to learn more about language development in children and in those with autism spectrum disorder.

In her spare time, she loves to read anything fantasy related, try new restaurants, watch cat videos, and crotchet (badly).

Hatay is a sophomore at UT Dallas majoring in neuroscience. She became interested in child development after volunteering with children with developmental disorders and autism spectrum disorder. Growing up in a bilingual household, she is eager to be a part of the growing field of research that explores the intersections of neuroscience, language development, and developmental disorders.

In her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, and baking for her friends and family.

Shawn is a sophomore majoring in neuroscience and minoring in psychology. As he was born in Taiwan, he grew up speaking Mandarin Chinese and knows how to speak dialects like Hakka and Taiwanese. His career goal is to become an MD/ PhD, so he is really excited to participate in research labs. In his free time, you’ll find him listening to music, playing video games, watching movies or hanging out with friends.

Sarah Hernandez is a senior at UT Dallas, majoring in biology and minoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences. She plans on pursuing her master’s in speech-language pathology and wants to work with pediatric populations in clinical settings. She is passionate about working with children and improving interpersonal communication, and although she is new to research, she is excited to contribute to expanding the knowledge in language acquisition and development in multilingual and diverse populations.

In her free time, she loves to crochet, watch international shows, cook new foods, learn languages, and try to prevent her cat from eating her lizard.

Manha is a junior at UT Dallas pursuing a degree in speech, language, and hearing sciences, complemented by a minor in neuroscience and Spanish. Having been raised in a multilingual environment, she harbors a strong enthusiasm for exploring the intricacies of bilingualism in child language development. She enjoys working with the pediatric population and is excited to acquire valuable research experience.

Allison is a junior at UT Dallas majoring in psychology. Having spent four years as an expat in Shanghai, China, and growing up in a bilingual household, she has developed a strong interest in understanding the effects of bilingualism on how children perceive the world around them. This unique background has sparked her curiosity about language development in children. Although new to research, she is eager to learn more about this field and gain hands-on experience to support her future career in the medical field. Outside of her studies, Allison enjoys playing ping pong, cooking, and listening to music in her free time.

Leen Al-Jame is a sophomore at UT Dallas and is double majoring in speech, language hearing sciences and child learning and development. She is passionate about working with children, especially those with special needs and autism, and is deeply interested in how bilingualism shapes language development in children. Her goal is to become a speech language pathologist (SLP) in schools, where she hopes to support children in building communication skills that help them thrive academically and socially.

In her free time, she loves to watercolor, read, watch shows/movies, take walks, swim, and make matcha.

Noah is a senior at UT Dallas majoring in psychology with minors in biology and neuroscience. Coming from a bilingual family, he developed an interest in how language and learning intersect with neurodevelopment. Outside of school, he is actively involved in several community-based initiatives focused on education, learning, and supporting underserved populations. Noah is passionate about bridging research and community outreach to better serve individuals with limited access to resources and support.

In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer and basketball, and eating good food.

Priya is a sophomore majoring in public health with minors in biology & Spanish. Growing up bilingual and now learning another language, she is very interested in language development, especially with children at such young ages. She hopes to attend medical school and become a physician in the future! She is excited to start learning in the lab and gain more knowledge and experience, as well as help make an impact! In her free time, she loves to read, watch movies and TV shows, and spend time with friends and family.

Kiara is an undergraduate sophomore majoring in chemistry and minoring in music. Because of her first ever job and the sciences, she became interested in how children develop throughout their lives and how their environment can significantly impact their development. Ever since, she has loved working with kids and becoming more involved in her community. In the future, she hopes to become a surgeon and enhance other’s lives through the art of giving.

In her free time, Kiara enjoys crocheting, reading books (especially the hunger games series), and playing her flute!

Alexis is a junior at UT Dallas double majoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences and child learning and development. Her involvement in the Play With Me Program at the Center for Children and Families has strengthened her passion for early child development and culturally responsive care. Inspired by her nephew’s autism diagnosis, she’s eager to collaborate on research that explores the ties between language development, neurodiversity, and culture. Alexis aims to leverage these experiences as she pursues a career as a pediatric speech-language pathologist dedicated to inclusive, evidence-based care.

In her free time, she enjoys running, spending time with friends and family, and watching sports.

Mina is a sophomore majoring in speech, language, and hearing sciences with a minor in psychology. She’s originally from Taiwan but grew up in mainland China, where she was immersed in different languages/dialects environments. This experience sparked her deep interest in languages and multilingualism. Mina enjoys working with children and is excited to continue learning about child development. She’s currently involved in the Play with Me program at the Center for Children and Families and also works at a pediatric office.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling, listening to music, and doing handcrafts.

Kartik is a rising Junior at UT Dallas, majoring in biology (BS). His interest in language stems from his cultural background and upbringing. He was born in India and grew up in a household where three languages were spoken: Hindi, Punjabi, and Pahari. Hindi and Punjabi are well-known languages of India. You can find more information about Pahari, here: Britannica article. Pahari refers to “of the mountain,” and it is an umbrella term for all the different languages and dialects spoken throughout the Himalayan mountain range in Northern India. The dialect that his family speaks is best described as a distinct combination of both Hindi and Punjabi. Those were the initial languages that Kartik was exposed to since birth, and he learned English when he moved to the US. As a result, some of the interest in this lab stems from curiosity about language development in a multilingual environment. 

Kartik aspires to be a pediatrician for his career. He wants to apply the concepts about language development in children as a doctor in patient care later on. This is also his first lab, so he is excited to be a part of the upcoming events of the lab and learning new things about research work.

In his free time, he likes playing Basketball. He also loves to binge-watch TV shows or movies, usually the ones recommended by his friends. He is a huge music nerd, and likes listening to a variety of different genres of music. His top 3 favorite genres are Indie-Rock, R&B, and Electronic music (If you want music recs, his top three songs at the moment would be: “I’m This” by Peter Cat Recording Co., “Jasmine” by Jai Paul, and “Champagne Coast” by Blood Orange).

Valerie Barrero is a freshman at UT Dallas majoring in neuroscience with a medical concentration. She became interested in child development after working in the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis, where she provided over 300 hours of therapy to children with autism. New to research, she is excited to build on her experience as a behavioral technician by exploring how early language acquisition shapes development in neurodiverse populations, with the goal of applying these insights to her future work in medicine. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a career where she can integrate her knowledge in research with individualized care to make a meaningful impact on children and their families.

In her free time, she enjoys making strawberry matcha lattes, going to the gym, and exploring the world of literature.