Dr. Zed Sehyr
Website: https://www.chapman.edu/crean/academic-programs/graduate-programs/ms-communication-sciences-and-disorders/faculty.aspx
College: Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
Overview of scholarly research/creative activity:
Dr. Sehyr’s lab studies the neurobiological bases of language & visual processing in deaf/HoH people and how people organize concepts in the mind. Dr. Sehyr joins forces with computational scientists to develop tools & resources to bootstrap linguistic research, inform clinical practice & aid the development of assistive technologies
Specific projects working on:
Sign recognition project using computer vision / machine learning
Mapping the semantic structure of signed and spoken language lexicons using network science and visualizations
Measuring the physical differences of nouns and verbs production in American Sign Language
Lexical and semantic processing of ASL signs
Quantifying sign reduction in sign language using human pose estimation
Reading, spelling & literacy in deaf and hard-of-hearing readers
Neural adaptation following a sign language learning in adulthood
Listening fatigue in deaf ASL-English bilinguals
Number of students looking to work with:
1-2
When students are needed:
Interterm 2024
Spring 2024
Summer 2024
What students need to work with Dr. Sehyr:
Essential: Completed first-year psychology, neuroscience, computer engineering, or a related subject. Has computer competency including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, & PowerPoint. Excellent communication skills. Is able to think critically and synthesize information from various sources. Desired: Has experience with electronic data capture systems (REDCap/Qualtrics). Has computational expertise and basic knowledge of code. Has knowledge of American Sign Language or has taken courses in ASL & Deaf culture. I also welcome students with knowledge or experience in research using electroencephalography (EEG/ERP) or motion capture (MS Kinect). Students from underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply.
What students would be doing:
Assist PI with building out data collection instruments on online data collection platforms. Assist PI with the recruitment of research participants and running experiments. Ensure all human subjects research regulations are followed, and maintain confidentiality. Extract, organize, and prepare data for analysis and presentation. Follow study protocols.
Time commitment for students:
Meet bi-weekly. Expect 5-10 hours of commitment to the project. This could increase to 20-30 hours over the summer.
Additional information:
If you don't meet the criteria but are extremely interested, motivated, and passionate, you should still apply.