The perception of speech has been studied extensively, due to its importance in our society. Sign language is an alternative form of communication, primarily adopted by individuals that are deaf, with severe hearing impairment, or with severe difficulties speaking to physically speak. However, it is unknown how the brain of the “listener” transforms sign language into linguistic meaning. In collaboration with the Sign Language group at Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, the principal investigator has collected a dataset containing the neural signals recorded from individuals as they were presented with sign language. Using methods developed by his research team, this project aims to uncover how the human brain processes sign language. You will analyse brain data with a combination of statistical methods and machine learning. This project is suitable for Master’s students that are interested in brain research. The project is interdisciplinary by nature, so you can apply even if you haven’t analysed neural data in the past.
You will join a research team composed of the principal investigator, a postdoctoral researcher, and six PhD students. The team meets weekly to discuss exciting ongoing work from within and outside the team, which is also an opportunity for Master’s student to experience research life and hear about the latest advances in brain research (especially speech, language, and music processing).
Lab website: https://diliberg.net