Our Research

The Education and Brain Sciences Research Lab (EBRL) seeks to understand why some children are successful at learning to read while others are not. Using neuroimaging and behavioral testing, our NIH and NSF funded studies investigate reading comprehension, Neurofibromatosis Type 1, and the effects of reading interventions in children with and without reading difficulties.

We aim to improve the diagnosis and treatment of children who are struggling learners by combining findings from neurobiological, psychological, and educational perspectives.

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~News~

Dr. Laurie Cutting Appointed Associate Provost

Effective August 1st, Dr. Laurie Cutting received an appointment of Associate Provost in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation. No stranger to appointments and accolades, Dr. Cutting is happy to be given the chance to drive innovative research forward and strengthen ties with Vanderbilt’s many research partners. “Laurie is a recognized […]

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EBRL Goes Down Under!

A scientific conference on reading hosted in Australia? Sign us up! Each year the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading hosts a scientific conference to gather minds from across the globe that each have one thing in common: the study of reading. This year, members of EBRL were lucky enough to go and even […]

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EBRL Says Goodbye (for now) to Julie and Laura

Long-time lab members say their goodbyes this month as they continue on their separate journeys in life. We’ve spent many a time reminiscing over the past month and can’t tell you just how much a pleasure they’ve been in the lab over these years. Although we hate to see them go, they both know we’ll […]

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Dr. Andrew Lynn Joins the Faculty of University of Louisville

EBRL post-doctoral fellow Dr. Andrew Lynn has accepted an offer to join the University of Louisville! Our loss is their gain when he becomes an Assistant Professor in cognitive neuroscience this fall. Post-doctoral fellowships help people who have just earned a doctorate gain the necessary skills and publications to begin their careers as Principal Investigators […]

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Congratulations to Doctors Tin and Sage!

A BIG congrats to EBRL’s own Dr. Sage Pickren and Dr. Tin Nguyen on the successful completion of their PhD program! Here pictured are the brand new doctors with their foam swords in lieu of the traditional PhD swords. (It’s a thing I swear) EBRL couldn’t be prouder of them and we’re all wishing them […]

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Emily Harriott wins NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

The National Science Foundation has a long history of investing in students with demonstrated potential for significant achievements in science and engineering. This year, EBRL’s own Emily Harriott was awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship from their Developmental Psychology division. About 12,000 students apply annually for the fellowship across the United States and only about […]

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EBRL at CNS 2023

  The Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS) hosts an annual conference that brings together researchers across the world. This year in San Francisco, events included a party for their 30th anniversary, poster sessions, as well as a keynote address by Dr. Martha J. Farah from the University of Pennsylvania. Researchers from EBRL attended as well, including […]

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Congrats to Grace and Caden Carter!

Celebrations all around this month as one of EBRL’s own welcomes a new family member into the world. We wish them all the joy in the world and can’t wait to see the little one in person. Congrats guys!

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Congrats to Dr. Tin Nguyen on a Successful Thesis Defense!

As you may or may not know, the presentation of a doctoral thesis is a massive milestone for individuals seeking to acquire a doctoral degree. It’s the final great stepping stone before becoming a doctor and we are extraordinarily pleased to announce that EBRL’s own Tin Nguyen officially defended his! Tin is now officially Dr. […]

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Andrea Burgess Wins 2022 VKC Science Day Poster Competition

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Science Day — Tuesday, November 1, 2022 Each year, hundreds of students and academics from across Vanderbilt pull together and present their research during a sweeping day of science and research. This year’s VKC Science Day held the distinction of being the first time the event was held in person since 2019. […]

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