About
Current Research
I work with Dr. Chris Kello in the Cognitive Mechanics Lab, as well as Dr. Michael Spivey. Together we have explored the following topics:
Collective intelligence and distributed computation: Modeling collective intelligence and efficient distributed computation in coupled ensemble echo state networks.
Interpersonal synergies and alignment: Formalizing alignment qua interpersonal synergies through loose coupling in echo state networks.
Joint-action communication: Modeling alignment between agents engaged in joint action through principles of collective least effort.
Emergent cognitive functions in LLMs: Investigating emergent cognitive functions and task assembly in large language models through the lens of metastability in complex adaptive systems.
Allostatic computation and cognitive networks: Studying local allostatic computation in adaptive reservoir networks to investigate the evolution of cognitive networks, the functional role of representational drift, and strong anticipation in basal systems such as slime molds.
Background
During my undergraduate studies in cognitive science at Vassar College, I worked under Dr. Jan Andrews and Dr. Josh de Leeuw studying learned categorical perception (LCP). My time on this project included designing new methods for stimulus development leveraging generative adversarial neural networks to create latent perceptual dimensional spaces, producing an innovative adaptive staircasing procedure for crowd-sourced, online psychophysical data collection, and proposing a new method for statistically defining and testing for LCP effects.
My undergraduate studies in philosophy included focus in metaphilosophy (namely philosophy of rationality, epistemology, and philosophy of science) and comparative philosophy (namely Chinese philosophy). I consider studying under Dr. Bryan Van Norden, Dr. Sofia Ortiz-Hinojosa, and Dr. Douglas Winblad to be especially formative to my philosophical training.