About
Current Research
I work with Dr. Chris Kello in the Cognitive Mechanics Lab, as well as Dr. Michael Spivey, on the following topics:
- Formalizing alignment qua ‘interpersonal synergies’ using coupled echo state networks that model performance gains achieved through loose coupling on a joint perceptual decision task.
- Demonstrating emergent alignment between agents in joint-action communication through minimizing collective least effort in an information-theoretic model.
- Examining emergent task assembly in the behaviors of LLMs from the perspective of metastability in complex, adaptive systems.
- Leveraging local computation implemented in an adaptive, spiking reservoir computer for predicting hierarchical temporal structure.
Background
During the completion of 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 (with a focus on epistemology, philosophy of rationality, and philosophy of science) and comparative philosophy (with a focus on 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.