Academics
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  • PEN-898 Dissertation Proposal (2015/02)(01)
  • PEN-900 Dissertation Research (2016/01)(01)
  • PEN-900 Dissertation Research (2016/02)(01)
  • PEN-900 Dissertation Research (2017/02)(01)
  • PEN-900 Dissertation Research (2017/01)(02)
  • PEN-900 Dissertation Research (2018/01)(02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2011/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2011/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2012/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2012/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2013/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2013/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2014/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2014/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2015/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2015/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2016/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2016/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2017/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2017/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2018/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2018/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2018/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2019/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2019/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2020/01)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2020/02)
  • Petitto Brain Seminar (2021/01)
  • Advising Load 2013/01: Total:10 Undergraduate:4 Masters:2 Doctoral:4
  • Advising Load 2014/01: Total:10 Undergraduate:4 Masters:3 Doctoral:1 Other:2
  • Advising Load 2015/01: Total:7 Undergraduate:1 Masters:2 Doctoral:4
  • Advising Load 2016/01: Total:18 Undergraduate:5 Masters:7 Doctoral:6
  • Advising Load 2017/01: Total:18 Undergraduate:6 Masters:4 Doctoral:8
  • Advising Load 2018/01: Total:15 Undergraduate:2 Masters:7 Doctoral:6
  • Advising Load 2018/01: Total:12 Undergraduate:2 Masters:8 Doctoral:2
  • Advising Load 2019/01: Total:8 Undergraduate:3 Masters:4 Doctoral:1
  • Advising Load 2020/01: Total:12 Undergraduate:6 Masters:5 Doctoral:1
  • Advising Load 2021/01: Total:10 Undergraduate:4 Masters:4 Other:2
  • 2019 Invited “Invited Research Scientist," at the Universita D'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara Italy
  • 2019 Selected to be "Invited Research Scientist," by the Central Science Research Council of Italy Award (Highest Science Organ in Italy like the NSF in the USA; see university location of the award below).
  • 2019 Most Cited Paper Citation
  • 2019 Top 20 Most Download Papers
  • 2018 ICMI's Best Paper
  • 2018 Library of Congress "2018 Literacy Awards"
  • 2014 Awarded and Invited to be The Sin Wai-Kin Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Hong Kong
  • 2016 Distinguished Scientific Board, The White House/Obama Administration (Washington, D.C.)
  • 2010 Invited Fellowship Award, Stanford University (CASBS)
  • 2010 Invited Convocation Address, Graduation, University of Toronto
  • 2010 Invited Keynote Address for the Dali Lama
  • 2017 Lifetime Award: Awarded "Fellow" of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • 2016 Lifetime Award: Awarded "Fellow" of the American Psychological Sciences (APS)
  • 2021 Invitation to be on the Editorial Board Member for Scientific Reports
  • 2022 Invited Talk at Maria Curie-Sklodowaska University
  • 2022 "Outstanding Poster Award"
  • Should bilingual children learn reading in two languages at the same time or in sequence? Evidence of a bilingual reading advantage in children in bilingual schools from monolingual English-only homes
  • How age of bilingual exposure can change the neural systems for language in the developing brain: A functional near infrared spectroscopy investigation of syntactic processing in monolingual and bilingual children
  • The “Perceptual Wedge Hypothesis” as the basis for bilingual babies’ phonetic processing advantage: New insights from fNIRS brain imaging
  • Words in the bilingual brain: an fNIRS brain imaging investigation of lexical processing in sign-speech bimodal bilinguals
  • Fingerspelling as a novel gateway into reading fluency in deaf bilinguals
  • Bilingualism yields language-specific plasticity in left hemisphere's circuitry for learning to read in young children
  • Visual sign phonology: insights into human reading and language from a natural soundless phonology
  • Age of bilingual exposure is related to the contribution of phonological and semantic knowledge to successful reading development
  • Visual sonority modulates infants’ attraction to sign language
  • Teaching language to deaf infants with a robot and a virtual human
  • Multimodal dialogue management for multiparty interaction with infants
  • Can a virtual human facilitate language learning in a young baby?
  • Can a signing virtual human engage a baby's attention?
  • “One glove does not fit all” in bilingual reading acquisition: Using the age of first bilingual language exposure to understand optimal contexts for reading success
  • Neural Correlates of syntactic processing in monolingual and bilingual children using event-related Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Imaging
  • How the Bilingual Reading Experience Can Change a Developing Brain: New Insights from fNIRS
  • Simultaneous imaging of neural activations of women and men in real-time conversation using fNIRS
  • Dual language exposure in infancy can change neural and language processing in the developing brain: an fNIRS investigation
  • Temporal Dynamics of Bilingual Language Processing as a New Lens into Human Brain Lateralization: an fNIRS study
  • Age of Bilingual Exposure Predicts Distinct Contributions of Phonological and Semantic Knowledge to Successful Reading Development
  • Does Early Exposure to a Visual Signed Language ‘hurt’ Auditory Language Tissue Development: Evidence from fNIRS Neuroimaging of Language Processing in Deaf Individuals with Cochlear Implants
  • Shedding New Light on Reading in Spanish-English and French-English Bilingual Children: an fNIRS Investigation
  • Shining Light on Hearing with Cochlear Implants: fNIRS Brain Imaging Study
  • Early sign language experience and visual attention in young deaf readers: an eye tracking and fNIRS investigation
  • "Infant Attraction to Visual Language"
  • Age of sign-speech bilingual language exposure and syntactic processing in deaf individuals with cochlear implants using functional near infrared spectroscopy
  • Perceptual sensitivity to sonority in visual language: Native signers naïve infants
  • Measuring visuospatial memory span in signers: Differences in the manual and computerized Corsi block tapping tests
  • Infants' sensitivity to visual rhythmic-temporal patterning of language: An integrated fNIRS neuroimaging, thermal infrared imaging, and eye tracking investigation
  • Sonority in lexicalized fingerspelling: Perception studies with infants and adults
  • Physiological and behavioral correlates of babies' social engagement with robot and virtual human artificial intelligence agents
  • Assessing emotions and arousal in developmental psychophysiology studies with thermal infrared imaging
  • Detecting the rhythmic temporal patterning of language: Infants' neural, physiological, and behavioral sensitivity
  • The RAVE: Designing technology-based interactions for deaf infants
  • Discoveries about Infant Language Learning and "Readiness to Learn" from Integrated fNIRS, Thermal IR, Robot, and Avatar Sciences
  • Evidence of maturational processes in linguistic brain (fNIRS) and psychological emotional (Thermal IR) responses in hearing infants to signing virtual humans
  • Teaching language to deaf infants with a robot and a virtual human
  • The impact of age of language exposure on spatial working memory using fNIRS neuroimaging
  • Multimodal dialogue management for multiparty interaction with infants
  • Hearing Babies Respond to Language’s Patterning and Socially-Contingent Interactions with a Signing Avatar: Insights into Human Language Acquisition
  • Can a virtual human facilitate language learning in a young baby?
  • Can a signing virtual human engage a baby’s attention?
  • Assessment of autonomic response in 6-12-month-old babies during the interaction with robot and avatar by means of thermal infrared imaging
  • The Conditions for Optimal Brain, Language, and Cognitive Growth in young Deaf Children: Why early sign language exposure is a biological imperative
  • Impact of signed language exposure on spoken language development in cochlear implant users: A functional near infrared spectroscopy investigation of phonemic discrimination.
  • The Motion Light Lab's Dimensions and the Future of Gallaudet as the Epicenter of A.I. Science"
  • Assessment of autonomic response in 6-12-month-old babies during the interaction with robot and avatar by means of thermal infrared imaging
  • Multiple Cognitive Factors Influence Adult Gesture Performance
  • Early sign-speech bilingualism helps children learn reading
  • Impact of ASL exposure on spoken phonemic discrimination in cochlear implant users.
  • Emotion and human language learning: Insights from combined Thermal IR and fNIRS brain imagin of human infants in communicative interactions with a robot and avatar agents. 
  • Preliminary data: Learning to read does not require sound
  • New pilot findings: School readiness and developmental neuroplasticity in children with hearing aids and cochlear implants 
  • School readiness and developmental neuroplasticity in children with hearing aids and cochlear implants
  • Listening Effort and Developmental Plasticity in Children with Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants- (Research Support and International Affairs )
  • School readiness and developmental neuroplasticity in children with hearing aids and cochlear implants- (National Institution of Health)
  • No Cost Extension - (National Science Foundation)
  • Supplemental Grant- (National Science Foundation)
  • fNIRS Machine Grant to Gallaudet University for Capital Equipment- (Grant Donation)
  • Translating Cognitive and Brain Science in the Laboratory and Field to Language Learning Environments- (National Science Foundation; Partnership in International Research and Education (PIRE))
  • INSPIRE Grant: The RAVE Revolution for Children with Minimal Language Experience During Sensitive Periods of Brain and Language Development. - (National Science Foundation)
  • NSF Supplement for NSF-SLC Promotion of International Collaborative Exchange.- (National Science Foundation)
  • Collaborative Research: Science of Learning Center: Visual Language, Visual Learning (VL2). Supplement for Interpreters- (National Science Foundation Supplement Grant)
  • Seeing the Temporal Beats of Human Language- (W. M. Keck Foundation Research Program)
  • Directorate for Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences- (National Science Foundation)
  • Directorate for Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences- (National Science Foundation)
  • NSF Avatar-Robotics Signing Creatures Workshop - (National Science Foundation Workshop Grant)
  • Innovations from Visual Signed Languages in the Advancement of Avatar and Robotics Translation- (National Science Foundation Supplement Grant)
  • Innovations from Visual Signed Languages in the Advancement of Avatar and Robotics Translation- (National Science Foundation Supplement Grant)
  • School Readiness and Developmental Neuro-plasticity in Children with Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants- (NIH)
  • Dr. Chiara Filippini-Universita’ Degli Studi “G d’Annunzio” (Doctoral Committee & Advisor ) 2018/01-2019/03
  • Dr. Geo Kartheiser-Ph.D in Educational Neuroscience (Doctoral Committee & Advisor) 2013/01-2018/01
  • Dr. Adam Stone-Ph.D in Educational Neuroscience (Doctoral Committee & Advisor) 2013/01-2016/03
  • Dr. Frank Fishburn-Ph.D in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, Georgetown University (Doctoral Committee) 2013/01-2016/02
  • Dr. Clifton Langdon-Ph.D. in Linguistics (Doctoral Committee) 2011/01-2012/02
  • Dr. Kaja Jasinska-University of Toronto Collaborative Program in Neuroscience (Doctoral Committee & Advisor) 2009/01-2012/02
  • Victoria Mousley-Holy Cross University Visiting Student to Gallaudet U, 1 year (Capstone Advisor) 2015/01-2015/02
  • Uncontrolled: Chair 2020/01
  • Uncontrolled: Member 2017/01
  • Uncontrolled: Chair 2011/01
  • Uncontrolled: Chair 2011/01
  • Uncontrolled: Member 2013/01
  • Uncontrolled: Chair 2011/01
  • Uncontrolled: Chair 2011/01
  • Uncontrolled: Chair 2021/01
  • Uncontrolled: Chair 2017/01
  • Uncontrolled: Member 2021/02
  • VL2 Strategic Mission Presentations to Board of Trustees (as requested by President) 2017/01
  • Founder, Steering Committee Chair, Professor, & Present Acting Chair/Program Director PEN program 2011/01
  • Chair Executive Science Advisory Team Committee 2012/01-2018/01
  • Hiring Committee of P-12 School Engagement 2012/01-2012/02
  • Gallaudet Strategic Plan 2012/01-2016/01
  • Creativity Way Steering Committee (6th street project) 2016/01
  • Co-Director of Academic Program for Creativity Way 2016/01
  • Founder & Director: The Cognitive Neuroscience Institute (CNI) 2017/01
  • Write Tenure/Promotion for Dr. Ilaria Berteletti 2021/02-2021/02
  • Write Tenure/Promotion for Dr. Lorna Quandt 2021/02-2021/02
  • Write 2nd Year for Dr. Rachel Pizzie 2021/02-2021/02
  • Affiliated Full Professor: Department of Psychology: Georgetown University 2011/01
  • Chair of the Research Committee : Ph.D. program in Cognitive-Educational Neuroscience 2011/01
  • Co-Chair: VL2, Science of Learning Center 2012/01-2012/02
  • Hiring Committee: P-12 School Engagement 2012/01-2012/02
  • Objective Leader: Gallaudet University’s Gallaudet Strategic Plan 2012/01-2012/02
  • Attendance and Contribution : VL2 Workshop on Evaluation and Risk Assessment 2021/01-2021/01
  • VL2 Translation: VL2, Science of Learning Center 2012/01
  • Steering Committee Chair: PhD in Educational Neuroscience (PEN) program 2012/01
  • Communications Planning, : VL2, Science of Learning Center 2012/01
  • Knowledge Festival vision and prep meetings: VL2, Science of Learning Center 2015/01
  • Staff Supervision: VL2 Translation 2015/01
  • Co-Director: Academic Program for Creativity Way 2016/01
  • Lead Vision Meetings: VL2, Science of Learning Center 2017/03-2018/02
  • D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara 2015/01
  • Co-PI : NSF-Gallaudet Science of Learning Center, Visual Language & Visual Learning (VL2) 2011/01
  • Founder & Scientific Director: Brain and Language Center for Neuroimaging, BL2 2011/01
  • Acting Director: Ph.D in Educational Neuroscience (PEN) Program 2011/01
  • NSF Final Project Report: Gallaudet University 2013/01
  • NSF Annual Final Outcomes Report: Gallaudet University 2013/01
  • Georgetown University SuperLab Neuroplasticity 2012/01
  • VL2 Family Meeting 2021/01-2021/01
  • Tenure Review Packet for Dr. Lorna Quandt: Gallaudet Ph.D. in Educational Neuroscience Program 2021/01-2022/01
  • Tenure Review Packet for Dr. Rachel Pizzie: Gallaudet Ph.D. in Educational Neuroscience Program 2021/01-2022/01
  • Tenure Review Packet for Dr. Ilaria Berteletti: Gallaudet Ph.D. in Educational Neuroscience 2021/01-2022/01
  • Grant Consultant for Dr. Peter Turkeltaub: Georgetown University 2021/02
  • Design of prospective Scopes of Work for VL2: Visual Language Visual Learning Center (VL2) 2019/01
  • Led New Center Partnerships: St. Andrews School 2019/01
  • Knowledge Festival Leadership for The VL2 Science of Learning Center: Gallaudet University 2015/02
  • Significant Personnel Leadership for VL2: Visual Language and Visual Learning Center (VL2) 2011/01
  • VL2-PEN Student Leadership Team (SLT) 2011/01
  • PEN Distinguished Lecture Series: PhD in Educational Neuroscience 2011/01
  • Summary Report of ASL's impact for Gallaudet President: Gallaudet University 2020/02-2020/02
  • Letter of Recommedation Written for Dr. Ilaria Berteletti: Gallaudet University 2019/01-2019/01
  • Letter of Recommendation Written for Anthony Robles: Gallaudet University 2019/01-2019/01
  • Letter of Recommendation Written for Yeh Kim: Gallaudet University 2019/01-2019/01
  • Letter of Recommendation Written for Kailyn Aaron-Lozano: Gallaudet University 2020/01-2020/01
  • Letter of Recommendation Written for Dr. Rachel Pizzie: Gallaudet 2019/02-2019/02
  • Letter of Recommendation Written for Dr. Lorna Quandt: Gallaudet University 2019/02-2019/02
  • Letter of Nomination Written for Dr. Thomas Allen: Gallaudet University 2020/01-2020/01
  • Letter of Recommendation Written for Dr. Artan Kaso: University of Toronto 2019/02-2019/02
  • DR-E Evaluations for all PEN Faculty: Gallaudet University- Ph.D. in Educational Neuroscience (PEN) 2020/01-2020/01
  • Letter of Support Written for Dr. Ilaria Berteletti: Gallaudet University 2020/03-2020/03
  • Letter of Recommendation Written for Dr. Peter Turkeltaub: Georgetown University 2019/01-2019/01
  • Georgetown University and Parents on CIs 2021/01-2021/01
  • Write Letter of Recommendation for Dr. Kaja Jasinska: University of Delaware 2021/01-2021/01
  • Letter of Recommendation for Dr. Melissa Herzig: Ulster University- Belfast 2021/01-2021/01
  • Letter of Recommendation for Rachel Sortino 2021/01-2021/01
  • NIH K99 Grant Submission: Gallaudet University 2021/01-2021/01
  • Letter of Recommendation Written for Charles Harris 2021/02
  • VL2 Leadership: Visual Language and Visual Learning (VL2) 2021/02-2021/02
  • VL2 Leadership, VL2 Family Meeting: Visual Leadership and Visual Learning (VL2) 2021/01-2021/01
  • VL2 Leadership, VL2 Family Meeting: Visual Leadership, VL2 Family Meeting 2021/01-2021/01
  • CNI Presentation: BL2 2021/02-2021/02
  • Gallaudet University Ethics Seminar: Washington, District of Columbia 2020/01
  • Title IX Course & Certificates: Washington, District of Columbia 2018/01
  • CITI Course & Certificates: Washington , District of Columbia 2014/01
  • Gallaudet University's Cybersecurity Training & Certificate 2021/01-2021/01
  • Title VII, Title VI, Title IX and FERPA training: Washington, District of Columbia 2021/02-2022/02
  • American Psychology Association (APA): January 2020-December 2021
  • American Psychological Science (APS): January 2020-December 2021
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): January 2020-December 2021
  • Society for Neuroscience (SfN): January 2020-December 2021
  • Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD): January 2020-December 2021
  • Society for Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (SfNIRS): January 2020-December 2021
  • Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS): January 2020-December 2021
  • Association for Computing Machinery (ACM): October 2021-October 2022
  • Canadian Hearing Society 2009/02-2009/02
  • US Department of Defense. 2011/01-2011/01
  • National Science Foundation Partnership in International Research and Education (PIRE) 2015/01
  • University of Hong Kong 2013/03-2016/03
  • ML2-Pigmental Studio 2020/03

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    Laura-Ann Petitto

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