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Student Research Spotlights

Kelly Hiersche

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Language localizer

Fedorenko, E., Hsieh, P.-J., Nieto-Castañón, A., Whitfield-Gabrieli, S., & Kanwisher, N. (2010). New method for fMRI investigations of language: Defining ROIs functionally in individual subjects. Journal of Neurophysiology, 104(2), 1177–1194. DOI.

MD localizer

Diachek, E., Blank, I., Siegelman, M., Affourtit, J., & Fedorenko, E. (2020). The domain-general multiple demand (MD) network does not support core aspects of language comprehension: A large-scale fMRI investigation. Journal of Neuroscience, 40(23), 4536–4550. DOI.

Hiersche, K. J., Schettini, E., Li, J., & Saygin, Z. M. (2024). Functional dissociation of the language network and other cognition in early childhood. Human Brain Mapping, 45(9), e26757. DOI.

Schettini, E., Hiersche, K. J., & Saygin, Z. M. (2023). Individual variability in performance reflects selectivity of the multiple demand network among children and adults. Journal of Neuroscience, 43(11), 1940–1951. DOI.

Kelly Hiersche

Kelly Hiersche

Doctoral Student, Cognitive Neuroscience
Saygin Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (Z-Lab)

In spring 2025, Kelly Hiersche won the department's Herbert A. Toops Prize for Creativity for her work on children's language development. 



Kübra Aytaç-DiCarlo

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F. Kübra Aytaç-DiCarlo

Kübra Aytaç-DiCarlo

Doctoral Student, Developmental Psychology
Children and Parents Lab 

DiCarlo was one of 35 Presidential Fellows named by the Ohio State Graduate School during the 2024-2025 academic year. With support from the prestigious award, she is completing her dissertation on coparenting relationship dynamics.