About Me

I’m a cognitive neuroscientist and researcher passionate about how technology can support multilingual learners and strengthen the active use of minority languages.
My work explores how people engage with AI-powered learning tools, including interactive storybooks and speech technologies, with a focus on equity, usability, and cultural relevance. I bring a background in developmental science, human-computer interaction, and bilingual education, and I’m committed to designing inclusive technologies that reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of their users.

🧠 My Research Journey
My work bridges cognitive neuroscience, child-computer interaction, and multilingual education. I began by studying how we process foreign-accented speech—what our brains do when we hear someone speak differently than we expect.

During my Ph.D. at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain, and Language (BCBL), I explored how speaker identity influences cognitive effort and comprehension. I later expanded this work at the University of Michigan and Harvard GSE, studying how children engage with AI storytelling characters, conversational agents, and automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems.

🔎 What Drives My Work
Across all my projects, I focus on designing and evaluating tools that are:

• Inclusive of diverse language backgrounds

• Grounded in science

• Ethically designed to support families and educators

I collaborate on the development and evaluation of bilingual dialogic eBooks, STEM learning tools, and ASR systems, all with the goal of helping children learn through responsive, human-centered technologies.

🌍 A Vision for AI & Language Equity
As AI rapidly advances for dominant languages like English, there’s a real risk that heritage and minoritized languages will be sidelined. Children who use tools that don’t support their home languages may feel discouraged from maintaining them. My long-term goal is to develop AI-driven tools that actively promote minority language use. I want to help create a future where technology reflects linguistic diversity and helps all children feel seen, heard, and supported in their learning.

I’m also deeply invested in making sure that access to AI does not become a new axis of educational inequality, where some learners gain unfair advantages while others are left behind. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in learning and everyday life, I believe it's essential that people understand not only how to use these tools but also the risks of misuse, from overreliance and loss of critical thinking to the spread of misinformation. Technology should empower, not marginalize. My work aims to ensure that AI tools reflect these values.

Community Engagement

Science is for everyone! While there is no denying the importance of social media as a tool for scientific dissemination, I believe that in our often oversaturated society, a focus on local, micro-community engagement is critical. Below are some activities in my community that I am passionate about and ways to get involved. I advocate for more researchers to get involved in these kinds of community-based efforts—not just as a side project, but as a central part of what it means to do science in an inclusive, socially responsible way. If you’re organizing a local science event, working with immigrant communities, or building bilingual education programs, I’d love to connect or help however I can.

🍻 Pint of Science

Pint of Science is a global initiative that gives scientists and the public the opportunity to come together over beer and science. Come listen to Scientists present their research at local bars; admission is free, and discussion is encouraged.

🧠 Brain Awareness Week (Semana del Cerebro)

Held annually, this event is dedicated to making brain science engaging for young learners. Through interactive activities and hands-on demonstrations, we help children explore how their brains work—from perception and memory to language and emotion.

🫂 SOS Racismo & La Red de Acogida

As a foreigner living in the Basque Country, I witnessed firsthand the challenges many immigrants face when trying to build a new life in a different cultural and linguistic context. La red de Acogida works with refugees, immigrants, and other in-need and at-risk persons in Donostia. Find out how you can help here. SOS Racismo is another group dedicated to fighting racism and creating opportunities for immigrants. They regularly prepare and distribute dinners to anyone who lines up for a warm meal. Check out their incredible work and how to get involved!

🤖 Community AI Literacy

Most recently, I’ve become interested in supporting AI literacy for children and families, especially as tools like ChatGPT and voice assistants become part of everyday life. I’m exploring ways to offer hands-on workshops, tutorials, and resources that help families understand how AI works, what it can and can’t do, and how to use it responsibly. If you're developing programs or looking to collaborate on educational outreach in this area, I'd love to hear from you.