Student Spotlight – Daphne Zhang

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Daphne Zhang!

Daphne majors in Cognitive Science and is a part of our Summer Fellows Program.

Her project, “Exploring Large Language Model (LLM) Comprehension: Syntax vs. Semantics,” aims to demonstrate that Large Language Models (LLMs) are not purely encapsulated within syntax but are also influenced by semantic content– a finding that could have significant implications in the field of computational linguistics and cognitive science, challenging existing assumptions about how LLMs process meaning.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I first became interested in my research project while working in Professor Idan Blank’s lab, where my mentor, Thomas, was exploring Large Language Models (LLMs). My project specifically investigates the relationship between human plausibility ratings and the attention mechanisms within these models. Since attention heads in LLMs are known to be influenced by semantic content, I aim to determine whether they can accurately track semantic plausibility in a way that mirrors human cognition. This research is particularly exciting because it provides insight into how LLMs process meaning and how their performance compares to human reasoning, offering a deeper understanding of both artificial and human intelligence.

What has been the most exciting aspect of your research so far?

The results turned out great, and I will be able to publish a paper with my mentor.

What has surprised you about your research or the research process?

I was surprised that so many participants did the study. I conducted the study through SONA system, and online study like this really gets a lot of participants very quickly.

What is one piece of advice you have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research?

Make sure to thoroughly consider the study design before conducting the experiment and pilot the study. That way, we can ensure our efforts are used in the best possible way.

What effect do you hope your research has in your field, at UCLA, in your community, or in the world?

After publishing this research, we aim to demonstrate that Large Language Models (LLMs) are not purely encapsulated within syntax but are also influenced by semantic content. This finding could have significant implications in the field of computational linguistics and cognitive science, challenging existing assumptions about how LLMs process meaning. At UCLA, it could inspire further research into the intersection of AI and human cognition. In a broader context, our work could contribute to the development of more interpretable and cognitively aligned AI models, ultimately improving their ability to interact meaningfully with human users.

Student Spotlight – Nat Escobedo

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Nat Escobedo!

Nat majors in Chicanx Studies and Art, minors in Art History, and is a part of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship.

Her project, “Community Art in the Inland Empire,” aims to be accessible to as many different audiences as possible, and ultimately be made from and for the community.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I’m from the Inland Empire, grew up in the High Desert, and had the incredible opportunity to work at the Cheech Center for Chicano Art when it opened! The community I was able to get involved with in the I.E, and the conversations we were having are my reason for being here.

What has been the most exciting aspect of your research so far?

I love talking about my research and getting the opportunity to highlight the amazing work being done by the community in the Inland Empire. It’s always exciting when I talk to someone and they go from not even knowing where the I.E is to wanting to go visit some of the art shows there.

What has surprised you about your research or the research process?

I’m surprised at how few people know where the I.E is…or people thinking it’s in Los Angeles…

What is one piece of advice you have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research?

Anyone can do research, and everyone is doing research all of the time. Every time you ask yourself a question, it’s research. The only difference between Googling how a toaster works and a research project is a bibliography.

What effect do you hope your research has in your field, at UCLA, in your community, or in the world?

I hope to challenge some of the norms of how research is conducted and written. Often, the communities we have a responsibility to are not centered, if at all considered, in our processes of knowledge production. I want my research to be accessible to as many different audiences, and ultimately be made from and for the community. Also recognizing that communities like mine aren’t usually included in art histories, I hope I can continue to participating in actively changing that by sharing our counter-stories beyond our marginalization.