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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.

Student Spotlight – Madison Bishop

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Madison Bishop!

Madison majors in Psychology, minors in Applied Developmental Psychology, and is a part of the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Undergraduate Research Awards program. Her project, “From Hearing to Understanding: How Parent’s Language Impacts Children’s Emotion Categorization,” aims to share information that will help families and early childcare centers better support children’s emotional and social-cognitive development.

How did you first get interested in your research project?

I first got interested in my project when exploring the difference between children’s emotion categorization abilities in the Language and Cognitive Development Lab. I was fascinated by what factors may have contributed to some children being better at categorizing different emotions such as happy, sad, and angry.

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

The most exciting aspect of my research so far has been the freedom of developing my own project. I have enjoyed setting a timeline and holding myself accountable.

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

I have been most surprised by the amount of diverse research that is out there. It has been interesting to find several articles that support my hypothesis, but then also stumble upon one that completely contradictions it.

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

My biggest piece of advise I have for other UCLA students thinking about doing research is to reflect on what topics you find the most fascinating. Research is a very time-consuming and tedious process, so you want to make sure that what you are learning about excites you!

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

I hope my research will have a lasting positive impact on the field of developmental psychology. Through my project, I aim to share information that will help families and early childcare centers better support children’s emotional and social-cognitive development.

Headshot of an Asian American male college student, smiling, wearing a dark suit, wire rim glasses, and earrings, smiling, with greenery in the background

Student Spotlight – Ryan Horio

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Meet UCLA undergraduate researcher Ryan Horio!

Ryan is double majoring in Human Biology & Society and Asian American Studies with a minor in Community Engagement & Social Change. He is part of the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Undergraduate Research Awards program. The title of his project is “Fear, identity, and activism during COVID-19: Conceptualizing racialized Asian youths’ experiences of sinophobia and foreigner racialization in the US.” Through his project, he hopes to give his communities a voice and the courage to use it. Ryan’s best piece of advice is that anything can be research!

How did you first get interested in your research project?

During the pandemic, I witnessed people who looked like me being assaulted and discriminated against solely due to their perceived race. I felt helpless and unable to do anything at the time, and those feelings followed me to college where I pursued a second major in Asian American Studies. My academic journey combined with my passion for racial justice and activism led me to pursue an honors thesis and this research project.

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

Definitely speaking to my participants and listening to their stories! As my work seeks to place the experiences of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic within the broader context of sinophobia and foreigner racialization, these interviews are what keep me grounded in my work. It is a privilege to hear such powerful and intimate experiences.

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

I did not realize how important research is for any kind of change. Furthermore, I believed research was something that remained in academia. However, discussing with other researchers and reflecting on my research’s purpose, I became surprised at how influential our voices can be if channeled together and done effectively. This experience has shaped my future goals within research and academia.

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

Anything can be research! So, you might as well do it on something that you are passionate about—think about the things that get you excited, the topics that you could talk endlessly on, the communities that motivate you to be here as a UCLA student. If you choose something that you are passionate about, you are already further than most others.

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

I hope that my research will give my communities a voice, as well as the courage to use it. Historically, we have been silent and have been silenced. In this light, I hope that our institutions listen to our stories as students and support us in the ways that we need them to. I also hope that my work empowers us to speak about our experiences instead of remaining silent. Finally, I hope that my research encourages others to think critically about their own research’s purpose and to keep action at the center of our work as academics.

You can follow Ryan on Instagram at @ryanhorio.