bergelsonlab
@bergelsonlab.bsky.social
Official account for the Bergelson Lab at Harvard, sporadically maintained by the PI:).
Just a lab, trying to figure out how babies learn language, somehow caught in the crosshairs of gov't admin battles.
Just a lab, trying to figure out how babies learn language, somehow caught in the crosshairs of gov't admin battles.
Reposted by bergelsonlab
Text is actually a huge advantage in my opinion. The search space for words to be learned is gigantic and getting nicely done discrete characters is actually a huge advantage for LLMs.
November 11, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Text is actually a huge advantage in my opinion. The search space for words to be learned is gigantic and getting nicely done discrete characters is actually a huge advantage for LLMs.
I think this is actually something the NIH gets right: the PO is there for you to run ideas and talk thru summary statement and strategy with. But they’re not the SRO or the panelists actually overseeing/carrying out review; contacting *those* guys about a submission is a big no no.
Is it just me, or is the grant awards process super shady?
eg., I once spoke with an academic who was really good at getting grants.
Their advice?
"Build a personal relationship with grant officers."
This was not the only time I've heard some version of this.
It seems super shady.
eg., I once spoke with an academic who was really good at getting grants.
Their advice?
"Build a personal relationship with grant officers."
This was not the only time I've heard some version of this.
It seems super shady.
November 11, 2025 at 12:38 AM
I think this is actually something the NIH gets right: the PO is there for you to run ideas and talk thru summary statement and strategy with. But they’re not the SRO or the panelists actually overseeing/carrying out review; contacting *those* guys about a submission is a big no no.
nice, will check it out! here's the link to save others the search ldr.lps.library.cmu.edu/article/id/7...
November 10, 2025 at 8:08 PM
nice, will check it out! here's the link to save others the search ldr.lps.library.cmu.edu/article/id/7...
lots of invigorating discussion this year at #BUCLD2025. Unsurprisingly, LLMs as models & as tools made many appearances w/a wide range of views/claims/caveats ab what they can(not) tell us ab language development
I'm still chewing on a few things that seemed to get short shrift 1/4 🐦🐦
I'm still chewing on a few things that seemed to get short shrift 1/4 🐦🐦
November 10, 2025 at 4:30 PM
lots of invigorating discussion this year at #BUCLD2025. Unsurprisingly, LLMs as models & as tools made many appearances w/a wide range of views/claims/caveats ab what they can(not) tell us ab language development
I'm still chewing on a few things that seemed to get short shrift 1/4 🐦🐦
I'm still chewing on a few things that seemed to get short shrift 1/4 🐦🐦
if you’ve had Szechuan peppercorns do you experience them more as
a) tingly (like a vibration) or
b) numbing (like super weak lidocaine)
~And~ are you colorblind
(we‘d need to correct for base rates but let’s just try to crank the anecdata knob first; @elenatenenbaum.bsky.social this is for you)
a) tingly (like a vibration) or
b) numbing (like super weak lidocaine)
~And~ are you colorblind
(we‘d need to correct for base rates but let’s just try to crank the anecdata knob first; @elenatenenbaum.bsky.social this is for you)
November 10, 2025 at 4:02 AM
if you’ve had Szechuan peppercorns do you experience them more as
a) tingly (like a vibration) or
b) numbing (like super weak lidocaine)
~And~ are you colorblind
(we‘d need to correct for base rates but let’s just try to crank the anecdata knob first; @elenatenenbaum.bsky.social this is for you)
a) tingly (like a vibration) or
b) numbing (like super weak lidocaine)
~And~ are you colorblind
(we‘d need to correct for base rates but let’s just try to crank the anecdata knob first; @elenatenenbaum.bsky.social this is for you)
Reposted by bergelsonlab
I’ll soon(ish) post an ad for a postdoc position in my lab to study individual differences in brain plasticity following blindness or deafness, with a start date of spring/summer 2026. Feel free to email me if you’re interested.
November 5, 2025 at 6:01 PM
I’ll soon(ish) post an ad for a postdoc position in my lab to study individual differences in brain plasticity following blindness or deafness, with a start date of spring/summer 2026. Feel free to email me if you’re interested.
Reposted by bergelsonlab
Nature suggests you use their "Manuscript Adviser" bot to get advice before submitting
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
November 3, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Nature suggests you use their "Manuscript Adviser" bot to get advice before submitting
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
Reposted by bergelsonlab
Huge thanks to @psychopy.org and especially @hirstrj.bsky.social ! After spending thousands on other tools with little support, Dr. Hirst solved all my technical problems within days. If you are using behavioral, eyetracking, and EEG systems in your lab, I recommend checking out PsychoPy.
October 31, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Huge thanks to @psychopy.org and especially @hirstrj.bsky.social ! After spending thousands on other tools with little support, Dr. Hirst solved all my technical problems within days. If you are using behavioral, eyetracking, and EEG systems in your lab, I recommend checking out PsychoPy.
Reposted by bergelsonlab
I love kids. I have two of them. They’re amazing. However, kids are the absolute least self aware, clumsiest little puffins on the planet.
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
October 31, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I love kids. I have two of them. They’re amazing. However, kids are the absolute least self aware, clumsiest little puffins on the planet.
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Please don’t drive tonight unless you have to, and if you do drive, drive super slow and pay 100% attention at all times.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 👻 💀
#PublicHealth
Reposted by bergelsonlab
Are you a US-based PhD student WITHOUT summer funding who is interested in adolescent development, trans youth, and/or gender? Reach out to me about applying to join my lab in Summer 2026 for the VIPS program! psych.princeton.edu/diversity/vi...
Visiting Internship for Ph.D. Students (VIPS) Program
The VIPS program is an initiative of the DEI committee of the Department of Psychology at Princeton University. VIPS will support up to 4 Ph.D. students who are full-time students at other universitie...
psych.princeton.edu
October 31, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Are you a US-based PhD student WITHOUT summer funding who is interested in adolescent development, trans youth, and/or gender? Reach out to me about applying to join my lab in Summer 2026 for the VIPS program! psych.princeton.edu/diversity/vi...
the AUDACITY of turning off your reminder alarm instead of snoozing it, when you KNEW you couldn't be trusted to remember the thing the first time but thought "this time is different"
October 29, 2025 at 8:40 PM
the AUDACITY of turning off your reminder alarm instead of snoozing it, when you KNEW you couldn't be trusted to remember the thing the first time but thought "this time is different"
Reposted by bergelsonlab
MA residents:
If SNAP goes away, your EBT card still lets you use HIP to get fruits/vegetables: mass.gov/info-details...
You can still get Transitional/Emergency Economic Assistance: mass.gov/economic-ass...
This hotline gives access to other meal/pantry programs: projectbread.org/foodsource-h...
If SNAP goes away, your EBT card still lets you use HIP to get fruits/vegetables: mass.gov/info-details...
You can still get Transitional/Emergency Economic Assistance: mass.gov/economic-ass...
This hotline gives access to other meal/pantry programs: projectbread.org/foodsource-h...
October 29, 2025 at 11:14 AM
MA residents:
If SNAP goes away, your EBT card still lets you use HIP to get fruits/vegetables: mass.gov/info-details...
You can still get Transitional/Emergency Economic Assistance: mass.gov/economic-ass...
This hotline gives access to other meal/pantry programs: projectbread.org/foodsource-h...
If SNAP goes away, your EBT card still lets you use HIP to get fruits/vegetables: mass.gov/info-details...
You can still get Transitional/Emergency Economic Assistance: mass.gov/economic-ass...
This hotline gives access to other meal/pantry programs: projectbread.org/foodsource-h...
speech to text error OTD
naiveté -> navy tea
naiveté -> navy tea
October 27, 2025 at 8:23 PM
speech to text error OTD
naiveté -> navy tea
naiveté -> navy tea
Reposted by bergelsonlab
My quote of the day
How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg.
Abraham Lincoln
How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg.
Abraham Lincoln
October 27, 2025 at 10:51 AM
My quote of the day
How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg.
Abraham Lincoln
How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg.
Abraham Lincoln
And throughout the land all A/B/C and X/Y/Z named scholars in alphabet fields rejoiced and all poorly placed co-first and co-last and big team science scholars weeped
This reads like an April Fool's joke. The first author in this "Sh-index" doesn't even get full credit for the paper. It's bad enough negotiating author order without these weightings!
"Google Scholar tool gives extra credit to first and last authors"
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
"Google Scholar tool gives extra credit to first and last authors"
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
October 27, 2025 at 11:26 AM
And throughout the land all A/B/C and X/Y/Z named scholars in alphabet fields rejoiced and all poorly placed co-first and co-last and big team science scholars weeped
Reposted by bergelsonlab
In case you don't know already, the journal Open Mind has a Bluesky account that automatically posts new papers:
@openmindjournal.bsky.social
The journal is diamond open access (free to read, free to publish) thanks to the support of MIT Press, Harvard Library, & MIT Library.
@openmindjournal.bsky.social
The journal is diamond open access (free to read, free to publish) thanks to the support of MIT Press, Harvard Library, & MIT Library.
October 24, 2025 at 12:03 PM
In case you don't know already, the journal Open Mind has a Bluesky account that automatically posts new papers:
@openmindjournal.bsky.social
The journal is diamond open access (free to read, free to publish) thanks to the support of MIT Press, Harvard Library, & MIT Library.
@openmindjournal.bsky.social
The journal is diamond open access (free to read, free to publish) thanks to the support of MIT Press, Harvard Library, & MIT Library.
Reposted by bergelsonlab
1. We ( @jbakcoleman.bsky.social, @cailinmeister.bsky.social, @jevinwest.bsky.social, and I) have a new preprint up on the arXiv.
There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.
There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.
October 24, 2025 at 12:47 AM
1. We ( @jbakcoleman.bsky.social, @cailinmeister.bsky.social, @jevinwest.bsky.social, and I) have a new preprint up on the arXiv.
There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.
There we explore how social media companies and other online information technology firms are able to manipulate scientific research about the effects of their products.
Reposted by bergelsonlab
Hello vision scientists & linguists! The Journal of Vision is publishing a special issue on “The Vision-Language Interface.” Send in your research about reading, perceptual learning, sign language, dyslexia, etc! jov.arvojournals.org/ss/visionlan... #neuroskyence #VisionScience #PsychSciSky
October 23, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Hello vision scientists & linguists! The Journal of Vision is publishing a special issue on “The Vision-Language Interface.” Send in your research about reading, perceptual learning, sign language, dyslexia, etc! jov.arvojournals.org/ss/visionlan... #neuroskyence #VisionScience #PsychSciSky
A haunted house for academics but it’s just neverending email notifications that an account on your behalf has been added to a journal review platform by an editor
October 24, 2025 at 12:36 AM
A haunted house for academics but it’s just neverending email notifications that an account on your behalf has been added to a journal review platform by an editor
Reposted by bergelsonlab
Our department is hiring two positions (2026 and 2027 start dates) - come be my colleague!
apply.interfolio.com/175428
apply.interfolio.com/175428
October 23, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Our department is hiring two positions (2026 and 2027 start dates) - come be my colleague!
apply.interfolio.com/175428
apply.interfolio.com/175428
Reposted by bergelsonlab
The Speech, Sign, and Systems Lab (formerly VoiceLab) is seeking motivated PhD students to join us in Fall 2026! We are part of the University of Iowa’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, consistently ranked among the top 5 programs in speech sciences nationwide.
October 23, 2025 at 4:57 PM
The Speech, Sign, and Systems Lab (formerly VoiceLab) is seeking motivated PhD students to join us in Fall 2026! We are part of the University of Iowa’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, consistently ranked among the top 5 programs in speech sciences nationwide.
Reposted by bergelsonlab
We're excited to announce that Cognitive Science at Dartmouth is recruiting PhD students to work collaboratively with me, Steven Frankland, and Fred Callaway. Come study the principles and mechanisms that enable us to understand, plan, and act in the world! Info: sites.dartmouth.edu/cogscigrad/
Cognitive Science Graduate Admissions – Information about graduate admissions from the cognitive science faculty
sites.dartmouth.edu
October 23, 2025 at 5:30 PM
We're excited to announce that Cognitive Science at Dartmouth is recruiting PhD students to work collaboratively with me, Steven Frankland, and Fred Callaway. Come study the principles and mechanisms that enable us to understand, plan, and act in the world! Info: sites.dartmouth.edu/cogscigrad/
Reposted by bergelsonlab
OPEN PHD POSITION - Come join our group! The IMPRS at @mpi-nl.bsky.social is offering an PhD position on modelling structured meaning in the brain, supervised by me and Helen De Hoop at the Centre for Language Studies in the @dondersinst.bsky.social -
www.mpi.nl/imprs-phd-fe... #NeuroJobs #cogsci
www.mpi.nl/imprs-phd-fe... #NeuroJobs #cogsci
IMPRS PhD Fellowships 2026 | Max Planck Institute
www.mpi.nl
October 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM
OPEN PHD POSITION - Come join our group! The IMPRS at @mpi-nl.bsky.social is offering an PhD position on modelling structured meaning in the brain, supervised by me and Helen De Hoop at the Centre for Language Studies in the @dondersinst.bsky.social -
www.mpi.nl/imprs-phd-fe... #NeuroJobs #cogsci
www.mpi.nl/imprs-phd-fe... #NeuroJobs #cogsci
Reposted by bergelsonlab
Bookmarked this for teaching but also for my own kid when he's old enough.
"You'll probably forget most of what you learn, especially if you don't end up using it repeatedly in future. What you will always have, though, is the mind that taking the courses made."
"You'll probably forget most of what you learn, especially if you don't end up using it repeatedly in future. What you will always have, though, is the mind that taking the courses made."
October 23, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Bookmarked this for teaching but also for my own kid when he's old enough.
"You'll probably forget most of what you learn, especially if you don't end up using it repeatedly in future. What you will always have, though, is the mind that taking the courses made."
"You'll probably forget most of what you learn, especially if you don't end up using it repeatedly in future. What you will always have, though, is the mind that taking the courses made."
Reposted by bergelsonlab
3/3 “but it’s just NIEHS” - aieee.
This is the first step; they’re testing our defenses. Mussolini called this “plucking the chicken one feather at a time.”
This is the first step; they’re testing our defenses. Mussolini called this “plucking the chicken one feather at a time.”
October 23, 2025 at 4:13 AM
3/3 “but it’s just NIEHS” - aieee.
This is the first step; they’re testing our defenses. Mussolini called this “plucking the chicken one feather at a time.”
This is the first step; they’re testing our defenses. Mussolini called this “plucking the chicken one feather at a time.”