Grant: Canada Research Chairs

The ability to read is central to modern life. Yet relatively little experimental work has focused on reading in bilinguals, although they outnumber monolinguals globally. Dr. Whitford¿s cognitive neuroscience research program will combine cutting-edge behavioural and neuroimaging techniques to investigate how reading processes develop in childhood and progress across the lifespan in monolinguals and bilinguals alike. Her work will provide invaluable insights that will guide public policy aimed at improving literacy rates, labour productivity, and quality of life within Canada and beyond, and lead to advances in our the identification and treatment of reading disorders, age-related communication disorders, and mental health disorders.