Dr. Paula Fikkert

Biography

Paula Fikkert investigates the acquisition of phonological representations and their role in early speech perception and production. Her research focuses on how phonological representations mediate the acoustic signal and its meaning in speech perception, as well as the articulatory output in speech production. Fikkert's work has contributed significantly to understanding how phonological representations are constructed during language acquisition, with an emphasis on early indicators of developmental language problems. She has contributed to various databases documenting spontaneous speech of typically developing children, children acquiring sign language, and those with speech disorders. Fikkert has held several prestigious positions, including Director of the Centre for Language Studies at Radboud University and has been a member of various boards within the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. She is a visiting professor at institutions like Oxford and MIT and has published extensively in renowned journals.

Research Interests