Connor Mayer, language science assistant professor, studies the sound systems of human languages, encompassing the physical movements people use to produce speech and the kinds of rules that govern how sounds combine to form speech. Using both computational and experimental approaches, he works to better understand how human language is learned and the nature of humans’ mental representations of language.

His research has been published in academic journals including Linguistic Inquiry, Phonology, and the Journal of Neurophysiology, among others.

Mayer earned bachelor’s degrees in linguistics and computer science at the University of British Columbia and his master’s and Ph.D. in linguistics at UCLA. Prior to undertaking graduate studies at UCLA, he worked for four years as a software developer. He looks forward to sharing this dual experience in both industry and academia with students seeking career path advice, and he’s excited to collaborate with students and faculty on research and mentorship opportunities.