Marianella Casasola

Marianella Casasola is a distinguished Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs at Cornell University's College of Human Ecology. She also serves as a professor in the Department of Psychology, where her work is centered on the intricate processes of infant cognitive development and early word learning. Her research delves into the fascinating interaction between language and thought during the formative years of a child's development. Dr. Casasola's academic journey began at the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned undergraduate degrees in both psychology and Spanish literature. She furthered her studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where she obtained her Ph.D. in psychology. Her educational background laid a strong foundation for her subsequent research endeavors, which have significantly contributed to our understanding of cognitive development in early childhood. Her research interests are particularly focused on spatial concepts and the early acquisition of spatial language. She explores how young children develop spatial cognition and how this is influenced by spatial language. Dr. Casasola's work is pivotal in understanding how infants and toddlers learn to navigate their environments through language, and how this process is affected by the introduction of foreign language labels. In addition to her work on spatial skills, Dr. Casasola investigates the impact of exposure to unfamiliar languages on comprehension in young children. Her research provides valuable insights into second language acquisition and the cognitive processes involved in learning labels in a foreign language. This line of inquiry is crucial for developing effective educational strategies for bilingual and multilingual environments. Dr. Casasola's contributions to the field of psychology are widely recognized, and her research continues to influence both academic and practical approaches to early childhood education. Her work not only enhances our understanding of cognitive development but also informs the methodologies used to foster language learning in young children.