Rate My Professor Randy Lynn Newman

Dr. Randy Lynn Newman is Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology at Acadia University. She earned a B.Sc. from Mount Allison University, an M.Sc. from Dalhousie University, and a Ph.D. from Dalhousie University. As a cognitive neuroscientist, her primary research interests lie in understanding the brain mechanisms responsible for reading and speech processes, employing event-related potentials and eye-tracking techniques. Current research examines the impact of a word's spelling on the speed of spoken word recognition. Her work in reading research focuses on delineating the circumstances and mechanisms by which skilled readers use phonology when reading single words and meaningful text. This is achieved through traditional behavioral paradigms such as masked priming, combined with brain imaging techniques including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Reading involves coordinating orthographic encoding, phonological assignment to written text, and integration with semantic representations.

Dr. Newman's secondary research interests center on factors contributing to the gender gap in science fields such as computer science and engineering, investigating the effects of girls-only science activities on career aspirations, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging in science disciplines. She teaches courses including Psycholinguistics, Cognitive Neuroscience, Research Design & Analysis 2, and Women in Science (PSYC 2193/WGST 2193). She has supervised Honours students on projects such as growth curve analysis in spoken word recognition (2017), co-registration of ERP responses and eye fixations (2016), rhyme awareness development (2015), phoneme awareness ERPs (2015), and eye movements in phonological processing (2015). Key publications include Desroches, A.S., Newman, R.L., Robertson, E.K., & Joanisse, M.F. (2013). Electrophysiological indices of phonological impairments in dyslexia. Journal of Speech, Language, & Hearing Research; Newman, R.L., Jared, D.J., & Haigh, C.A. (2012). Does phonology play a role when skilled readers read high-frequency words? Language & Cognitive Processes; Newman, R.L., & Forbes, K.A. (2012). Event-related potentials and magnetic fields associated with spoken word recognition. In The Cambridge Handbook of Psycholinguistics; and Newman, R.L., & Joanisse, M.F. (2011). Modulation of brain regions involved in visual word recognition by homophonous stimuli: An fMRI study. Brain Research. In 2016, she received the Association Alumni of Acadia University Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.