BABEL LAB
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
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WELCOME TO THE BABEL LAB
The Bilingualism And the Brain in Education and Language (BABEL) Lab
at the University of Arizona was established in 2023 and is directed by
Dr. Genesis Arizmendi.​
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Our community-centered research examines how bilingual language experiences shape learning, development, and access to opportunity for both children and adults in multilingual and multicultural settings. We work alongside the communities we study to advance understanding in bilingual language acquisition, cognitive development, educational equity, and culturally responsive approaches to assessment and intervention.
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We draw from multidisciplinary perspectives, spanning speech-language pathology, cognitive science, education, psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, and social policy, to address complex questions at the intersection of bilingual language, learning, and learning disabilities. Our work bridges research and lived experience to reflect and uplift the realities of bilingual and bicultural communities across the U.S.–Mexico borderlands.
Explore our website to learn more about our research projects, publications, and educational resources, and to find opportunities to collaborate in building a more inclusive and representative science of language and learning.
About Us
BABEL stands for Bilingualism And the Brain in Education and Language.
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Drawing inspiration from the Tower of Babel, the lab finds its name in a myth that explores the roots of why the world's communities speak different languages. This name captures the complex nature of human communication and collaboration. Just as the Tower's builders aimed to construct a bridge between earth and sky, our lab aims to unify linguistic and cognitive boundaries, bridging theory and practice across disciplines.
Stream the College of Science 2025 Lecture Series presentation "Two Languages, One Mind: What Science Reveals About Bilingual Communication" by our PI,
Dr. Genesis Arizmendi!
Stream the The Voices of Fronteridades podcast episode "Language Brokering in the Borderlands" by our PI,
Dr. Genesis Arizmendi!
What makes language brokering so powerful?
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Dr. Genesis Arizmendi's, a Mellon-Fronteridades Faculty Fellow, research reveals the hidden strengths and complexities behind this often-overlooked practice. During her research, she interviewed people across the U.S.-Mexico border, from Tijuana/San Ysidro to Brownsville/Matamoros, and everywhere in between to explore and amplify the power of bilingualism in the borderlands.
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Tune in to hear about her findings on the underappreciated strengths and complexities within the act of language brokering!
Stream the Arizona Science/NPR podcast episode "What science tells us about bilingual communication" by our PI,
Dr. Genesis Arizmendi!
Diverse languages and cultures interact every day in Southern Arizona. University of Arizona Speech and Cognitive Science professor Genesis Arizmendi discusses how being bilingual shapes how we communicate and connect within our communities.
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Genesis Arizmendi spoke with Leslie Tolbert, Ph.D. Regents professor emerita in Neuroscience at the University of Arizona.