CV
Education
PhD in Psychological Sciences, Developmental Psychology Program
University of Connecticut, August 2024
Dissertation: Pragmatic Usage and Event Representation in Nicaraguan Homesign Systems
MS in Psychological Sciences, Developmental Psychology Program
University of Connecticut, May 2021
Thesis: The Role of Language in Object Tracking: Evidence from Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Typically Hearing Children
Graduate Certificates: Cognitive Science; Neurobiology of Language
BA in Psychology and Linguistics
University of Chicago, June 2018
Grants, Honors & Awards
2023
Summer Pre-Doctoral Award, El Instituto (Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies), University of Connecticut
The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) Travel Award
2021
Science of Learning and Art of Communication (SLAC) Fellow (2021-2022)
2020
The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences (IBACS) Graduate Summer Fellowship
2019
Harriott Fellowship, University of Connecticut (2019-2024)
Segal Education Award, AmeriCorps
2018
University Scholar Award, University of Chicago (2014-2018)
Dean's List, University of Chicago (2014-2018)
2017
Student Marshal, University of Chicago (2017-2018)
2016
Foreign Language Acquisition Grant, University of Chicago & Universidad de Salamanca
Research Experience
Language Creation Lab
Graduate Researcher
University of Connecticut
Supervisor: Marie Coppola
Projects: Study of Language and Math (SLaM); Event Representation in Nicaraguan Homesign Systems
August 2019 — present
Goldin-Meadow Lab
Research Assistant
University of Chicago
Supervisor: Susan Goldin-Meadow
Projects: Noun-Verb Distinction in Established and Emergent Signed Systems; Conventionalization of Shared Homesign Systems in Guatemala
March 2017 — June 2019
National Opinion Research Center
Research Assistant
Chicago, IL
Supervisor: Eileen Graf
Projects: Kenneth Rainin Foundation in the Early Childhood Research & Practice Collaborative Project; ACF Early Childhood T/TA System Cross-System Evaluation Project
February 2016 — September 2018
Publications
Quam, M. & Coppola, M. (2023). Are measures of nonverbal reasoning truly nonlinguistic? Evidence from deaf, hard-of-hearing and typically hearing children. In P. Gappmayr & J. Kellogg (Eds.). Proceedings of the 47th annual Boston University Conference on Language Development. Somerville: Cascadilla Press.
Open Access Article
Quam, M., Brentari, D. & Coppola, M. (2022). Conventionalization of iconic handshape preferences in family homesign systems. Languages, 7(3), 156.
Open Access Article
Quam, M., Carrigan, E., Walker, K., Shusterman, A. & Coppola, M. (under review). Delays in exposure to language affect tracking of small quantities in deaf and hard of hearing children.
Github Repo
Quam, M., Kocab, A. & Coppola, M. (in prep). Using language may not depend on acquiring a language: Evidence from adult homesigners.
Github Repo
Conference Presentations
Talks
Kocab, A., Quam, M. & Coppola, M. (2024, Nov. 10). Who did what to whom? Marking event participants in Nicaraguan homesign systems. [Stage presentation]. Boston University Conference on Language Development (BUCLD).
Canudas Grabolosa, I., Quam, M., Coppola, M., Snedeker, J. C. & Kocab, A. (2024, Nov. 8). The role of language in building one and two-place predicates: Event imitation in homesigners. [Stage presentation]. Boston University Conference on Language Development (BUCLD).
Quam, M., & Coppola, M. (2023, Jun. 6). Do language experience and number knowledge predict children’s abilities to track small and large quantities? In The impact of language experience on mathematical abilities: Evidence from deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adults. [Symposium]. Mathematical Cognition and Learning Society, Loughborough, UK.
Quam, M., Brentari, D. & Coppola, M. (2022, Sept. 27). Lexical conventionalization requires a community of primary users, communicative interactions are not enough. [Stage presentation in American Sign Language]. Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research, Osaka, Japan.
Quam, M. (2022, Apr. 29). The role of language in object tracking: evidence from deaf, hard- of-hearing and typically hearing children. [Data blitz]. Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Meet and Greet, University of Connecticut.
Quam, M., & Coppola, M. (2022, Mar. 15). How does language experience influence numerical cognition? [Data blitz]. EDULANG Conference, Trondheim, Norway.
Walker, K., Langdon, C., Dicker, M., Carrigan, E., Goodwin, C., Santos, S., Quam, M. & Coppola, M. (2020). Early robust language access is critical for mathematics development. [Virtual lightning talk]. Home Mathematics Environment Conference.
Posters
Quam, M., Kocab, A., Snedeker, J. C. & Coppola, M., (2025, Jan. 14). Distinguishing Agents and Patients in Homesign Language Systems. [Poster session in American Sign Language]. Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Quam, M., Kocab, A. & Coppola, M. (2024, Nov. 9). Pragmatic knowledge in asymmetric language contexts. [Poster session]. Boston University Conference on Language Development (BUCLD).
Quam, M., Gill, M., Lopez, J., Scroggins, L. & Coppola, M. (2023, Apr. 26). What can we learn from children’s counting errors in ASL and English? [Poster session]. Language Fest, University of Connecticut.
Lopez, J., Quam, M. & Coppola, M. (2023, Apr. 26). 1, 2, 3, FIVE? Palm orientation and counting language in native signing deaf children. [Poster session]. Language Fest, University of Connecticut.
Quam, M. & Coppola, M. (2022, Nov. 4). Are measures of nonverbal reasoning truly nonlinguistic? Evidence from deaf, hard-of-hearing and typically hearing children. [Poster session]. Boston University Conference on Language Development (BUCLD).
Quam, M., & Coppola, M. (2022, Apr. 27). Are measures of nonverbal reasoning truly nonlinguistic? Evidence from deaf, hard-of-hearing and typically hearing children. [Poster session]. Language Fest, University of Connecticut.
Quam, M., Carrigan, E., Walker, K., Shusterman, A. & Coppola, M. (2021, Apr. 29). Delayed First Language Exposure Negatively Impacts Object Tracking: Evidence from Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. [Virtual poster session]. Language Fest, University of Connecticut.
Quam, M., Santos, S., Walker, K., Carrigan, E., Shusterman, A. & Coppola, M. (2020, Aug. 27). Delayed First Language Exposure Negatively Impacts Object Tracking: Evidence from Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. [Virtual poster session]. Mathematical Cognition and Learning Society (MCLS) Conference.
Invited Talks
Quam, M. (2023, Dec. 1). Pragmatic Usage and Event Representation in Nicaraguan Homesign Systems. Gallaudet University, Linguistics Department. [in American Sign Language].
Coppola, M., Goodwin, C. & Quam, M. (2022, Apr. 19). The Centrality of Language in Cognitive Development. National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology. [Virtual, in American Sign Language].
Coppola, M., Quam, M. & Goodwin, C. (2022, Mar. 28). The Centrality of Language in Cognitive Development. Center for Gesture, Sign, and Language, University of Chicago. [Virtual].
Quam, M. (2021, Mar. 26). The Role of Language on Object Tracking. Wesleyan University, Psychology Department, Cognitive Development Labs. [Virtual].
Teaching Experience
PSYC 3450W TA, University of Connecticut
Course TA (Lab in Developmental Psychology)
Spring 2024
PSYC 2400 TA, University of Connecticut
Course TA (Developmental Psychology)
Spring 2023
PSYC 2100WQ TA, University of Connecticut
Lab Instructor (Research Methods)
Fall 2022 & 2023
Work Experience
City Year
Student Success Coach
Chicago, IL
Tutoring and whole-class support for 6th, 7th and 8th grade math in both English and Spanish
Organized after school science club programming
August 2018 — June 2019
Skills
Research
Qualitative and quantitative methods, literature review, A/B testing, field methods, cross- cultural considerations, eye tracking, developmental methods (for children), eye tracking, community-based research practices, accessibility considerations, science communication, grant writing, project management
Statiscal Analysis
Model fitting, model comparison, hypothesis testing, linear and logistic regressions, mixed effect models, ANOVA, small sample sizes, data visualization
Technical
R (including Markdown and github), SPSS, PsychoPy, Elan (gesture/sign annotator), Qualtrics, Microsoft Office
Languages
Proficient in American Sign Language (ASL), heritage Spanish speaker, beginner user of Lengua de Señas Nicaragüense (Nicaraguan Sign Language)