3-year Ph.D. project, funded by la Caixa Foundation fellowship. Theme: Computational and neural bases of bilingualism. Goal: develop a model of bilingual development in the complementary learning systems framework. Direct link to position: https://finder.lacaixafellowships.org/finder?position=4739 Detailed Description: We seek a Ph.D. student with strong background (and masters) in a relevant domain (a cognitive, biological, or engineering field) and some experience with programming, data science, or computational modeling. The successful candidate will be involved in developing and computational models and/or running behavioral and neuroimaging studies, collecting and analyzing data, and disseminating the results in scientific conferences (presentations/posters) and peer-reviewed journals. The selected candidate will develop advanced technical and analytical skills and will have the opportunity to develop original experiments under the supervisors’ guidance. Applicants should demonstrate a keen interest in the key areas of cognitive neuroscience that are relevant for the research, coupled with strong computational skills (e.g., Python, Matlab, R). Experience with neuroscience techniques (e.g., MEG, EEG, MRI) and with analysis of neuroimaging data is desirable but not essential. A committed motivation to learning computational modelling and advanced analysis tools is a must, as well as the ability to acquire new skills and knowledge, and to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. A good command of English (the working language of the BCBL) is required; knowledge of Spanish and/or Basque is an advantage but not required. The candidate will enrol as a PhD student at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and is expected to complete the PhD programme within 36 months. Training in complementary skills will be provided during the fellowship, including communication and research dissemination, IT and programming skills, ethics and professional conduct. The BCBL also provides support with living and welfare issues.

Research on the effects of bilingualism on the structure of the brain has so far yielded variable patterns. Although it cannot be disputed that learning and using additional languages restructures the brain, the reported effects vary considerably, including both increases and reductions in grey matter volume and white matter diffusivity. This presentation reviews the available evidence and compares it to patterns from other domains of skill acquisition, culminating in the Dynamic Restructuring Model, a theory which synthesises the available evidence from the perspective of experience-based neuroplasticity. New corroborating evidence is also presented from healthy young and older bilinguals, and the presentation concludes with the implications of these effects for the ageing brain.

Learning and using multiple languages places considerable demands on our cognitive system, and has been shown to modulate the mechanisms of selective attention in both children and adults. Yet the nature of these adaptive changes is still not entirely clear. One possibility is that bilingualism boosts the capacity for selective attention; another is that it leads to a different distribution of this finite resource, aimed at supporting optimal performance under the increased processing demands. I will present a series of studies investigating the nature of modifications of selective attention in bilingualism. Using behavioural and neuroimaging techniques, our data confirm that bilingualism modifies the neural mechanisms of selective attention even in the absence of behavioural differences between monolinguals and bilinguals. They further suggest that, instead of enhanced attentional capacity, these neuroadaptive modifications appear to reflect its redistribution, arguably aimed at economising the available resources to support optimal behavioural performance.

Bilingualism and its link to cognition