(BLOOMINGTON) – IU Distinguished Professor Linda Smith has been named a member of the National Academy of Sciences. This honor recognizes scientists for their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.
Linda Smith. Photo by Indiana University
A member of the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Smith is one of the world’s preeminent cognitive psychologists and has conducted groundbreaking research on human cognitive development, with a particular focus on early childhood learning.
Her research is primarily focused on learning in children from birth to age 3, including how certain developmental milestones — holding objects, processing visual information and interacting with caregivers through play, for example — shape children’s cognitive development, specifically their ability to learn the language. Most recently, she has also been pursuing research on how to apply infant learning models to the development of artificial intelligence.
The National Academy of Sciences was established by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 to provide policy advice on science, engineering, and health to the federal government and other organizations. Smith was one of 100 new members to join the organization this year.
Smith’s selection raises the total number of IU-affiliated faculty who are members of the National Academy of Sciences to 29.
