RESEARCH INTERESTS

I am interested in how different speaker groups make real-time predictions about upcoming linguistic information during both reading and spoken language processing.

CURRICULUM VITAE  

EDUCATION

2016
Joint Ph.D. in Brain & Language, University of Potsdam, Macquarie University & Newcastle University

2014
Master of Philosophy - Psychology (specialization Psycholinguistics)
Northumbria University 

2009

Joint Master of Science - Clinical Linguistics
University of Eastern Finland & University of Potsdam

2005

Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA, USA
Thesis topic: Schedules of Enrichment in Captive Zoo Animals

Bachelor of Arts - Primate Behavior & Ecology
Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA, USA
Thesis topic: Agonistic buffering in Tibetan Macaques

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT 

2015-current
Research Scientist, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau 
Psycholinguistics and Language Development Group, Department of Social Sciences

2012-2015

Doctoral researcher (Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin), University of Potsdam

2010-1012
Part-time lecturer, University of Northumbria

2004
Teaching assistant, Central Washington University

RECENT PUBLICATIONS  

Fernandez, L.B. & Allen, S.E.M. (2025). Reduced Capacity for Parafoveal Processing (ReCaPP) leads to differences in prediction between first and second language readers of English. Journal of Eye Movement Research, 18(2), 3. https://doi.org/10.3390/jemr18020003 

Melo, J., Fernandez, L.B., & Ishimaru, S. (2025). Automatic classification of difficulty of texts from eye gaze and physiological measures of L2 English speakers. IEEE Access, 13, 24555-24575. https://doi.org10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3537156 

Fernandez, L.B., Shehzad, M., & Hadley, L.V. (2025). Younger adults may be faster at making semantic predictions, but older adults are more efficient. Psychology & Aging. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000872 

Cersosimo, R., Engelhardt, P.E., Fernandez, L., & Domaneschi, F. (2025). Novel metaphor processing in dyslexia: A visual world eye-tracking study. Discourse Processes, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2024.2445904

Fernandez, L.B., Hadley, L.V., Gamboa, J.C., Koc, A., & Allen, S.E.M. (2024). Is there a cost when predictions are not met? A VWP study investigating L1 and L2 speakers. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/174702182412702

Fernandez, L.B., Pickering, M.J., Naylor, G., & Hadley, L.V. (2024). Uses of linguistic context in speech listening: Does impaired prediction increase difficulty for older adults with hearing loss? Ear & Hearing. https://doi.org/10.1097/AUD.0000000000001515 

Gamboa, J.C., Fernandez, L.B., & Allen, S.E.M. (2024). Investigating the Uniform Information Density Hypothesis with complex nominal compounds. Applied Psycholinguistics. doi:10.1017/S0142716424000092 

RECENT PRESENTATIONS 

Fernandez, L.B. Shehzad, M., & Hadley, L.V.(Sept, 2025). Younger adults may be quicker at making semantic predictions but older adults are better. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Architectures and Mechanisms of Language Processing Conference (AMLaP). Edinburgh, UK. 

Fernandez, L.B., Shehzad, M., & Hadley, L.V. (June, 2024). Hearing loss and listening effort delay semantic prediction: An eye-tracking study. Presentation given at From Hearing to Understanding: An Interdisciplinary Workshop on the Interaction of Auditory and Language Processes. Oldenburg, Germany. 

Fernandez, L.B., Shehzad, M., & Hadley, L.V. (May, 2024). Semantic prediction across the lifespan & the impact of hearing loss. Invited colloquium talk at the University of the Basque Country. Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain 

Fernandez, L.B. & Allen, S.E.M (Aug, 2022). What happens when predictions are not met? A VWP study investigating L1 and L2 speakers of English. Poster presented at the International Symposium Workshop on L2 Sentence and Discourse Processing. Cologne, German. 

Fernandez, L.B. & Allen, S.E.M (Aug, 2022). Cross-language semantic and orthographic parafoveal processing in bilingual readers. Poster presented at the International Symposium on Bilingual Processing in Adults and Children (ISBPAC). Tromso, Norway. 

TEACHING

• Psycholinguistics
• Sentence Processing
• Neural Basis of Language
• Introduction to R for Psycholinguistics
• Eye-tracking: Theory and Psycholinguistic Design
• Eye-tracking: Programming
• Eye-tracking: Practical Training
• Peer Critique - Scientific Writing
• Scientific Writing and Publishing in English 

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

• Review editor, Frontiers in Language Sciences