Julie Fiez

Professor, University of Pittsburgh Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders

Professor, University of Pittsburgh Department of Neuroscience

Professor, University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychology

Senior Scientist, Learning Research & Development Center

Lab

https://sites.google.com/pitt.edu/fiezlab

Education and Training

PhD, Washington University at St. Louis

Research Interests

My lab relies upon a broad-based and interdisciplinary cognitive neuroscience approach to address questions that fall within two predominant strands of research. One strand is focused on the neural basis of language processing. Topics of interest include the articulatory and phonological codes involved in verbal working memory, and the ways in which different writing systems influence the representation and processing of orthographic information. A second strand is focused on basic learning systems in the human brain. We are especially interested in how cognition may be optimized by reinforcement learning signals mediated by the basal ganglia and error-correction signals mediated by the cerebellum.

2nd Language Learning Cognitive Neuroscience Imaging Methods Learning & Memory Numerical Cognition Reading Processes

Related Research Areas

Cognitive & Neural Foundations of Learning Reading & Language STEM

Recent Publications

Koch, G. E., Libertus, M. E., Fiez, J. A., & Coutanche, M. N. (2023). Representations within the Intraparietal Sulcus Distinguish Numerical Tasks and Formats. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 35(2), 226–240.

Vogt, K.M., Ibinson, J.W., Burlew, A.C., Smith, C.T., Aizenstein, H.J., & Fiez, J.A. (2023). Brain connectivity under light sedation with midazolam and ketamine during task performance and the periodic experience of pain: Examining concordance between different approaches for seed-based connectivity analysis. Brain Imaging and Behavior.

Chrabaszcz, A., Gebremedhen, N., I., Alvarez, T., A., Durisko, C., & Fiez, J., A. (2023). Orthographic learning in adults overt and covert reading. Acta Psychologica.

Weiss, A.R., Korzeniewska, A., Chrabaszcz, A., Bush, A., Fiez, J.A, Crone, N.E. & Richardson, R.M.(2022). Lexicality-modulated influence of auditory cortex on subthalamic nucleus during motor planning for speech. Neurobiology of Language.  

Wang, D., Lipski, W., Bush, A., Chrabaszcz., A, Dastolfo-Hromack, C., Dickey, M., Fiez, J.A., & Richardson R.M (2022). Lateralized and region-specific thalamic processing of lexical status during reading aloud. Journal of Neuroscience, 42:3228-3240.

Julie Fiez's Google Scholar profile

News and Awards

Kudos to recipients of the Inaugural Joint School of Education-LRDC Faculty Research Awards "Studying the Neural Basis of Braille Literacy and Numeracy" Julie Fiez, Psychology, LRDC; and Tessa McCarthy and Frances Mary D'Andrea, School of Education. "Race, Class, and Context: Exploring Intersectional Influences on Child and Adolescent Health" Daphne Henry, Psychology, LRDC; and Sirry Alang and Sharon Ross, School of Education.

May 1, 2023

Pittsburgh’s ‘Neighborly Playground’ for Neuroscience has New Leadership. LRDC's Julie Fiez and Lori Holt, CMU, will co-lead the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC), a 28-year-old neuroscience research and education neuroscience powerhouse, into its next era.

September 6, 2022

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Julie Fiez, Marc Coutanche, and Corrine Durisko's study published in the Journal of the Society of Neuroscience has been featured in the May 17 PittWire article "Researchers Teach Adults to Read Using Pictures of Houses."

May 17, 2019

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Julie Fiez is quoted in the January 18 Scientific American article, "The Cerebellum Is Your 'Little Brain'—and It Does Some Pretty Big Things."

January 18, 2019

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The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded one of only 19 grants given to cross-disciplinary teams across the United States to Melissa Libertus (P.I.), Associate Professor, Psychology, Marc Coutanche, Assistant Professor, Psychology, and Julie Fiez, Professor, Psychology, Neuroscience, CNBC and Communication Sciences and Disorders, to conduct innovative research on neural and cognitive systems.

August 8, 2017

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[Person photo]

Contact

522 MURDC

fiez@pitt.edu

(412) 624-7078

View CV