*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PIRE program travel was not available 2020-2023. Travel will resume Winter 2024 and Spring 2024.

OVERVIEW

We are able to provide financial support to eligible UCI undergraduates to conduct research on language learning and bilingualism at one of our PIRE partner institutions in Europe, Asia and the Americas. PIRE fellows will spend an academic quarter abroad conducting research under the mentorship of UCI and PIRE partner faculty. Students receive UCI academic credit for the quarter abroad and all research-related expenses (airfare, lodging, meals, tuition) are covered by PIRE.

Our program has funding to send up to 20 undergraduates on PIRE experiences over the next two years. Students can travel during the fall, winter or spring quarters. To become eligible to apply for a PIRE fellowship, students first gain research experience with a PIRE-affiliated faculty member at UCI and then apply for a PIRE fellowship.

RESEARCH

As a PIRE fellow you will have an opportunity to conduct language science research:

  • Across the lifespan
  • Using a range of converging behavioral, computational, and neuroscience methods
  • In contexts where the form of language learning and language contact differ

Why bilingualism?

  • In many locations in the US, English is spoken as the only language.
  • It comes as a surprise to some people that in most places in the world, and increasingly in the US, the use of two or more languages is common.
  • More people in the world are bilingual than monolingual.
  • Here in the US, we think that speaking two languages may create unnecessary confusion. This is a myth.

Discoveries about language and the brain that we would not know if we did not study bilinguals:

  • Both languages are always active when bilinguals listen to speech, read words in either language, and plan speech in each of the two languages
  • Not only does the native language (L1) influence the second language (L2), but the L2 influences the L1 once bilinguals are proficient in the L2
  • The use of two or more languages has consequences that extend beyond language processing to domain-general cognitive functions
  • Bilingualism provides protection against the rate of cognitive decline

Illustration of research questions:

  • What allows speakers to keep their two languages apart? Can you effectively “turn off” one of your two languages?
  • What enables some adults to learn a second language easily while others struggle?
  • Are children better learners than adults?
  • How do bilingual children discover the relevant sounds in their language? How can they figure out where the words are in a stream of speech
  • How is the grammar of heritage speakers different from the grammar of the speakers where the heritage language originates?
  • Does foreign-accented speech influence listeners’ comprehension of speech? Is this different for bilingual speakers and monolingual speakers?
  • When kids learn language, the input that they hear is variable. How do they acquire grammar in the face of variability?
  • Do bilingual speakers pronounce words differently than their monolingual counterparts?
  • What factors can have an impact on success in adult language learning? And how can experimental studies inform and improve foreign language instruction?

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • US citizen or permanent resident
  • Students must have at least one quarter of research experience with a UCI PIRE faculty member at the time of applying, and two quarters of research experience by the start of the PIRE quarter
  • PIRE fellows must return to UCI for one academic quarter prior to graduating

PROGRAM DETAILS

  • The PIRE research quarter consists of an 8-week trip to one of our PIRE partner institutions to conduct a language science project, followed by two weeks at UCI where students will attend a series of PIRE seminars.
  • The program runs during the winter and spring quarters.
  • PIRE covers the cost of research-related expenses during the PIRE trip, including airfare, lodging, food, local transportation and research expenses (within the limits of the PIRE program budget) and covers the UCI tuition fee for the quarter abroad.
  • Students register as full-time students at UCI for the PIRE quarter abroad and receive 12 units of UCI academic credit (usually a combination of independent research and internship credits). Contact the PIRE project manager for further details, as the specific course numbers may vary depending on the student’s major.
  • Students attend a series of PIRE orientation meetings in the quarter prior to travel and are supported throughout the quarter of travel by PIRE faculty and staff.
  • Students are enrolled in the UC travel program which includes trip monitoring services and insurance that provide additional medical and travel benefits while traveling.
  • The PIRE partner provides local support and mentoring during the 8-week visit. Students meet virtually with their UCI PIRE advisor at least once per week and receive travel and administrative support from the PIRE project manager.
  • While traveling as a PIRE fellow, students will document their research and travel experiences through the PIRE trip blog.
  • After returning, PIRE fellows will spend the following quarter analyzing their data, and will submit a written report of their experience, prepare a poster for the UCI undergraduate research symposium, and give a presentation about their research and travel.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

**We’ll be hosting an Information Session on August 31 at 3pm PT on Zoom. Click here for details and registration link.**

Students must be actively working with a UCI PIRE faculty member prior to applying to PIRE. Typically this is done by signing up to be an undergraduate research assistant (RA) within a research group.

Contact details for UCI PIRE faculty along with links to their research websites, can be found in the PEOPLE section. When contacting professors, be sure to mention your interest in PIRE!

*Students who begin working with PIRE faculty in Fall 2023 and who continue in Winter 2024 will to be eligible to apply for the Spring 2024 fellowship*

*Current students who have been working with PIRE faculty and continue in Fall 2023 will be eligible to apply for a Winter 2024 or Spring 2024 fellowship.*

Prior to applying for a fellowship, students must meet with their academic advisor to work out a plan for how to incorporate the PIRE experience into their degree program while maintaining progress towards graduating. We recommend having this meeting early in your planning. Because you’ll be off-campus for an academic quarter, you may need to reorganize your course schedule.

Students will work with their PIRE faculty mentor to develop a PIRE research project that can be completed within the 8-week visit to the PIRE partner.

We encourage students considering PIRE to learn about past PIRE fellow experiences. Due to the pandemic, Winter 2024 will be the first cohort at UC Irvine to travel (the program went online during the pandemic ). Many students are supported by the same PIRE grant at Penn State, which runs a similar program during their summer. Visit the Penn State PIRE website to learn about their fellows, research findings, and read the PIRE fellow blogs. We can also put you in contact with past PIRE fellows — contact the PIRE project manager for details.

PIRE FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS

  • Application forms are available from the PIRE project manager.
  • The application consists of a personal statement, CV, and research project proposal. In addition, the student should have their PIRE faculty advisor submit a letter of recommendation via email to the PIRE project manager.
  • Applications are reviewed by the PIRE committee.

Application deadlines:

For travel during Winter 2024 quarter: please contact Prof. Judith Kroll as soon as possible to discuss options, and submit your application no later than the second week of the Fall 2023 quarter.

For travel during the Spring 2024 quarter: applications will be due in mid-December. An announcement will be sent to PIRE faculty and their research groups in November.

QUESTIONS?

First review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) as your question might already have an answer!

If you have further questions, please contact Professor Judith Kroll, the UCI PIRE director, or Jennifer Fogarty, the UCI PIRE project manager.