Researcher

Dr. Julie Schneider is an Associate Project Scientist with the UC|CSU Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning. Her research explores how neurobiological development and environmental experiences—especially those shaped by culture and context—interact to influence children’s learning from preschool through adolescence. Prior to her current role, she was an Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University, where she directed the Language, Environment, and Neurodevelopment Lab. Dr. Schneider completed her Ph.D. in Psychological Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, followed by an NSF-funded postdoctoral fellowship in Cognitive Science at the University of Delaware. Her work primarily centers on word learning, a key predictor of academic achievement, and takes a systematic approach—from investigating the neural basis of learning in children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds using EEG and fMRI, to adapting language and educational interventions that optimize outcomes in real-world settings. Her program of research is supported by the National Science Foundation, NIH Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence, Dana Foundation, and the Society for Research in Child Development. By identifying and amplifying the factors that support children’s learning, Dr. Schneider is committed to driving positive change in education systems and advancing equity in developmental science.