This semester, the Women's League is proud to be continuing our partnership with WISDM, the Women in Innovation and STEM Database at MIT and the MIT Innovation Initiative to continue our popular speaker series.

Heather Kosakowski will discuss her research and career development, and how her life experiences led her to study the origins of the mind.

Heather is a PhD in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department. With PhD advisors Kanwisher and Saxe, Kosakowski’s research focuses on the development of higher-level perceptual processes in the awake infant brain. Specifically, Kosakowski developed techniques to increase the quality of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data collected from awake infants leading to the discovery of face-, body-, and scene-selective responses in the ventral visual stream of infants. Kosakowski’s research is focused testing theories of cortical function and development in the first year of life. Kosakowski had a non-traditional career path that included foster care, the Marine Corps, Community College, and being a single parent.

The Women in Innovation and STEM Database at MIT (WISDM) promotes the visibility of women in our academic community, increases gender diversity in innovation and entrepreneurship, and makes it easier to find talented and diverse speakers for various events. WISDM supports women and gender non-conforming MIT community members and upholds the Institute’s efforts to foster community, equity, and inclusion.