Current Ph.D. Students

Isis Cowan

Isis Cowan

Isis Cowan

Isis is a Ph.D. student in the ADP program working in the Winslab. She graduated from Old Dominion University in 2021 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Health and Wellness. She studied identity development and cultural processes in underrepresented ethnic and racial communities living in the United States. Before joining the Winslab, she spent 2 years as a lab manager for the Changing Brain Lab at the University of Pennsylvania where she assisted with multiple child development and neuroimaging research projects. Isis' current research interests focus on the intersection of bilingualism, culture, and ASD to enhance developmental and educational outcomes for autistic people in ethnic and racial minoritized groups.

Courses Taught

TA positions 

  • PSYC 100- Introduction to Psychology (Spring 2024)
  • PSYC 300 - Statistics in Psychology - Lab Sections 203 & 204 (Fall 2023 and Spring 2024)

Instructor of Record

  • PSYC 211- Lifespan Development (Fall 2025-Fall 2026)

Education

B.S. Psychology, Old Dominion University 

Recent Presentations

Cowan, I. & Winsler, A. (2025, June). Bilingual Autistic Children Learn L2 on Time and Do Well Academically. Poster submitted for presentation at the 3rd Harmonious Bilingualism Network conference. San Sebastian, Spain

Nguyen, M, Cowan, I., Harden-Stein, J., & Winsler, A. (2025, June). Long-term educational outcomes from early bilingualism and language learning in secondary school. Poster presented at the 15th International Symposium on Bilingualism. San Sebastian, Spain

Winsler, A., Cowan, I., & Harden-Stein, J. (2025, June). Real-world, educational benefits of early bilingualism: Longitudinal evidence from the Miami School Readiness Project. Paper presented at the 15th International Symposium on Bilingualism. San Sebastian, Spain.

Cowan, I., Jenkins, M., Stein, J., & Winsler, A. (2024, May). Rate of L2 (English) acquisition for bilingual students with and without developmental language disorder and autism in the U.S. Poster presented at the 5th Bi/Multilingualism and Specific Language Impairment (Developmental Language Disorder) (B-SLI) conference. Utrecht, The Netherlands.