Jeffrey L. Elman

Research centered on the application of the principles of connectionist-based learning to fundamental problems in cognition, language processing and development. With J. McClelland, he developed the Trace model of speech perception, which has contributed to the language-processing field. Subsequent work on language learning in Simple Recurrent Networks explored the role of simplicity constraints (or 'starting small') in the discovery of regularities in language learning. He led a team of colleagues to extend these ideas to issues in cognitive development that resulted in the volume Rethinking Innateness: A Connectionist Perspective on Development (1996) which sought to shed new light on the nature/nurture debate. In more recent work, he has developed a connectionist model of event knowledge. Served as Dean of Social Sciences at UC San Diego from 2006-2014; Founding Co-Director of the Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind; Faculty Director of the Office for Online & Technology Enhanced Education.