Dr. Zed Sehyr
Assistant Professor
Communication Sciences and Disorders, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
Email: sehyr@chapman.edu
- Education:
- Kingston University, Bachelor of Arts
University of London, Master of Arts
University College London, Ph.D.
Biography
Dr. Zed Sehyr is an Assistant Professor in Communication Sciences and Disorders in
the Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Chapman University. She earned
her Ph.D. from University College London (UCL) in Cognitive, Perceptual, and Brain
Sciences. Her research centers at the intersection of linguistics, cognition, and
neuroscience. Her research examines the neuroplasticity of pathways dedicated to language
and visual processing as a consequence of sensory-motor and linguistic experiences.
Language is the focal point of Dr. Sehyr’s investigations, placing an emphasis on
the study of sign languages and their users, recognizing their pivotal role in advancing
our understanding of universal aspects of human language and communication. Dr. Sehyr
has co-created an award-winning lexical database for American Sign Language (ASL-LEX.org).
She collaborates with computer vision scientists in leveraging linguistic insights
and machine learning algorithms to advance the study of language and neurocognition.
Dr. Sehyr is committed to advocating for the empowerment and inclusion of marginalized
and underrepresented communities in STEM and in academia.
-
Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications
- Cohen-Goldberg, A., Emmorey, K., Caselli, N., and Sehyr, Z. (2026). Sign Language Databases and Resources. In Nesi, H., and Milin, P. International Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, Third Edition. Elsevier, ISBN: 9780323955041.
- Campbell, E.E., Sehyr, Z. Pontecorvo, E. Cohen-Goldberg, G., Emmorey, K. & Caselli, N. (2025). Iconicity as an Organizing Principle of the Lexicon. PNAS.