Verena Teresa Uyka

I am an interdisciplinary researcher with academic training in Neurolinguistics, German Philology, and Biology. My work focuses on speech perception, auditory cognition, language processing, neuroplasticity, and cochlear implants, with a particular interest in how humans extract meaning from noisy, incomplete, or ambiguous sensory input.

I am currently completing an MSc in Neurolinguistics at the University of Salzburg, where my research examines auditory cortex development following cochlear implantation in congenitally deaf children. This work has deepened my understanding of speech perception, sensory adaptation, and the importance of high-quality data when modeling cognition and communication.

In addition to my academic background, I worked for many years as a professional actress and voice performer. This experience provided extensive training in speech production, pronunciation, articulation, prosody, vocal expression, and audience communication. As a native German speaker with exposure to regional dialects and linguistic variation, I am particularly interested in multilingual communication, accent variation, and the nuances of spoken language.

My interests include AI, cognitive science, predictive processing, auditory perception, consciousness research, and the intersection of human and artificial intelligence. I enjoy analytical work that requires careful judgment, attention to detail, consistency, and the evaluation of complex information. I am especially motivated by projects that improve how AI systems understand language, speech, and human communication across diverse contexts.