Welcome, Hannah!

Hi! My name is Hannah Mechtenberg and I’m currently a fifth-year PhD student in the Language & Cognition division of the Psychological Sciences department. I study how the brain understands spoken language. This is something that most of us do every day without thinking, but how exactly we do this remains a bit of a mystery! I’m in the final stages of my PhD, so over the next year I am planning to propose and conduct my dissertation study—where I will use neuroimaging to peek inside the brain as it works to untangle speech from multiple different talkers.

I am new to Greenhouse Studios this year, and I’m very excited to join the team. I have always felt drawn to creative expression and public inclusion and, although there is some space for that in the sciences, I wanted to find a place that truly prioritizes those values. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that I landed at Greenhouse Studios where collaboration, creativity, communication, and innovative problem-solving are the cornerstones of the work they do.

During my time here, I am hoping to build on my collaborative and project management skills and learn as much as possible from the talented folks that work at the studio. The best projects are often the result of a group of people bringing their unique perspectives, skill sets, and ideas together to create something special. The interdisciplinary team at Greenhouse Studios is a perfect environment to create such projects, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with everyone! While I’m still exploring what I want to do after I finish at UConn, I would like to find a career where I can help create sustainable bridges between the sciences and the public. As the public is not just one homogenous “group,” we will need creative problem solving and collective effort to build connections that foster trust, compassion, curiosity, and understanding that are also sensitive to the needs and identities of everyone involved. The skills I develop at Greenhouse Studios will be invaluable towards this long-term goal.

Outside of work I like to be literally outside! Whether that’s trail running, hiking, camping, backpacking, cycling, rock climbing, skiing, or gardening—I can’t get enough. I feel incredibly grateful for the incredible nature the northeast has to offer, and I’m going to enjoy it as much as possible.

I am so excited for what this upcoming year holds, and for the projects coming out of Greenhouse Studios that will continue to push the boundaries of the digital humanities and beyond!