Selma Hardegger

Selma Hardegger, MA

PhD Student

NCCR Evolving Language

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I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Comparative Language Science at the University of Zurich. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Language Science (major) with a minor in Geography, and I completed my Master of Arts in Evolutionary Language Science (major) and Interdisciplinary Archeological Sciences (minor) at the same institution.

My PhD project explores the evolutionary relationship between language and tools within the hominin lineage. Using a neuroarcheological framework, I empirically compare modern human brain activity during the production of Paleolithic stone tools and the cognitive processes involved in modern language processing (e.g., via fNIRS). By embracing this interdisciplinary perspective, my research sheds light on the trajectories of language evolution after the split from our last common ancestor with Great Apes.

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