Bialystok, a Distinguished Research Professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Health, is known internationally for her research on language, bilingualism and cognitive development. The award was announced in April by the Canada Council for the Arts, which administers the .

One of the most important research prizes in the world, the Killam Prize is awarded annually to five eminent Canadian scholars for their distinction in health sciences, engineering, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. Bialystok is being recognized for her work in the social sciences category.

Right: Ellen Bialystok

The first in her field to research claims of cognitive deficits in bilingual children, Bialystok discovered that bilingual children and adults have distinct advantages over unilingual people when completing both linguistic and non-linguistic tasks. Her research is now revealing that this advantage continues for bilingual people as they age; she is part of a team of Canadian researchers who recently uncovered that bilingualism can delay the onset of Alzheimer鈥檚 by up to five years.

Bialystok has also been recognized by the international linguistics community for her body of work on theories of language processing and on practical issues related to foreign and second-language education.

When the prize was announced, 91亚色 President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri remarked that the Killam Prize 鈥渞ecognizes Professor Bialystok鈥檚 groundbreaking contributions to psychology and confirms the international excellence of her achievements. Her success contributes to the growing national and international leadership of 91亚色鈥檚 faculty in health-related research as they respond to medical, social and environmental challenges facing Canadians and people around the world.鈥�

Bialystok was awarded a Killam Research Fellowship in 2001 and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. In November 2009, she received the 91亚色 President鈥檚 Research Award of Merit in recognition of her research contributions.

Faculty of Health Dean Harvey Skinner commented that Bialystok鈥檚 work is changing our understanding of language acquisition and literacy, as well as cognition and aging, by using both behaviour and neuroimaging approaches. 鈥淗er research, and the collaborative research of many other faculty researching developmental and cognitive processes, reflects the Faculty鈥檚 goals of innovative research that helps keep more people healthier, longer.鈥�

The Killam Prizes were inaugurated in 1981 with a donation by Dorothy聽J.聽Killam in memory of her husband, Izaak Walton Killam. The prizes were created to honour eminent Canadian scholars and scientists actively engaged in research, whether in industry, government agencies or universities.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin

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Bialystok, a Distinguished Research Professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, is known internationally for her research on language, bilingualism and cognitive development. She received the award this morning from the , which administers the .

One of the most important research prizes in the world, the $100,000 Killam Prize is annually awarded to five eminent Canadian scholars for their distinction in health sciences, engineering, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. Bialystok was recognized for her work in the social sciences category.

Right: Ellen Biaylstok

The first in her field to research claims of cognitive deficits in bilingual children, Bialystok discovered that bilingual children and adults have distinct advantages over unilingual people when completing both linguistic and nonlinguistic tasks. Her research is now revealing that this advantage continues for bilingual people as they age.

She has also been recognized by the international linguistics community for her body of work on theories of language processing and on practical issues related to foreign and second language education.

鈥淭he Killam Prize recognizes Professor Bialystok鈥檚 groundbreaking contributions to psychology and confirms the international excellence of her achievements,鈥� said 91亚色 President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri. 鈥淗er success contributes to the growing national and international leadership of 91亚色鈥檚 faculty in health related-research as they respond to medical, social, and environmental challenges facing Canadians and people around the world.鈥�

Bialystok was awarded a in 2001. She is a . In November, she received the 91亚色 in recognition of her research contributions.

"Ellen is a remarkable researcher who is so deserving of the Killam Prize," said Stan Shapson, vice-president, research & innovation. "Her work is cited all over the world. She has also received funding from all three of Canada's national funding bodies 鈭� the , the and the 鈭� at various points in her career, along with funding from the ."

Bialystok has developed new methodologies for studying the role of cognitive processes on second language learning as well as the impact that knowing a second language has on cognitive aging.

鈥淏y studying people of all ages, and using both behavioural and neuroimaging approaches, Professor Bialystok is changing our understanding of language acquisition and literacy, as well as cognition and aging," said Faculty of Health Dean Harvey Skinnner. "Her research, and the collaborative research of many other faculty researching developmental and cognitive processes, reflects the Faculty's goals of innovative research that helps keep more people healthier, longer."

Bialystok has recently published research on how bilingualism boosts children鈥檚 focus. She has also researched how bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia.

By Janice Walls, media relations coordinator.

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