When she was a child, MIT senior Olivia Honeycutt spent summers at her grandparents’ farm in rural Alabama, outside Birmingham. The practical and cultural differences between agricultural and urban life became more apparent through comparison. “Life and the way we lived it slowed down on the farm,” she says. “It was a nice change of pace.”
These days, Honeycutt, who double majored in computation and cognition and linguistics, still finds herself moving between multiple worlds that are simultaneously interconnected and distinctly different. His research interests are based on the intersection of human thinking and awareness, language learning and acquisition, technology, and social group interaction and influence.
Along with a lifelong investment in mathematics and science, Honeycutt grew up interested in language and the ways it shapes the way we think and live. She learned French from her relationships with Haitian family friends, and American Sign Language because of another friend’s deaf sibling. She was fascinated by how the speakers in those groups communicated and how the brain could reorganize itself when faced with a lack of auditory input.
“There are many things that are different about sign language and spoken language,” she says. “Speaking in multiple languages and dialects, while managing the emotional and cultural nuances presented by multilingualism, can change your experience of the world and yourself.” Work in these areas creates research opportunities in diverse disciplines such as neurology, large language models (LLM), psychology, and public policy.
“There is fascinating work going on in neural linguistics, as well, trying to better understand the intersections between neural networks, AI, and how each processes information,” Honeycutt says. “She’s wanted to study these for a long time,” she says. “For example, when people have to manage language deficits like aphasia, and you dive into multiple areas of investigation to find answers, you get to learn cool things like how the brain ‘does’ language.”
An MIT approach to study
Honeycutt chose MIT partly because the computation and cognition major “wasn’t something I could get anywhere else.” Her interest in mathematics and English, as well as her desire to pursue the kind of computer science work that “centers people,” increased the likelihood that she could continue work in her favorite areas of inquiry with the support of the Institute’s faculty and other students.
She found class 9.59J (Laboratory of Psycholinguistics), taught by Ted Gibson, professor of brain and cognitive sciences, particularly enlightening. “It laid the foundation for my work,” she says.
Her decision to major in computation and cognition as well as linguistics meant she could combine her interest in brain function and technology with a data-driven approach to language study and processing. She says, “Studies in linguistics highlighted the power of scientific rigor to organize and analyze large amounts of chaotic, human-centered data.” Her coursework reinforced the value of her decision.
Honeycutt appreciated the freedom afforded by MIT’s focus on interdisciplinary study. “Researchers are exploring the differences between human and LLM language models and processing, and a lot of that work is happening at MIT,” she says. “MIT offers a rigorous flexibility that allows me to incorporate many academic interests.”
Honeycutt gives most importance to this flexibility. “That’s the only reason I’m on the path I’ve chosen,” she adds, focusing on language acquisition, education policy, the computational possibilities and limitations of the LLM, and education reform.
Honeycutt’s research continues on a series of MISTI voyages in 2025. She traveled to South Africa in the summer, where she worked on the South African Human Rights Commission’s “Right to Read” campaign. He explored the relationship between language processing and brain function and supported research to help develop legislation to help increase literacy among South Africans.
“Linguistic diversity presents significant challenges in South Africa,” she says. “For example, one of the effects of colonization on indigenous Africans is that children are often dropped out of schools because they can’t communicate with their families at home using the languages they are learning – like Afrikaans.”
In autumn 2025, she took a MISTI trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, where she studied sociolinguistics. He learned the importance of considering alternative approaches to the brand of linguistics offered at MIT. She says, “MIT’s approach to linguistics centers words and treats its study as a mathematical problem, whereas sociolinguistics incorporates important cultural context.” Linking the two created a more complete, holistic approach to the work.
Honeycutt values a balanced approach to her studies, making time for extracurricular activities that allow her to investigate her research goals and build community. “I completed a policy internship in Washington, DC in 2024,” she recalls.
She is a member of Theta Delta Chi, a fraternity that includes a diverse group of undergraduates from various academic backgrounds. She plays women’s club soccer and is an officer in the MIT Undergraduate Association. As co-chair of the Community Service Committee, she is leading efforts to build relationships with students living off campus.
Honeycutt also volunteers with the Community Charter School of Cambridge, working to improve outcomes for low-achieving students. As a volunteer, she has been able to pilot some of the education ideas being developed in her curriculum. “I want to help low-performing students the same way some institutions help high-performing students,” she says.
human element
According to Honeycutt, language shapes the way its users see the world. “I’m interested in how language can constrain thought,” she says. Mastery of language is also a valuable tool for measuring emotional intelligence. He argues, “It is important that people learn and understand the language at school.” “People should have access to language that allows them to effectively communicate what they are thinking.”
Honeycutt believes that having words for emotions can help people process them. This is important in fields such as translation and psychology, where nuance can be important. She also believes that reading and language acquisition are essential tools for developing effective self-awareness. Language is a medium for thought and provides guardrails to improve understanding.
“Having access to a larger vocabulary, including words for emotions, can increase your emotional intelligence,” she says.
With a solid academic foundation focused on cognition, language, and AI, Honeycutt plans to study law and policy after graduation. This means law school and a public policy program, perhaps at an institution that offers a dual degree track.
“I want to increase opportunities for disadvantaged students,” she says. “Problems in policy areas are difficult in part because they defy easy categorization and involve so many stakeholders.” Education, says Honeycutt, “is a fun problem to try to solve.” She seeks to support efforts to create lasting change by improving literacy, ensuring linguistic diversity, and centering science and research while designing and implementing effective legislation that benefits learners, institutions, families, and communities.
Honeycutt argues that there is no study in any field that can answer all the questions. By combining the science of brain function with the social and mathematical aspects of linguistics, she can continue to investigate language, its uses, and effects on people and their lives. We cannot solve education challenges, improve AI and access to AI-enabled tools, and advance the study of linguistics without institutional and community support.
“Support the research,” Honeycutt says. “Don’t give up trying to solve these problems.”
