Baichen Du

Hello! I am a PhD student at UCLA Linguistics, specializing in Phonetics and Phonology. I study how the structure and fine details of language are produced, perceived, and changed with various methodologies, such as experimentation, computation, and fieldwork. In particular, I am interested in the relation between phonology and the phonetic and psycholinguistic reality of articulation, planning, and processing. For more details, see my CV.

My MA Thesis (i.e., qualifying paper), advised by Kie Zuraw, investigates how the timing of the retrieval of lexical entries and associated phonological units affects phonological variation, specifically external sandhi, during speech planning. Previously, I worked on a number of projects with Yao Yao, Keith Johnson, Alexandra Pfiffner, and Jonathan Havenhill.

05/01/2026 - My paper, The co-variance of acoustic cues and lip gestures in the production of the Mandarin sibilant contrast, co-authored with Alexandra Pfiffner, received a minor revision request, with acceptance imminent, from Journal of Laboratory Phonology!

04/29/2026 - Latest (also current) build of my personal website is published. It is modified from the "minimal-light" theme.

Prior to joining UCLA, I worked as a full-time research assistant at the Speech and Language Science lab at the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, and at the Psychology Department in University of Manitoba - Winnipeg before completing my study abroad at UC Berkeley. Aside from experimental works, I also employ data analytics and machine learning techniques to linguistic research.