Jacob is a PhD candidate in linguistics specializing in phonetics and phonology. His research interests include sociophonetics, coarticulation, sensory disorders and language, and language variation and change. His dissertation “The dynamics of sibilant convergence and change”, funded by the National Science Foundation, examines the relationship between perception and production for a sound change in progress in American English. At UChicago, Jacob has taught Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology and Experimental Methods of Undergraduates. Before coming to UChicago, Jacob received in BA in linguistics from Swarthmore College in 2013.