PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Paula Buttery

Paula Buttery is a Cambridge professor whose work connects natural language processing, language acquisition, and machine learning. In 2004, she presented computational models of child language acquisition as a PhD student at Cambridge; in March 2006, she submitted her dissertation on first language acquisition. She directed Cambridge’s ALTA institute from 2018, became Professor in 2019, and joined Cambridge Language Sciences as co-director in 2022. In 2023, she said AI should support human learning and critical thinking; in 2025, she coauthored Pico, a framework for hypothesis-driven small language model research. As of October 2026, she is Deputy Head of Cambridge’s Department of Computer Science and Technology and Professor of Language and Machine Learning.

Now at
Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge
Works
126
Citations
1,044
h-index
16
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 27 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. March 2004

    Reliable language acquisition from real data

    In March 2004, she presents “Reliable Language Acquisition from Real Data” as a PhD student in Cambridge’s Natural Language and Information Processing Group.

  2. March 2006

    First language acquisition models

    In March 2006, she submits her Cambridge doctoral dissertation, Computational models for first language acquisition, which examines the Categorial Grammar Learner.

  3. 2018

    Directing Cambridge’s ALTA

    She becomes Director of Cambridge’s Institute for Automated Language Teaching and Assessment (ALTA) in 2018.

  4. October 2019

    Professor at Cambridge

    In October 2019, she becomes a Professor in Cambridge’s Department of Computer Science and Technology.

  5. June 2022

    Co-director of Language Sciences

    From June 2022, she co-directs Cambridge Language Sciences with Matt Davis and Brechtje Post. Her research includes machine learning for natural language processing, cognitive models of language, and low-resource languages.

  6. October 2023

    AI for human learning

    In October 2023, she says AI should support human learning and critical thinking. Cambridge’s new Learning & Human Intelligence Group brings together experts in education, cognitive science, and computer science.

  7. November 2025

    Pico for small language models

    In November 2025, she coauthors Pico, a modular framework for hypothesis-driven research on small and medium language models. Its two libraries let researchers change model architectures and training procedures and observe their effects.

  8. As of October 2026

    Deputy head at Cambridge

    As of October 2026, she is Deputy Head of Cambridge’s Department of Computer Science and Technology and Professor of Language and Machine Learning. She is Principal Investigator of ALTA and co-director of Cambridge Language Sciences. She is a Fellow, College Lecturer and Director of Studies in Linguistics at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and an Honorary Research Fellow at Judge Business School.

Career

  1. Since 2022University of CambridgeCo-director of Cambridge Language Sciences
  2. Since 2019University of CambridgeProfessor
  3. NowUniversity of CambridgeDeputy Head
  4. NowUniversity of CambridgePrincipal Investigator, Institute for Automated Language Teaching and Assessment (ALTA)
  5. NowGonville and Caius College, University of CambridgeFellow, College Lecturer and Director of Studies in Linguistics
  6. NowUniversity of CambridgeHonorary Research Fellow, Judge Business School
  7. NowUniversity of CambridgeProfessor of Language and Machine Learning
  8. From 2018University of CambridgeDirector of Institute for Automated Language Teaching and Assessment (ALTA)

Education

  1. University of CambridgeDoctoral study; dissertation submitted for PhD

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Checked career sources: cl.cam.ac.uk, cl.cam.ac.uk, cst.cam.ac.uk.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

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  1. Reliable Language Acquisition from Real Data cs.columbia.edu. Checked 27 October 2026.
  2. UCAM-CL-TR-675: Computational models for first language acquisition cl.cam.ac.uk. Checked 27 October 2026.
  3. New leadership team for Cambridge Language Sciences languagesciences.cam.ac.uk. Checked 27 October 2026.
  4. Six promotions to Professor and Reader cl.cam.ac.uk. Checked 27 October 2026.
  5. Supporting Human Intelligence cst.cam.ac.uk. Checked 27 October 2026.
  6. Pico: A Modular Framework for Hypothesis-Driven Small Language Model Research aclanthology.org. Checked 27 October 2026.
  7. Professor Paula Buttery cl.cam.ac.uk. Checked 27 October 2026.
  8. Professor Paula Buttery — Department of Computer Science and Technology cst.cam.ac.uk. Checked 26 October 2026.