Born and raised in China, my journey into the world of the Spanish language and Hispanic linguistics began during my college years at Beijing Language and Culture University. It was there that I fell in love with Spanish and further solidified my passion during a year of immersive study in enchanting Barcelona, Spain.
Following my graduation from college, my desire to explore new territories led me to the United States. Here, I continued to pursue my passion for Spanish and earned a Master's degree in Hispanic Linguistics from Florida State University. In May 2023, I completed my Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics at Georgetown University. My research interests encompass Spanish phonology, second and third language acquisition, as well as multilingualism. Specifically, I focus on how multilingual individuals navigate the acquisition of sounds across different languages.
During my graduate studies, I embarked on an exciting journey as a Spanish instructor. I firmly believe in communicative and proficiency-based instruction. Inside the classroom, I enjoy employing creative and interactive activities, as well as exploring Hispanic culture alongside my students through a rich tapestry of audiovisual resources.
Before moving to Chicago in 2023, I lived in Arlington and Christiansburg, Virginia. In my free time I enjoy running and have completed 4 races in the US, including a half marathon in 2022.
Publications
- “¿Pollo o Bollo? Acquisition of Voicing Contrast by Chinese Learners of L3 Spanish,” Hispania, 105 (4), 595-613. (2022)
- A new look at language choice and accommodation in US Spanish-English bilingual service encounters. Intercultural Pragmatics, 20(1), 51-73. (2023, with Fernández-Mallat, V. & Dearstyne, M.)
- Review of the book Pancho y las Momias: A Teacher’s Guide with a Focus on Interculturality, by Rachel Emery. Hispania 104(2), 315-316. doi:10.1353/hpn.2021.0053. (2021)
Recent Courses in RLL
- SPAN 10200 Beginning Elementary Spanish II (Autumn 2023)
- SPAN 10300 Beginning Elementary Spanish III (Winter 2024)
- SPAN 20200 Language, History, and Culture II (Spring 2024)