Jeffrey Reaser

Jeffrey Reaser is a Professor of English and Director of Undergraduate Programs/Advising at North Carolina State University. He specializes in sociolinguistics, dialectology, and language education, focusing on linguistic diversity and its implications for pedagogy. His work includes developing the Voices of North Carolina curriculum and the Talking Black in America documentary. He has been recognized with awards such as the CHASS Outstanding Teacher Award (2010) and the NCTE ELATE Richard A. Meade Award (2020).

Reaser earned a B.A. in English Education (1999), M.A. in Linguistics (2001) from NC State, and a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Duke University (2006). His research explores language variation, dialect awareness in education, and the intersection of language and identity. Key projects include documenting Ocracoke Island dialects and assessing teacher training methods through webinars.

He serves as Associate Director of the Language and Life Project at NC State and has contributed to initiatives like the Linguistics Society of America’s science festival exhibit. His funded research includes NSF grants for Southern language studies and Spencer Foundation projects on sociolinguistic teacher development.

Reaser’s awards reflect his impact in education and linguistics, including the Lifetime Mentoring Award (2016) and multiple accolades for teaching excellence. His books, such as Talkin’ Tar Heel and Critical Language Pedagogy, bridge academic research and practical applications in K-12 settings.