Martha Ruiz-Garcia

Dr. Martha Ruiz-Garcia is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Spanish at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She specializes in African contributions to Spanish, dialectology, language variation, and bilingualism. Her work focuses on phonology, syntax, and language contact phenomena.

Education:

• Ph.D., Romance Languages, University of New Mexico
• MA, Lingüística Española, Instituto Caro y Cuervo, Colombia
• BA, Español e Inglés, Universidad del Tolima, Colombia

Research Interests: Dr. Ruiz-Garcia explores how African linguistic influences shape Colombian Spanish dialects, particularly in Chocó. Her studies analyze phonological and syntactic patterns in contact languages, emphasizing sociolinguistic dynamics. She also investigates bilingual education strategies and community language preservation.

Publications: Her monograph examines structural reconfiguration in Afro-Colombian Spanish dialects, contributing to understudied regional variations. This work bridges sociolinguistic theory with empirical field research.

Awards:

• Buchan Award (2016) - Recognizes excellence in teaching and scholarship
• 2014 Diversity Achievement Award - Honors contributions to multicultural education

Teaching & Service: She teaches advanced Spanish grammar, phonetics, and Afro-Hispanic language courses. Her community service includes volunteer work leveraging her multilingual expertise. She mentors students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.