Sara Ng

Sara Ng is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Western Washington University. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Washington (2024) and an MS in Computational Linguistics (2023), alongside a B.A. in Linguistics and B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Utah (2017). Her research focuses on computational models of prosody, speech perception, and their integration with speech technologies like automatic speech recognition (ASR). She investigates how prosody conveys pragmatic meaning, influences conversational dynamics, and impacts listeners with hearing impairments. Her work bridges computational methods and linguistic theory, addressing challenges in clinical and technological applications.

Education

• PhD in Linguistics, University of Washington, 2024
• MS in Computational Linguistics, University of Washington, 2023
• B.A. in Linguistics (Honors), B.S. in Applied Mathematics, University of Utah, 2017

Research Interests

Ng’s research explores computational linguistics, prosody modeling, speech technology, and hearing impairment studies. She develops methods to leverage prosodic cues for tasks like punctuation prediction and investigates the impact of hearing loss on speech perception.

Grants & Awards

• 2024: Nominated for UW Excellence in Teaching Award
• 2023: Excellence in Linguistic Research Graduate Fellowship
• 2017: University of Utah Top Scholar Award

Teaching

Ng teaches courses in phonetics, computational linguistics, and linguistics for honors students. She emphasizes pedagogical innovation and inclusivity, with experience as an instructor of record and teaching assistant at both Western Washington University and the University of Washington.

Labs & Collaborations

She collaborates with the TIAL Lab (University of Washington), Phonetics Lab, Hearing Aid Laboratory (Northwestern University), and CLILLAC-ARP (Université Paris Cité). Her work intersects with clinical and engineering domains, addressing real-world applications of speech technology.