Selene S. Barba

Selene S. Barba is an Associate Professor and former Director of the San Antonio Language Training Detachment at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLI). She also serves as Founder and President of Semper Lingua LLC, a language training firm collaborating with U.S. military and government agencies. Her roles include adjunct work at St. Mary’s University School of Law and leadership in language curriculum development for the Department of Defense.

Education:

• LL.M., St. Mary’s University School of Law
• Juris Doctor, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá, Colombia)
• Studies in Linguistics and Leadership at UTSA and Harvard University

Research & Expertise: A pioneer in language pedagogy, Barba specializes in curriculum innovation, language proficiency assessments, and multicultural education. Her work emphasizes bridging military and civilian language needs through immersive training methods. She has authored ACE-accredited language courses and pioneered e-learning solutions for defense personnel.

Awards:

• Multiple Commandant’s and Provost’s Coins of Excellence (DLI)
• Public recognition from U.S. government agencies

Advising & Grants: Led multidisciplinary teams at DLI, modernizing curricula for over 12 years. Currently oversees language projects for the U.S. Army, Air Force, and State Department. Collaborates with private firms on Foreign Area Officer (FAO) training programs.

Labs/Teams: Semper Lingua LLC (her firm) and DLI’s San Antonio detachment, focusing on defense language readiness.