William S. Horton (Sid) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University , where he has taught since 2005 and directed the Cognition and Communication Lab (Cresap 108). Starting in September 2025, he will serve as Chair of the Department of Linguistics . His research focuses on socio-cognitive mechanisms in language use, particularly discourse pragmatics , perspective-taking , and non-literal language processing . Education: B.S. in Psychology/German from Duke University (1991), M.A. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from University of Chicago (1994/1999) Previous roles: Postdoctoral research at SUNY-Stony Brook, Cognitive Aging at Georgia Tech Research trends from his 20+ years of publications include common ground , memory processes , figurative language , and age-related communication changes . His work increasingly incorporates computational text analysis and real-time digital communication studies. Awards : Fellow, Society for Text and Discourse Students : Supervised Ph.D. theses on conversational alignment, common ground activation, and digital communication. Undergraduate honors projects explore inhibitory deficits, speech internalization, and perspective-taking in bilingualism. Cognition and Communication Lab investigates language processing in spoken/written contexts using experimental methods and computational models.
Professor Alison G. Salvesen (University of Oxford, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies) is a leading scholar in Early Judaism and Christianity, affiliated with the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies and Mansfield College. Her work bridges textual criticism, translation history, and reception studies. Current Projects: Hexapla Institute Executive Committee (electronic database of Origen's Old Testament), monograph on Jacob of Edessa (d. 708 CE) Teaching: Septuagint studies, Patristic texts, Textual criticism, Syriac literature Specializing in ancient Hebrew Bible interpretations, she examines Greek (Septuagint), Aramaic (Targums), Syriac (Peshitta), and Latin (Vulgate) traditions. Her research spans rabbinic Judaism and early Christian exegesis. Scientific leadership includes co-editing major reference works and directing the Polonsky Fellowship. Current DPhil students include Joel Bell, Yael Krämer, and Paul Ulishney. Key grants/awards: Polonsky Fellow in Early Judaism and Christianity
Jennifer Leeman is a Professor at George Mason University , focusing on the sociopolitics of language, with emphasis on multilingualism, Spanish in the US, and heritage language education. Her interdisciplinary work bridges critical applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, education, Latinx studies, and linguistic anthropology. BA in Spanish, University of Pennsylvania MA in Hispanic Civilization, New York University in Madrid MAT in TESOL & Bilingual Education, Georgetown University PhD in Hispanic Linguistics, Georgetown University Her research examines: Language ideologies and racialization processes in censuses Antiracist pedagogical frameworks for Spanish teaching Multilingual policy analysis across education and governance Critical service-learning in heritage language contexts Recent publications analyze census categorization, language and immigration policies, and critical pedagogy implementation. She received a 2024-25 Fulbright Senior Scholar award for research at the University of Murcia, Spain, and a 2023-24 Residential fellowship at Mason's Center for Humanities Research. Key scientific contributions include: Pioneering the online graduate certificate in Spanish Heritage Language Education (2021) Leadership roles in AAAL, MLA, and Instituto Cervantes’ advisory committees Editorial board memberships across journals like Language Policy and Hispania Her 15 most recent articles (2018-2025) reveal trends in: Language-race-national identity intersections Census-driven ethnoracial classifications Antiracist pedagogy in language classrooms Heritage speaker identity dynamics Monolingual policy critiques Transnational demographic analysis Contact: jleeman@gmu.edu | Office: Horizon Hall 5132
Alison J. Mackey is Professor and Chair of the Department of Linguistics at Georgetown University, College of Arts and Sciences. She is a leading scholar in second language acquisition (SLA), with a focus on interaction, feedback, research methodology, and language learning across the lifespan. Her research interests include second language acquisition , task-based language teaching , research methodology , interaction and corrective feedback , and language learning in children and adults . She has published extensively in top-tier journals and book series, shaping methodological standards in the field. Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in methodological rigor , interactionist approaches , and practical applications of SLA research. Themes include data elicitation , stimulated recall , task design , and pragmatic development , spanning both theoretical and classroom-based inquiry. Mildenberg Prize (2012) for The Handbook of Second Language Acquisition American Association for Applied Linguistics Distinguished Scholarship and Service Award International Association of Task-based Language Learning and Teaching Distinguished Achievement Award CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title (2012) Alison Mackey has advised numerous scholars through co-authorship and editorial leadership. She is Editor-in-Chief of Cambridge University Press Annual Review of Applied Linguistics and Editor of the Routledge Second Language Research series, guiding the publication of cutting-edge research. While specific grants are not listed, her editorial work and high citation count (>35,000) reflect significant research impact and funding support. She leads and contributes to major research initiatives such as the IRIS Repository , promoting open-access research instruments in SLA. Her work fosters collaboration across institutions and supports methodological transparency and replication in the field.
Alexander Key is an Associate Professor of Comparative Literature at Stanford University, specializing in Classical Arabic literature and the intellectual history of Arabic and Persian-speaking worlds from the 7th century onwards. His scholarship focuses on the philosophy of language, literary theory, and cross-cultural translation. Ph.D. in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Harvard University (2012) Current research: Arabo-Persian linguistic intersections, poetics in translation, and pre-modern theories of syntax and affect His articles span diverse eras and topics, including: Medieval Arabic language philosophy (5th–11th century) Modern Arabic political poetry analysis (20th–21st century) Comparative methodologies bridging Islamic and Western traditions A key editorial role includes: Board Member of Stanford University Press Advisory roles at Habib University and Stanford’s Markaz Resource Center His work bridges academic publication with public discourse through: Contributions to Arcade Colloquy Interviews on poetics, religion, and contemporary politics Podcasts and literary salon discussions
Georgia Zellou is an Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of California, Davis, where she co-directs the Phonetics Lab and conducts award-winning research at the intersection of phonetics, speech perception, and human-AI interaction. Her work investigates how phonetic detail is cognitively represented through variations in speech production, with significant contributions to understanding speech alignment with voice assistants, face-masked speech intelligibility, and cross-linguistic perception of synthetic voices. Her academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Colorado at Boulder (2012), an M.A. in Linguistics from Stony Brook University (2007), and a B.A. in Linguistics & Anthropology from the University of Florida (2005, Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa). Ph.D., Linguistics, University of Colorado at Boulder (2012) M.A., Linguistics, Stony Brook University (2007) B.A., Linguistics & Anthropology, University of Florida (2005) Professor Zellou's research program centers on laboratory phonology approaches to real-world communication challenges, examining how acoustic-phonetic details influence speech perception across contexts. Her studies span speech alignment with voice-AI systems (e.g., Amazon Alexa), sociophonetic variation in bilingual speech, and the cognitive mechanisms underlying perceptual compensation for coarticulation. She employs experimental methods including eye-tracking, acoustic analysis, and perceptual testing to uncover how phonetic variation functions pragmatically in human communication and human-machine interaction. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals three dominant research trajectories: (1) human-AI voice interaction dynamics, including prosodic alignment and social evaluation of TTS voices; (2) intelligibility optimization in challenging contexts (face masks, clear speech for diverse listeners); and (3) cross-linguistic phonetic variation in vowelless words and consonant clusters. These works consistently bridge theoretical phonology with applied speech technology, demonstrating how fine-grained phonetic detail influences communication effectiveness in both human-human and human-machine contexts. Her scientific recognition includes: Fulbright Scholar (2022) for research in France Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring (2019) Fellow of the Linguistic Society of America (2020) Amazon Faculty Research Award (2019) for Alexa-related speech studies Dean’s Fellow designation at UC Davis (2020-2023) Professor Zellou maintains an active mentoring practice recognized with the Chancellor’s Award, supervising undergraduate researchers in the Phonetics Lab while teaching core linguistics courses from introductory to advanced graduate levels. Her research program is supported by competitive grants including NSF funding, Amazon Research Awards, and UC Davis internal grants (Hellman Foundation, ISS Junior Faculty Grant), reflecting the translational value of her work for speech technology development. She has co-directed major initiatives including the 2019 LSA Linguistic Institute. The Phonetics Lab she co-leads serves as a hub for experimental phonetics research, focusing on speech production-perception relationships through projects investigating vocal accommodation to voice assistants, nasal coarticulation dynamics, and cross-linguistic prosody. Current collaborations with industry partners aim to implement human speech adaptation principles into voice assistant design to enhance naturalness and engagement.
Andrew Ollett is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago , where he has taught since 2019. His research focuses on the literary and intellectual traditions of South and Southeast Asia, particularly through works in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsha, and Kannada from the first millennium CE. Co-founder and editor of NESAR (New Explorations in South Asia Research) Director of NEH-funded edition/translation of the Kavirājamārga (earliest Kannada literary manual) Expert in Prakrit and Kannada literary traditions His work explores the 'question of language'—examining how language choice shaped cultural production and change in premodern India. Current projects include a monograph on context-sensitivity in Indian language theories and a study of manuscript technology's impact on early South Asian knowledge communities. He has authored The Mirror of Ornaments (Naples: Unior Press, 2025) and Language of the Snakes (UC Press, 2017), and co-authored Lilavai (Harvard, 2021). Recent publications include interdisciplinary studies on: Sanskrit-Prakrit campū genre reevaluation Pragmatics in Mīmāṁsā interpretive concepts Manuscript literacy's influence on literary forms Historical linguistics of Middle Indic syllable reduction Philosophy of language in Śālikanātha and Kumārila Bhaṭṭa Awarded the NEH 'Scholarly Editions and Translations' grant , he teaches classical South Asian literature courses covering Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Tamil traditions. He maintains digital resources including a Prakrit Digital Texts Project and Mīmāṁsādigdarśinī digital text repository, and actively contributes to open-access scholarship.
Ying Xu is an Assistant Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), specializing in the design of AI technologies to support children's language, literacy, STEM learning, and well-being. Her research emphasizes creating AI systems that act as interactive learning companions and language partners for children while fostering human-AI collaboration with educators and families. She holds a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Technology from the University of California, Irvine, and previously served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan from 2022 to 2024. Her work focuses on understanding how AI can complement human interactions, particularly through conversational agents integrated into media like books and educational TV programs. Collaborations include partnerships with PBS KIDS, GBH Education, and Sesame Workshop. Funded by organizations such as the National Science Foundation and Schmidt Futures, her research bridges developmental psychology, education, and human-computer interaction. Xu's studies highlight AI's potential for personalized learning while addressing ethical considerations like AI literacy and social impact. Key achievements include numerous best paper awards and recognition as an Early Career Interdisciplinary Scholar by SRCD. Her interdisciplinary approach involves designing technologies that reflect community values and linguistic/cultural diversity, ensuring equitable access to AI-driven educational tools. Xu advocates for balanced AI integration in children's lives, emphasizing the need for transparency about AI's limitations and the importance of maintaining human connections. She explores how AI can empower stakeholders (e.g., educators, parents) to co-create technologies tailored to their needs, ensuring AI serves as a complement—not replacement—for human interaction. Current projects investigate conversational AI's design principles, children's perceptions of AI, and strategies for fostering critical evaluation of AI-generated content. She also examines how AI affects social interactions and developmental processes, advocating for ethical guidelines to maximize benefits while mitigating risks.
Dr. Ben Clarke is an Associate Professor and Department Head of Special Education and Clinical Sciences at the University of Oregon’s College of Education. His research focuses on mathematical development, assessment systems, and school-based interventions to support student achievement. He has led over 20 federally funded grants totaling ~$55 million, emphasizing early numeracy interventions and multi-tiered instructional models. Clarke’s work bridges theory and practice, with publications on mathematics instruction, assessment, and RTI frameworks. Education: PhD (2002), MA (2001) in School Psychology/Special Education from University of Oregon; BS (1997) in Psychology from Wabash College (Phi Beta Kappa). Research Interests: Mathematics intervention design and efficacy Early numeracy assessment Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) Technology in education Equity in mathematics education Publications highlight his focus on intervention fidelity, tiered models, and outcomes for students with learning difficulties. Awards include the AERA Special Education SIG Research Award and recognition for academic excellence. Grants and Advising: Principal Investigator on ~$55M in federal grants; advises graduate students in School Psychology and Special Education. His lab develops evidence-based tools like the KinderTEK iPad program and contributes to national practice guides (e.g., IES RTI for Mathematics). Labs/Teams: Leads research teams focused on early mathematics intervention and MTSS implementation, collaborating with schools and policymakers to scale effective practices.
Yuuko Uchikoshi Tonkovich is a Professor at the School of Education, University of California, Davis, where she has served since 2004, advancing from Assistant to Associate and then to full Professor. Her work centers on language and literacy development in young dual language learners, with a focus on bilingualism, early literacy, and the role of family and media in language acquisition. Her research interests include: Early Childhood Development Multilingual Learners and Bilingual Education Language Acquisition and Literacy Parent-Child Interaction and Home Language Environment Quantitative Analysis of Educational Outcomes Educational Television and Multimedia Her recent publications span topics such as cognitive distancing in parent-child reading, morphological awareness in bilingual readers, and the impact of teacher language use in multilingual classrooms. The research consistently emphasizes longitudinal, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary approaches, particularly focusing on Chinese American and Mexican American immigrant families. Her scientific awards include: AERA Vocabulary SIG Notable Vocabulary Researcher Award (2025) Foundation for Child Development Young Scholars Program Grant International Reading Association Dissertation Fellowship and Finalist Award Harvard Graduate School of Education Fellowships She has advised numerous research projects and secured significant funding from NIH/NICHD, the Foundation for Child Development, and other organizations. She teaches courses such as Language Development, Early Literacy, and Research on Text Comprehension. She is actively involved in national initiatives, serving on the Technical Advisory Group for the First 5 California Dual Language Learner Study and as Associate Editor of Applied Psycholinguistics . She leads the Language & Literacy Development Lab at UC Davis, which investigates the cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development of dual language learners.
Professor Helena Sanson is a Full Professor of Italian, History of Linguistics, and Women's Studies at the University of Cambridge , where she is also a Fellow of Clare College and serves as Postgraduate Teaching and Examining Officer for the Italian Section. She joined Cambridge in 2005 after teaching at University College London (1998-2003) following her British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship. PhD from University of Reading (2002) Her interdisciplinary research focuses on the intersection of Italian linguistic history , literary culture , and gender studies from the Renaissance to post-Unification period. Particular emphasis includes women's contributions to linguistic thought , conduct literature analysis , and female roles in translation networks . Her work examines how women navigated language standardization, educational access, and literary production across social strata. Recent projects include Leverhulme-funded research on women's linguistic experiences in 18th-19th century Italy and co-edited volumes on transnational travelers' accounts and early modern female education . She founded the Women and Gender in Italy (1500-1900) book series and the journal Women Language Literature in Italy . Scientific awards include: British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship Leverhulme Research Fellowship Philip Leverhulme Prize CRASSH Early Career Fellowship Isaac Newton Trust grant Senior Visiting Fellowship at University of Bologna She supervises graduate research in topics spanning women's writing , linguistic thought , translation history , and cultural marginalization in 16th-20th century Italy. Her work bridges philology, literary criticism, and social history through rigorous textual analysis.
Steve Mann is a Professor in Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick, where he has been affiliated since 2007. His work focuses on English Language Teacher Education (ELTE), teacher development, and qualitative research methodologies. He holds a PGCE from the University of Warwick (1984) and has extensive experience in ELT across Hong Kong, Japan, and Europe. Mann’s research group investigates reflective practice, teacher beliefs, mentoring, and technology integration in education. Notable contributions include co-editing the Routledge Handbook of English Language Teacher Education (2019) and pioneering studies on video-based teacher reflection. He has supervised numerous PhD students exploring aspects of teacher development, though he is currently not accepting new PhD candidates. Education: PGCE, University of Warwick (1984) Pre-service teaching in English and Drama in England (1980s) British Council Teaching Scheme in Hong Kong (1980s) Research Interests: Teacher education, reflective practice, qualitative interview methodologies, and the role of technology in professional development. His work emphasizes bridging theory and practice in ELT, particularly through collaborative dialogue and action research. Grants & Projects: Supporting Sustainable English Teacher Professional Development in Yunnan Province (British Council, 2022–2023) China Course Research: Postgraduate Curriculum Design (2019–2022) Video in Language Teacher Education (British Council, 2016–2018) Labs/Teams: Leads a research group focused on teacher development, mentoring, and blended learning strategies. Collaborates with institutions like the British Council on global teacher education initiatives.
Mohammad T. Alhawary is Professor of Arabic Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition at the University of Michigan's Middle East Studies department within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He serves as Director of both the MA Program in Arabic for Professional Purposes (APP) and the MA Program in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language (TAFL). His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Georgetown University (1999). Prior to joining the University of Michigan, he contributed to developing Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies programs at various US institutions. Professor Alhawary's research spans both theoretical and applied Arabic linguistics, with particular focus on second language acquisition processes. His work examines how factors like age, input quality, output practice, and first language transfer affect Arabic language learning. He has made significant contributions to understanding Arabic language pedagogy, curriculum design, proficiency testing, and the application of technology in language learning. His research also extends to bilingualism, multilingualism, language impairment, and Arabic medieval grammatical traditions. His publications reflect a strong trajectory in Arabic linguistics research, with recent works focusing on practical language teaching applications, reading comprehension mechanisms, code-switching patterns in digital communication, and multilingual acquisition processes. The 2023 publication 'Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language' represents his latest contribution to language pedagogy methodology. 2019 AATA Book Award for 'Arabic Second Language Learning and Effects of Input, Transfer, and Typology' As an academic leader, Professor Alhawary serves as Executive Director of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic and edits both the Journal of Arabic Linguistics Tradition and Al-'Arabiyya journal. He continues to develop empirical research on Arabic second language acquisition to inform teaching practices both in America and globally.
Dr. Naseem Choudhury is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Ramapo College of New Jersey, affiliated with the School of Social Science and Human Services (SSHS). She holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Vermont. Her research focuses on the neural basis of infant information processing, particularly how perceptual abilities influence typical and atypical development, with an emphasis on familial and sociocultural factors. Her work spans auditory processing in infants at risk for developmental language disorders, electrophysiological studies in children with autism, and cross-cultural analyses of artistic perception. She directs the Palestroni Integrated Neuroscience Lab, exploring neural mechanisms underlying cognitive development. Dr. Choudhury has published extensively in journals like Journal of Neuroscience and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience , with over 50 peer-reviewed articles since 2002. Her studies often involve ERP and EEG methodologies to track developmental milestones and intervention efficacy in high-risk populations. Her research demonstrates that early auditory experiences shape prelinguistic acoustic mapping and that neuroplasticity interventions improve outcomes for language-impaired children. She collaborates internationally on projects linking sensory perception to linguistic outcomes, particularly in Italian and bilingual populations. Dr. Choudhury’s contributions bridge basic neuroscience and clinical applications, emphasizing early screening and preventive strategies for developmental disorders.
Peter Gordon is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Education and Cognitive Science in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He directs the Language and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab and holds affiliations with Biobehavioral Sciences, Human Development, and other departments. His research focuses on language acquisition, developmental neuroscience, cross-cultural numerical cognition, and MRI-based studies of language processing. Dr. Gordon earned a B.A. (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Stirling (Scotland) and a Ph.D. in Psychology from MIT. His fieldwork includes extensive studies with the Piraha in Amazonia, Brazil, and the Kadiweu in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. His research interests span infant event representations, behavioral genetics of language, and the interplay between language structure and cognitive development. Notable contributions include work on anumeric cultures and the linguistic relativity hypothesis. Publications highlight cross-cultural studies, morphological processing, and cognitive neuroscience of language. He has conducted influential research on numerical cognition in Amazonian cultures and the genetic influences on language acquisition. Contact: pg328@tc.columbia.edu | Office: 1152 Building 528 | Lab: [Link Provided].
