Find Academic Supervisors

• Linguistics
• Language Documentation
• Language Revitalization
• +5 more

Felicity Meakins is a Professor of Linguistics at the University of Queensland, affiliated with the School of Languages and Cultures. She specializes in documenting First Nations languages in northern Australia, focusing on language contact processes, revitalization, and the impact of English on Indigenous languages. Her work bridges academic research and community engagement, including consulting on Native Title claims and language revitalization programs. Education: She studied at the University of Queensland between 1995–2001, completing her PhD in 2008. Prior to her academic career, she worked as a community linguist with Diwurruwurru-jaru Aboriginal Corporation (2001–2004) and as a PhD researcher with the Aboriginal Child Language Project (2004–2008). Research Interests: Meakins explores language contact, mixed languages, and Indigenous knowledge systems. Her projects include the 'Dingo Lingo' study tracing canine terminology across Australia and co-authored works like Tamarra: A Story of Termites on Gurindji Country (2023) and Understanding Linguistic Fieldwork (2018). She has compiled dictionaries and grammars for languages such as Gurindji, Bilinarra, and Mudburra. Grants & Recognition: Recipient of the Eureka Award (2021), LSA’s Hale Award (2021), and a Fellow of FASSA/FAHA. She led the UQ node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (2022). Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Language Data Commons of Australia (LDaCA) and Indigenous communities in Northern Territory projects like the Wave Hill Walk-Off documentation.

Claire BowernView profile

Professor

• Historical Linguistics
• Language Documentation
• Australian Indigenous Languages
• +3 more

Claire Bowern is Professor of Linguistics at Yale University specializing in historical linguistics, language documentation, and Australian Indigenous languages. Her research employs computational phylogenetics to study language evolution and supports language revitalization through digital archives and fieldwork methodologies. Recent publications address: Phylogenetic signal in lexical evolution across language families Digital infrastructure for endangered language documentation (FLEx software analysis) Decolonizing linguistics pedagogy and research practices Her work consistently integrates linguistic, anthropological, and computational approaches to analyze language diversity and change. She contributes to global databases including Grambank and D-PLACE, examining links between linguistic, cultural, and environmental patterns.

Jonathan David BobaljikView profile

Professor

• Linguistics
• Morphosyntax
• Phonology
• +13 more

Jonathan David Bobaljik is a leading linguist whose research spans formal syntax, phonology, and the documentation of endangered languages, particularly Itelmen. He is actively involved in multiple international research collaborations and regularly presents at major linguistic conferences across Europe and North America. His work is published in top journals such as Natural Language and Linguistic Theory and Language . His research interests lie at the intersection of theoretical and descriptive linguistics. He investigates universal patterns in morphology and syntax, including suppletion, vowel harmony, ergativity, and control structures, often using data from understudied languages like Itelmen. His work combines rigorous formal analysis with deep empirical grounding in language documentation. The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward integrating typological diversity with formal theory. Key areas include morphosyntactic universals (e.g., suppletion in pronouns), information structure in verb-final languages, and the phonology of ejective consonants. There is also a growing emphasis on sociolinguistic and community-based aspects, as seen in collaborative work on language revitalization and the social life of the Itelmen language. He has received recognition through numerous scholarly publications and invited talks, though specific awards are not listed in the provided text. His collaborative projects suggest active grant involvement, particularly in language documentation and cross-linguistic typology. Bobaljik plays a central role in the Itelmen documentation and revitalization project, contributing to the creation of a dictionary app, the publication of historical manuscripts, and public exhibits on Siberian Indigenous knowledge. He collaborates with a team including David Koester, Chikako Ono, Tatiana Degai, and Maria Pupynina.

Esme CleallView profile

Senior Lecturer

• British Empire History
• Disability Studies
• Colonialism and Colonial Difference
• +4 more

Dr. Esme Cleall is a Senior Lecturer in the History of the British Empire at the University of Sheffield's School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities. She holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Sheffield and a Ph.D. from University College London (UCL). Her research focuses on the politics of colonial difference, particularly intersections of race, gender, disability, and religion in the British Empire. She has held an AHRC Leadership Fellowship and a British Academy Small Grant. Her major works include Colonising Disability (2022) and Missionary Discourses of Difference (2012), analyzing disability in colonial contexts and missionary writings. Current projects explore mental distress in colonial archives and the history of deafness across the British World. She teaches courses on cultural imperialism and empire, and actively engages in decolonizing curricula. Publications span journals like Historical Journal and History Workshop Journal , with key themes including: missionary justice in India, deaf communities in colonial contexts, and disability as a tool of imperial control. She supervises PhD students researching topics from missionary writing to disability and technology. Cleall collaborates with community groups such as Sheffield Voices to produce accessible historical narratives, including films about learning disability history. She also contributed to the 'Indian Heritage in the Peak District' project, highlighting South Asian connections to the region.

Tria Blu WakpaView profile

Assistant Professor

• Native American Studies
• Indigenous Performance and Dance
• Carceral Studies
• +8 more

Tria Blu Wakpa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance at UCLA's School of the Arts and Architecture. Her work bridges academia and community engagement, focusing on decolonizing methodologies to examine Indigenous peoples' practices in confinement contexts. Education: Ph.D. and M.A., Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley M.F.A., Creative Writing, San Diego State University B.A., English with Film, Oklahoma State University (summa cum laude) Research Interests: She explores dance, athletics, and yoga through Indigenous frameworks, analyzing their roles in education, incarceration, and performance. Her work emphasizes community collaboration, particularly with tribal experts, and critiques colonial structures. Awards & Recognition: 2023 Gerald Kahan Scholar’s Prize (American Quarterly article) Fulbright Association’s Selma Jeanne Cohen Dance Lecture Awardee (2023) Fellowships: Ford Foundation, Hellman Fund, UC Postdoctoral Program Community Engagement: Co-Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Race and Yoga journal. Serves on LA Cultural Affairs Commission, LA Unified School District’s American Indian Parent Committee, and Fernandeño Tataviam Education Committee. Teaches at tribal, carceral, and public institutions.

Katarzyna MarciniakView profile

Professor

• Transnational Visual Cultures
• Refugee Representations
• Feminist Media Studies
• +5 more

Katarzyna Marciniak is Professor and Department Chair of Media Arts & Culture at Occidental College, appointed in 2019 after serving as Distinguished Visiting Professor during the 2019-20 academic year. Her office is located in Weingart 112 with regular office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Her academic credentials include: Master of Arts from the University of Lodz Master of Arts from the University of Montana Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oregon Professor Marciniak's research interrogates the aesthetics and politics of transnational visual cultures, with rigorous focus on representations of foreignness, immigration, national (un)belonging, and border zones as sites of contention. She integrates feminist theory, refugee studies, and postsocialist media analysis—particularly regarding Eastern European cultures—to examine how visual media construct identities in contexts of displacement. Her pedagogical innovations emphasize ethics in teaching trauma cinema and creating transnational classrooms that engage critically with migration narratives. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a cohesive scholarly trajectory centered on refugee cinema, transnational visual representation, and socialist/post-socialist cultural studies. Her work consistently applies feminist and ethical frameworks to dissect cinematic mediation of migration, border politics, and cultural alienation, while pioneering pedagogical approaches for teaching difficult subjects through film. Her distinguished recognition includes: 2025 Linda and Todd White Teaching Prize Modern Language Association Florence Howe Award for Outstanding Feminist Scholarship (2010) for her article 'Pedagogy of Anxiety' in Signs While the source text does not specify graduate student mentorship or research grants, Professor Marciniak's prolific scholarly output and editorial leadership demonstrate active academic community engagement. She serves as Lead Editor for Palgrave's Global Cinema series and has co-edited five major volumes including The Oxford Handbook of Communist Visual Cultures (Oxford University Press). Her authored monographs include Alienhood: Citizenship, Exile, and The Logic of Difference (University of Minnesota Press) and Streets of Crocodiles: Photography, Media, and Postsocialist Landscapes in Poland (Intellect/University of Chicago Press). Her forthcoming co-authored book Refugee Cinema with Bruce Bennett (Lancaster University) is scheduled for Oxford University Press publication in 2025.

Annette RiosView profile

Researcher

• Machine Translation
• Text Simplification
• Multimodal Processing
• +5 more

Annette Rios is a Researcher at the University of Zurich within the Language, Technology and Accessibility group. Her work focuses on machine translation , text simplification , and sign language translation , particularly for multilingual and indigenous language contexts. Research highlights include contributions to the European EASIER project on sign language translation, the ZurichNLP consortium, and the development of tools for emotion detection and gender bias reduction in NLP systems. She has published extensively in top-tier venues like ACL and WMT, with a focus on multimodal translation and German language processing . Developed emotion_detection GitHub repository for German emotion analysis Contributed to ContraPro and ContraWSD projects on translation evaluation Created datasets for German text simplification and emotion detection Her publications reveal a strong emphasis on machine translation (7/15 recent works), sign language technology (3/15), and text simplification (2/15). While no formal advising is documented in the provided text, she has mentored GitHub contributors to her repositories. Current research directions include improving multimodal translation systems and expanding emotion detection capabilities beyond English.

• Sociology of Music Education
• Gender Studies
• Cultural Diversity
• +4 more

Clare Hall is a Senior Lecturer in Performing Arts at the School of Curriculum Teaching & Inclusive Education, Monash University. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on social justice, equity, and cultural diversity through arts engagements, particularly in music and sociology. She holds a PhD and a BA in Music Performance from the Victorian College of the Arts. Her work addresses gender, class, ethnicity, and neurodiversity in education and the arts, supported by grants from the Australian Research Council (ARC). Key Projects: Singing Indigenous Languages Collective (SILC): Revitalizing First Nations languages through song Neurocomplexity Collaboratory: Fostering neurodiversity in education Decolonising and Indigenising Music Education (Routledge, 2024) Research Interests: Intersectionality in music education Queer and feminist methodologies Neurodiversity in teaching professions Indigenous language revitalization Awards: Award for Doctoral Research in Education (2013) Mollie Holman Doctoral Medal (2013) Teaching Commitment: Courses including EDF5860, EDF3065, and EDF2078, emphasizing transdisciplinary arts pedagogies.

Edgar GarciaView profile

Associate Professor

• Hemispheric Literatures of the Americas
• Indigenous Studies
• Latino Studies
• +7 more

Edgar Garcia is an Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago. He holds a Ph.D. from Yale University (2015) and has taught at UChicago since 2015. His work bridges poetry, poetics, and anthropology, focusing on hemispheric American literatures, indigenous and Latino studies, and the intersection of crisis and creativity. Ph.D., Yale University B.A., University of California, Berkeley A.A., Chaffey Community College His research explores marginalized cultural practices such as non-alphabetical sign systems (pictographs, khipu), dreams, divination, and magic, emphasizing their role in world-making. Teaching involves creative and critical approaches to poetry, with courses on the Popol Vuh, migrant poetics, and dream ethnography. Recent publications include Emergency: Reading the Popol Vuh in a Time of Crisis (2022) and Signs of the Americas (2019), analyzing indigenous epistemologies and experimental literary forms. His in-process works include Migrant Lots (risk analysis beyond demographics) and Caravaggio’s Americas (baroque-indigenous intersections). Franke Institute Residential Fellow (2024-2025) Discipline Representative for the Americas, Renaissance Society of America (2026-2028) Guest Editor-in-Chief, Fence (2022-2024) Garcia advises BA, MA, and PhD students in 20th-century poetry and poetics, often integrating creative components into his courses. He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams in theatre and opera and contributes to archival and museological projects.

Sandra WaxmanView profile

Professor

• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Development
• Linguistic Development
• +3 more

Sandra Waxman is a Professor of Cognitive Psychology and holds the Louis W. Menk Chair in Psychology at Northwestern University. She is an IPR Fellow, leading research at the intersection of developmental science, cognitive psychology, and cultural studies. Her work focuses on how infants and young children acquire language and conceptual knowledge across linguistic and cultural contexts. She directs the Infant and Child Development Center, exploring cross-linguistic development in languages like English, Mandarin, and Spanish, as well as cultural influences on understanding human-nature relationships. Her research bridges disciplines, emphasizing the interplay between language and cognition. Collaborations include projects with Native American communities and Argentina’s CONICET. Waxman’s studies reveal how early language shapes cognitive development and how cultural frameworks influence children’s reasoning about the natural world. She also investigates how infants integrate sensory and linguistic information to form concepts, with implications for education and policy. Waxman’s contributions span over 200 publications, addressing topics like infant categorization, bilingualism, and the role of context in learning. Her work underscores the universality and diversity of developmental processes, advocating for interdisciplinary approaches to understand childhood cognition. She actively engages with policymakers through IPR, translating research into strategies that support early childhood development.

• Archaeology of Memory
• Ancient Mediterranean Studies
• Comparative History of Archaeology
• +3 more

Felipe A Rojas Silva is an Associate Professor of Archaeology and the Ancient World at Brown University, affiliated with the Joukowsky Institute and Egyptology and Assyriology. His research focuses on the archaeology and history of the eastern Mediterranean, emphasizing the archaeology of memory, ancient scripts, and cross-cultural antiquarian traditions. Education: PhD in Archaeology from the University of California, Berkeley (2010); MA in Archaeology from Harvard University (2004); MA in Classics from New York University (2002). Research Interests: Explores how ancient communities interacted with material traces of their past, including studies on Anatolian rock-cut monuments, Roman interactions with pre-classical remains, and the global history of antiquarianism. Key themes include the archaeology of memory, sensory engagements with the past, and the cultural afterlives of ancient monuments. Recent Work Trends: His publications analyze the re-interpretation of ancient monuments, colonial encounters with material culture, and the role of smell and visual signs in historical consciousness. Collaborations include projects at Petra, Aphrodisias, and Sardis. Grants and Collaborations: Involved in multidisciplinary projects, such as the study of Petra’s rural landscapes and the analysis of ancient water systems in Anatolia. Co-edited volumes on antiquarianism and rock-cut monuments highlight his focus on cross-cultural comparisons. Labs/Teams: Active in fieldwork at sites like Umm Huwaiwitat (Petra) and Labraunda (Turkey), emphasizing landscape archaeology and material culture studies.

• Metaphors
• Creative figurative language
• Multilingualism
• +13 more

Signe Rix Berthelin is an Associate Professor in Norwegian Didactics at the Department of Teacher Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). She holds a position focused on language education, multilingualism, and linguistic research with particular emphasis on indigenous languages and pedagogical approaches. Her research interests span a wide range of linguistic and educational fields including metaphors and creative figurative language, multilingualism and translingualism in educational settings, Sami language integration in Norwegian teacher education, pragmatic particles in Norwegian (such as 'da' and 'jo'), and semantics and pragmatics. She has specialized expertise in Inuit languages, particularly Inuvialuktun and Alaska Iñupiaq, with research focusing on modality, evidentiality, and relevance theory. Her work also addresses language revitalization, educational grammar explanations, and research ethics in linguistic fieldwork. Berthelin's scholarly output demonstrates consistent productivity across multiple linguistic domains. Her recent publications show a strong focus on multilingual education practices, particularly translingual approaches in writing instruction and the integration of multiple language resources in classroom settings. She has made significant contributions to understanding metaphorical creativity in multilingual contexts and the didactics of neighboring languages. Her earlier work established expertise in Inuit language documentation, especially concerning modal expressions and evidential markers in Uummarmiutun and related dialects. Aurora Research Institute Research Fellowship Grant (2015) Aurora Research Institute Research Assistant Grant (2015) Travel and research grant from the Nordic Association of Linguists (2011) Berthelin actively supervises master's students through the PRANO project (Praksisforankrede norskfaglige masteroppgaver), which creates collaborative frameworks between schools and teacher education institutions. She has received funding from multiple sources including the Aurora Research Institute, NTNU's humanities faculty, and LingPhil. Her fieldwork in Utqiagvik (2011) and Inuvik (2014, 2015) demonstrates her commitment to linguistic documentation of endangered languages. She participates in several research networks including Indigenous Topics in Education, Linguistic Diversity in School and Society, Aesthetics Across Disciplines, and Neighboring Language Didactics. She co-leads the Lydrik(k) project, an annual collaboration where teacher students, pupils, professional artists, and teacher educators explore connections between music and poetry through songwriting and lyrical work.

Brenda M FarnellView profile

Professor

• Anthropology of Dance
• Human Movement
• Embodiment
• +5 more

Brenda M. Farnell is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology and the American Indian Studies Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With a professional background in modern dance and dance education in England, she bridges anthropological theory with embodied practice, critically examining the marginalization of movement in Western academic thought. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Social Cultural & Linguistic Anthropology, Indiana University Bloomington (1990) M.A. in Anthropology of Human Movement, New York University (1984) Advanced Diploma in Dance and Human Movement Studies, Laban Dance Center, Goldsmiths College, London University (1977) B.Ed. in Dance Studies & Physical Education, I.M. Marsh College, Liverpool University (1969) Dr. Farnell's research centers on embodiment across three interconnected domains: the anthropology of dance (focusing on choreographic processes and performance arts), linguistic anthropology (analyzing gesture/speech integration and signed languages), and Indigenous epistemologies (particularly Plains Nations storytelling traditions). Her fieldwork with Nakota, Crow, Kiowa, and Comanche communities informs her decolonial approach to embodied knowledge systems. Recent publications demonstrate consistent thematic focus on Indigenous performance practices (e.g., 2023 monograph Chocolate Woman Dreams the Milky Way ) and foundational embodiment concepts (e.g., 2018 encyclopedia entries on Mindful Body and Techniques of the Body ), reflecting sustained engagement with semiotic anthropology and movement literacy.

Tracey BoneView profile

Associate Professor

• Mental Health
• Deaf Studies
• Criminal Justice
• +3 more

Tracey Bone is an Associate Professor at the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Social Work, specializing in mental health disparities, Deaf identity, criminal justice, and art-based interventions. Her community-engaged research examines accessibility barriers in health and justice systems for marginalized populations. Education: Ph.D., Social Work, University of Manitoba, 2014 MSW, University of Manitoba, 1998 BSW, University of Manitoba, 1984 Research examines mental health challenges in Deaf communities, art-based recovery programs, and correctional system accessibility. She leads SSHRC-funded projects exploring mental health service access for Deaf Manitobans and board capacity-building for newcomers. Current work includes a major study on interactive case-based learning tools for social work education. Publications address systemic barriers in criminal justice for Deaf individuals, Indigenous-Deaf intersectionality, and art therapy applications. Recent works emphasize human rights frameworks and community-based solutions. Professional service includes board membership with the Canadian Criminal Justice Association and Legal Help Centre. She presents internationally on topics including women's mental health leadership and Deaf offender rehabilitation.

John B. HavilandView profile

Professor

• Linguistic Anthropology
• Indigenous Languages
• Language Documentation
• +12 more

John B. Haviland is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), where he has conducted extensive research in linguistic anthropology. He is the founder and former director (2005–2019) of UCSD’s Linguistic Anthropology Laboratory, a hub for multimodal interaction research. His work is centered on indigenous languages, particularly Tzotzil in Mexico and several Aboriginal languages in Australia. His research interests include the social life of language, gesture, emerging sign languages, ethnomusicology, and language and the law. He has made significant contributions to the documentation of endangered languages, including the Barrow Point language, and has authored influential works such as Old Man Fog and the Last Aborigines of Barrow Point . He developed a pedagogical grammar for Tzotzil and has collaborated on major linguistic resources like Robert M. Laughlin’s Tzotzil-Spanish dictionary. His recent scholarly focus involves the study of 'Z', an emerging sign language (Zinacantec Family Homesign) in a Mayan community, exploring its grammatical and interactional foundations. This body of work reflects a trend toward understanding language origins and multimodal communication in naturalistic settings. Founder and Director of the Linguistic Anthropology Laboratory (2005–2019) Expert witness and qualified legal/health interpreter for Tzotzil Active in fieldwork with Amuzgo speakers in Oaxaca and California His work bridges academic research and practical application, particularly in indigenous rights and language preservation. He has hosted numerous seminars and workshops, contributing to a vibrant research community at UCSD.