DJ Kaiser

DJ Kaiser is a Professor and Director of the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program at Webster University, where he also serves as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs. He joined Webster University in 2011 after teaching at Washington University in St. Louis, University of Barcelona, Parkland Community College, and University of Illinois.

Dr. Kaiser holds a PhD in Comparative Literature with emphasis in Drama and a Graduate Certificate in Translation Studies from Washington University in St. Louis, along with multiple degrees in Linguistics, Spanish, and Teaching English as a Second Language. His research focuses on applied linguistics, language pedagogy, and language planning & policy, with special expertise in teaching English pronunciation.

His scholarly work demonstrates a strong trend toward international language education initiatives, particularly with his extensive research on Uruguay's Ceibal en Inglés program and the development of Webster's TESOL program in Uzbekistan. His recent publications and grants reflect growing interest in remote language teaching methodologies and cross-cultural educational partnerships.

• Fulbright U.S. Scholars Grant to Uruguay (2016)
• Four Faculty Research Grants from Webster University
• Project Director for $2.7 million U.S. Department of Education grant
• Co-Principal Investigator for $1.4 million NSF grant
• Mary A. Hussey Award for Excellence in ESL Teaching

Dr. Kaiser has successfully directed multiple major grant projects in partnership with K-12 school districts, including The Culturally Responsive Instruction for English Learners Project and Math Success for ELLs. He currently oversees the $2.7 million National Professional Development grant and the $1.4 million NSF WESTbound Success grant, demonstrating strong funding acquisition and management capabilities.

He directs Webster University's TESOL program, which includes both domestic and international offerings, most notably the successful program in Uzbekistan that serves over 1,000 students annually. His leadership has expanded Webster's global footprint in language education while maintaining strong connections with local educational communities.