معرفی
Irina Zaykovskaya serves as a Lecturer in Russian at the Department of German, Nordic, Slavic & Dutch within the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota. Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, she brings a unique bilingual and bicultural perspective to her teaching and research. Her academic journey includes dual PhD credentials - a Candidate of Sciences in Russian Language from Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia (2011) and a PhD in Second Language Studies from Michigan State University (2019).
Her educational background includes a BA and MA in Philological Education from Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, with her MA completed in 2008 and BA in 2006. Before joining the University of Minnesota, she taught Russian at the Illinois Math and Science Academy and previously taught English and Russian at Petersburg State Transport University in Russia.
Zaykovskaya's research centers on the emotional dimensions of language learning, particularly how learners form emotional connections with languages they study. Her work explores language ideologies, second language acquisition in study abroad contexts, sociolinguistic variation in second language learning, and the complex relationship between language and identity. Her current research examines how Russian-speaking Ukrainians are experiencing language-related trauma following the Russian invasion, drawing parallels to historical cases of language rejection under traumatic circumstances.
Her publications and presentations reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of language, emotion, and sociopolitical context. She examines how learners develop relationships with languages they study, how political events reshape language attitudes, and how technological tools can enhance language instruction. Her upcoming work continues this trajectory with investigations into discourse markers in American English and the metaphorical framing of language learning as romantic relationships.
Zaykovskaya is actively involved in mentoring and professional development within the language teaching community, having co-organized mentorship-focused colloquia at major applied linguistics conferences. She also contributes to the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) and CLA's Language Center at the University of Minnesota, leveraging institutional support for language educators.
Her community engagement extends beyond academia through volunteer work with LizaAlert (a search and rescue organization where she serves as a drone flight coordinator) and supporting independent Russian media through transcription work for Echo of Moscow programs. She is developing several innovative content courses in English that address contemporary Russian society, including topics on NGOs in Russia, language policy in former Soviet states, independent media in Russia, and World War II discourse in Putin's Russia.
