معرفی
Lourdes Ortega is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Georgetown University and serves as Faculty Director of Georgetown’s Initiative for Multilingual Studies. Her work focuses on multilingualism beyond childhood, equitable language education, and decolonial epistemologies. She mentors students at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels.
- Former positions include roles at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (2004-2012), Northern Arizona University (2002-2004), and Georgia State University (2000-2002).
- Education: Ph.D. and M.A. from University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
Her research investigates how multilingualism develops in non-native contexts, advocating for social justice and equity in language education. Key contributions include her award-winning 2000 meta-analysis in Language Learning, the textbook Understanding Second Language Acquisition (2009), and co-editing The Cambridge Handbook of Bilingualism (2019).
Recent work addresses under-studied languages like Arabic and Urdu in U.S. K-12 education, emphasizing decolonial and Indigenous frameworks. She has published extensively in top journals such as Applied Linguistics, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, and World Englishes.
- Awards: Gerald M. Mara Faculty Mentoring Award (2016, 2020), Pimsleur Award (2001), and 2023 recognition as a top 2% cited researcher.
She advises 22 doctoral students and has secured grants supporting multilingual education research. Leads Georgetown’s Initiative for Multilingual Studies, co-chairs the Harmonious Bilingualism Network (HaBilNet), and edits Language Learning. Served as President of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (2023-2024).
Her work bridges theory and practice, prioritizing cura personalis (care for the individual) in mentoring and advocating for multilingual well-being.
