Scott Despain

Scott Despain is an Associate Professor and Associate Department Head in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at NC State University. He holds a PhD in Hispanic Language and Literature from Indiana University-Bloomington (1997). His expertise spans Second Language Acquisition, Technology-Enhanced Instruction, Sociocultural Theory, and Distance Education. Professor Despain has led initiatives in large enrollment language courses, graduate teaching programs, and technology integration in education.

Research interests focus on language pedagogy, with notable work on Costa Rican pronoun systems and online language course design. He has received teaching awards (Thank a Teacher, 2010/2013/2014) and served in administrative roles including Director of Graduate Programs (2007-2019) and Standards Coordinator (2013-2019). Over 30 graduate students have been advised under his mentorship.

Publications include articles in Foreign Language Annals, Hispania, and ADFL Bulletin, alongside contributions to language courseware development. His service includes leadership in curriculum committees, grievance panels, and professional organizations like CALICO and ACTFL.