Sonia Colina

Sonia Colina is a Regents Professor and holds a dual affiliation with the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (College of Science) and the Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT) program at the University of Arizona. She is a leading scholar in Spanish phonology (Optimality Theory, syllable structure) and Translation Studies, particularly focusing on translation pedagogy and healthcare translation. Her research bridges linguistic theory and practical applications, such as improving healthcare access for limited-English-proficient populations through translation mediation and community health initiatives.

Dr. Colina has authored influential works like *Fundamentals of Translation* (2015) and *Syllable Structure in Spanish* (2009), and co-edited volumes such as *The Handbook of Spanish Phonology*. She has directed NIH-funded projects, including the Oyendo Bien initiative using community health workers to address hearing loss among border populations and a collaboration on Spanish/English text simplification with the Department of Management Information Systems.

Her research interests span translation quality assessment, bilingual phonological acquisition, and the role of surface/semantic features in medical text simplification. As Director of the National Center for Interpretation, she advances interpreter training and standards in healthcare and legal settings. She is a past president of the American Translation and Interpreting Studies Association (ATISA), contributing to the professionalization of translation studies.

In grants and collaborations, Colina emphasizes interdisciplinary partnerships, such as integrating linguistics with audiology and public health. Her work highlights translational research that enhances language accessibility and equity in healthcare systems.