Anna Ewert is a Professor at the Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. Her research focuses on bilingualism, second language acquisition, multicompetence, and cognitive aspects of language use. MA in English (1986) Ph.D. in English (1998) D.Litt. in linguistics (2010) Her research explores how bilingualism affects cognitive processes, particularly in motion perception, figurative language understanding, and executive functions. She investigates cross-linguistic influences and the dynamic nature of multicompetence, including changes in L1 morphology among Polish students of English. Recent publications show a trend toward analyzing conceptual representations in Polish L2 users of English, meta-analytic reviews of RAN-reading relationships, and theoretical contributions to applied linguistics. Her work combines empirical studies with interdisciplinary frameworks. Award of the Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University for excellence in teaching (1998) Anna Ewert has supervised numerous academic projects and led teacher training programs. She has secured grants from the Rector of AMU (2003), Ministry of Science (2007-2008), and National Science Center (2011-2015) as Principal Investigator. She has also organized international conferences like EUROSLA22 (2012).
Chikako Takahashi serves as Lecturer in Japanese at Columbia University's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, teaching courses from introductory Japanese (JPNS 1002, 1101, 1102) through second-year levels (JPNS 2201, 2202). Her office is located in 520 Kent Hall with office hours Monday 11:00–12:00 and Wednesday 4:00–5:00. Her academic credentials include: PhD in Linguistics, Stony Brook University M.A. in TESOL, Teachers College, Columbia University Dr. Takahashi's research investigates how language learning experience shapes first and second language pronunciation and perception, with core interests in: Second Language Phonetics Pronunciation in Second Language Instruction Japanese Information Structure Phonetics and Phonology Her publication analysis (2012–2024) reveals consistent focus on experimental phonetics within Japanese-English bilingual contexts, particularly examining perceptual drift in L1 due to L2 learning, vowel boundary shifts, and contrastive prosody processing. Methodologically, her work emphasizes collaborative experimental approaches across linguistics and phonetics disciplines.
Paolo Mairano is a Lecturer in English Phonetics at the University of Lille , affiliated with the Department of English Studies within the Faculty of Languages, Culture and Societies . He works with the UMR 8163 - Laboratory, Knowledge, Language Texts . His research interests include: Acquisition of phonetics/phonology in L2 Orthographic effects on pronunciation Prosody and rhythmic typology Speech synthesis technologies Corpus-based linguistic analysis Recent publications focus on: Italian regional consonant variation Orthographic-phonologic interactions L2 vowel category overlap metrics Rhythmic priming in speech production Gemination stability in migrant speech Prosodic effects on segmental accuracy He develops tools for: Phonetic transcription training Minimal pair analysis Emotional speech modeling
Professor Artemis Alexiadou is a distinguished linguist serving as Director of the Leibniz-Centre General Linguistics (ZAS) and holding an S-Professorship in General Linguistics at the Institute of German Language and Linguistics, Humboldt University of Berlin. She has been affiliated with ZAS and the Institute of German Language and Linguistics since October 1, 2022. Her academic journey began with a degree in Philology specializing in Linguistics from the University of Athens (1986-1990), followed by an MA in Linguistics from the University of Reading (1990-1991), and culminated in a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Universität Potsdam (1994). Professor Alexiadou's research focuses on theoretical syntax and morphology, with particular expertise in syntax and its interfaces with morphology, the lexicon and interpretation, Diachronic Syntax, Language Breakdown and Development, and Heritage Languages. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of nominalization, verbal alternations, and the syntax-morphology interface. She has held prestigious positions including Professor of Theoretical and English Linguistics at the University of Stuttgart (2002-2015) before moving to Humboldt University. Her recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on Heritage Greek linguistics, examining phenomena such as gender agreement, aspect, and the plural indefinite article across different registers. The publication trends indicate a growing focus on experimental and comparative approaches to heritage language phenomena, particularly in the Greek diaspora communities in the USA and Germany. This reflects her leadership in the Research Unit on (Experimental) Syntax and Heritage Languages (RUESHeL). Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (2014) Doctor honoris causa from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (2016) Member of the Leopoldina, National Academy of Sciences (2014) Member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (2018) ERC Synergy Grant LeibnizDream (2021-2026) Professor Alexiadou has supervised numerous research projects and currently leads the ERC Synergy Grant LeibnizDream project, which investigates how language compresses thought structures. She serves on multiple scientific boards including the International Research Network Heritage Languages in Europe and the DFG Review Board 104 Sprachwissenschaften. Her editorial work includes membership on the boards of Glossa, Linguistic Inquiry, and Syntax, among others. She directs the Compressor Team at Humboldt University, which focuses on language acquisition and processing.
Emanuel Bylund Spångberg is a Professor in Psycholinguistics at the Department of Swedish Language and Multilingualism, Stockholm University. His work bridges two central questions: biological age's role in language acquisition/attrition and language's influence on cognition through neo-Whorfian frameworks. Current research explores bilingual lexical deficits, motion event cognition, and temporal perception across languages like Afrikaans, isiXhosa, Spanish, and Swedish. Recent funded projects include "Motion in mind" (Swedish Research Council, 2016–2018) and "Temporal Language and Thought" (Swedish Research Council, 2011–2013). His publications span experimental psycholinguistics, bilingualism, and linguistic relativity, with a focus on age-related cognitive mechanisms and cross-linguistic cognitive interference. While no explicit student list is provided, his collaborations with scholars like P. Athanasopoulos and N. Abrahamsson are notable.
James Yoon serves as a Professor of Linguistics, East Asian Languages and Cultures, and affiliated with the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Illinois. He holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Illinois (1989) and a BA in English Language and Literature from Seoul National University (1980). His research focuses on syntax, morphology, second language acquisition, and linguistic studies of Korean and Japanese. He teaches courses such as LING 301: Elements of Syntax and LING 501: Syntax I. Education: PhD in Linguistics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (1989) BA in English Language and Literature, Seoul National University (1980) His research explores topics like anaphor distribution, long-distance binding in Korean, and experimental studies on grammatical relations. Recent publications address heritage languages in Japan/Korea, morphology in language attrition, and Korean syntax phenomena like scrambling and honorific agreement. His work bridges formal syntax, experimental methods, and language acquisition studies.
Helene Jensberg is a Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Language and Culture, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Her work focuses on bilingualism , heritage language acquisition , and Norwegian dialectology , particularly examining morphosyntactic variation in heritage Norwegian and cross-linguistic influences in L3 acquisition. Keywords: Linguistics, Syntax, Sociolinguistics, Multilingualism, Dialectology Research Groups: AcqVA Aurora, C-LaBL, AcqVA-Nor Her recent publications highlight comparative studies of verb second (V2) word order in heritage Norwegian, dialect feature adoption by Polish migrants, and cross-linguistic influence in multilingual contexts. She collaborates with researchers like Marit Westergaard, Terje Lohndal, and Kamil Malarski on syntactic and sociolinguistic analyses. Helmens scientific work intersects with sociolinguistic identity markers, syntactic constraints in non-native speakers, and educational applications of multilingual research. Her affiliations include the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Teacher Education at UiT, where she contributes to advancing understanding of language contact and variation.
Valentin Ivanov Vulchanov is a Researcher at the Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). His research focuses on language development, autism spectrum disorders, bilingualism, and gesture-language interaction. He has collaborated with institutions globally, contributing to over 50 peer-reviewed publications since 2000. Key research themes include figurative language processing in ASD, statistical learning mechanisms in children, and cross-linguistic spatial communication systems. His work bridges cognitive linguistics, neuropsychology, and developmental psycholinguistics, with notable contributions to understanding sensory and motor correlates of language acquisition. Recent studies highlight spatial language deficits in autism, gesture's role in early communication, and bilingualism effects on deictic systems. Vulchanov has co-edited volumes on native speaker variability and served on editorial boards for journals like Journal of Cultural Cognitive Science . His research has been supported by grants exploring language disorders in multilingual contexts and neurocognitive foundations of metaphor comprehension. Collaborations include projects with the University of Oslo, University of Edinburgh, and institutions in Bulgaria and Spain.
Liz Smeets is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at York University, affiliated with the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. She holds a PhD from McGill University (2020) and dual BAs in Linguistics and Italian from Utrecht University (2012). Her research focuses on second language acquisition, syntax-discourse interfaces, and bilingual populations’ language transfer. She collaborates with the University of Guelph to develop linguistically informed language learning modules for classrooms. Education: PhD in Linguistics, McGill University (2020) BAs (cum laude) in Linguistics and Italian Language & Culture, Utrecht University (2012) Research emphasizes syntax-semantics/discourse/prosody interfaces, particularly how bilingual learners integrate native and target language systems. She explores how prosody (e.g., stress) influences pronoun interpretation in L2 English and Italian. Applied work bridges linguistic theory with pedagogical tools for language instructors. Collaborations include projects with Alena Barysevich at U of Guelph to create online resources for language learners. Personal interests include yoga, travel, and nature, reflecting a balanced academic and creative lifestyle.
Antje Muntendam is an Associate Professor of Linguistics and Spanish at Florida State University (FSU), affiliated with the Modern Languages and Linguistics department. She holds a M.A. from Leiden University and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her roles include serving as Coordinator and Adviser of Linguistics at FSU, Affiliate Faculty at the Native American and Indigenous Studies Center, and Affiliated Member of the Heritage Linguistics Lab at Leiden University. Her research focuses on bilingualism, language contact, and prosody, with particular emphasis on Quechua-Spanish and Turkish-Dutch bilingual communities. She investigates cross-linguistic influence, code-switching, and intonation patterns in Andean and European contexts. Muntendam is co-founder of the international conference on Bilingualism in the Hispanic and Lusophone World (BHL). She currently leads a National Science Foundation-funded project (2024-2027) on Quechua and Spanish intonation in Andean language contact. Muntendam teaches courses such as Bilingualism in the Spanish-Speaking World , Psycholinguistics of Bilingualism , and Spanish Phonetics . Her work bridges syntax, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics, addressing topics like clitic placement, focus marking, and heritage language acquisition. Her publications span journals like Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism and Bilingualism: Language and Cognition . Her academic contributions include co-editing volumes on Quechua stance and deixis and co-authoring studies on prosodic transfer and syntactic interfaces in bilingual contexts. She actively engages in interdisciplinary research, integrating experimental methods (e.g., eye-tracking) and comparative analyses of multilingual speech.
Jill Jegerski is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Spanish and Portuguese and Linguistics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on second language acquisition, bilingualism, and psycholinguistic methods, with a specialization in Spanish as a heritage language and heritage speaker processing. Jegerski holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, alongside an M.A. and B.S. from the same institution and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, respectively. Her work employs experimental techniques like self-paced reading, eye-tracking, and ERPs to investigate real-time language processing. Key themes include verb morphology, syntactic case marking, and relative clause attachment in heritage and L2 Spanish speakers. Jegerski has collaborated on studies exploring the psycholinguistics of heritage languages, including contributions to the Cambridge Handbook of Heritage Languages and Linguistics (2022). Her publications analyze how heritage speakers process morphosyntactic features like differential object marking and subjunctive mood, often contrasting their performance with monolingual and advanced L2 learners. Jegerski’s research highlights the cognitive mechanisms underlying bilingual language representation and the impact of language attrition or incomplete acquisition in heritage contexts. Jegerski frequently presents invited talks on heritage language processing, case marking, and experimental methods in psycholinguistics. Her work bridges theoretical SLA frameworks (e.g., Krashen’s input hypothesis) with empirical evidence from real-time processing experiments, offering insights into both linguistic competence and communicative proficiency.
Dr. K. Chimène Gecewicz serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, teaching from the Liberal Arts Building in Hattiesburg. With over twenty years of experience, she specializes in TESOL, International Education, and Instructional Design, drawing from extensive fieldwork in Africa and teaching across K-12 and university settings. Her pedagogical approach emphasizes active learning and cultural immersion, informed by lived experiences in England and travels throughout Europe and Mexico. Her academic credentials include: Ed.D. from the University of South Alabama (2020) MATL from the University of Southern Mississippi (1999) MA from the University of Southern Mississippi (1996) BA from the University of Southern Mississippi (1992) Research focuses on language education , cultural anthropology , and gender dynamics , with particular attention to sojourners' experiences and economic autonomy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her anthropological perspective integrates fieldwork with practical teaching methodologies, examining how curriculum design impacts cross-cultural communication and language acquisition. Scholarly output reveals an evolving trajectory from 1990s anthropological studies of West African minority communities toward contemporary investigations (2020-2025) into language teacher attrition and internationalization-at-home initiatives. This interdisciplinary work bridges education, psychology, and sociology through mixed-methods approaches. Professional service encompasses grant writing, teacher training, and program leadership, including curriculum development and policy formulation. Her multilingual capabilities (native English, professional Spanish, elementary French) directly inform her commitment to student development and cross-cultural educational partnerships.
Nikolay Slavkov is a Professor at the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ottawa. With a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Ottawa (2009), an M.A. from York University (2003), and a B.A. from the American University in Bulgaria (2000), he has taught in Canada, the United States, China, and Bulgaria, bringing a global perspective to his work in bilingualism and multilingualism. Ph.D., University of Ottawa, 2009 M.A., York University, Toronto, 2003 B.A., American University in Bulgaria, 2000 Dr. Slavkov's research spans multiple dimensions of bilingualism and multilingualism, examining linguistic, cognitive, social, and pedagogical perspectives. His work focuses on shifts between active and passive bilingualism in child language acquisition, language attrition and recovery, minority and heritage language acquisition and maintenance, and the acquisition of Long-Distance Wh-Movement in L2 English. Central to his research is the Linguistic Risk-Taking Initiative, which transforms the University of Ottawa's bilingual campus into an authentic environment for language learning, recognizing that language use involves risk-taking where learners may feel uncomfortable due to potential mistakes or misunderstandings. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on multilingual education, linguistic risk-taking, family language policy, and the changing concept of the native speaker in a globalized world. These works demonstrate his commitment to understanding how individuals navigate multiple languages in educational and social contexts, with particular attention to Canadian bilingualism and multilingualism. 2020-2026: SSHRC Insight Grant (Principal Investigator) 2017-2019: SSHRC Insight Development Grant (Principal Investigator) 2016-2021: SSHRC Insight Grant (Co-Investigator) 2017: Mitacs Globalink Research Internship Award As Principal Investigator of multiple SSHRC grants, Dr. Slavkov has secured significant funding for projects including the Linguistic Risk-Taking Initiative ($274,102 SSHRC Insight Grant), Re-imagining Language Background Profiling at Canadian Elementary Schools ($64,012 SSHRC Insight Development Grant), and The Discourse Skills of Monolingual and Bilingual School-aged Children ($365,096 SSHRC Insight Grant). His research team collaborations span multiple Canadian institutions, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his work in bilingualism and language acquisition. The Linguistic Risk-Taking Passport project specifically encourages language learners to use their second language across campus services, creating authentic learning opportunities beyond the classroom. Dr. Slavkov leads the Linguistic Risk-Taking Initiative at the University of Ottawa, which has developed a Linguistic Risk-Taking Passport to encourage students to practice their second language across campus services. He also collaborates on the Discourse Skills of Monolingual and Bilingual School-aged Children project, which establishes conversation, narration, and expository norms among children speaking English, French, Arabic, and Mandarin across five Canadian locations.
Prof. Zofia Wodniecka-Chlipalska is a distinguished faculty member at Jagiellonian University's Institute of Psychology within the Faculty of Philosophy. Her research spans bilingualism, cognitive neuroscience, and psycholinguistics, focusing on language control mechanisms and cross-linguistic influences. She leads the Laboratory of Language Psychology and Bilingualism 'LangUsta', overseeing critical studies on bilingual children's language processing and neural adaptations. Key Research Areas: Bilingual language control, social biases in multilingual contexts, lexical access, neuropsychological mechanisms of second language acquisition. Recent Trends: 2025 articles explore neural efficiency in bilingual environments, vocabulary dynamics in Polish-English children, and motivation-driven prejudice reduction.
