After twenty-eight years in North Carolina, I packed up my belongings and headed to the Midwest with my dog Taco to work on a PhD in Applied Spanish Linguistics. It was certainly a nice change of pace for an Asian-American of the LGBTQ+ community!
I am currently working on my dissertation while I teach full-time at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, IA. In addition to my major coursework, I completed two PhD minors: English Languages & Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition. Before becoming a Badger, I was a part of the Pirate Nation (East Carolina University) where I completed Master's in English Linguistics and graduate certificates in Community College Instruction and Hispanic Studies. It was there where I developed my passion for the Spanish language and linguistics, specifically in the fields of phonetics and phonology. Besides my research and teaching, I enjoy volunteering in the community. In Madison, WI I served as an interpreter for the Neighborhood Law Clinic, a community-based office providing legal services in housing and employment to low-income residents. I also had the opportunity to translate brochures for the UW Carbone Cancer Center. Another of my favorite pastimes is traveling. I plan on making a eighty trip to Spain soon. Not only do I enjoy catching up with the friends I made there during my year abroad in Madrid but I also enjoy being immersed in the language and culture; it allows me to pick up any new lingo and cultural references that I have missed out on since my last trip.
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Teaching philosophy |