Introduction

I am a Professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Rice University.

BACKGROUND:
I graduated from Cornell University in 1997 with a PhD in Applied Linguistics and a minor in Cognitive Studies. I have held positions at University of Minnesota, Penn State University, and University of Texas-Austin.

RESEARCH:
A list of my publications ranked by relevant citations is available at Google SCHOLAR . Productivity metrics are: – h-index = 31, and – i-index = 58

The following are selected publications in some specific areas of my research:

  1. Conceptualization of temporality in SLA
    Five books: The Development of Past Tense Morphology in L2 Spanish (2000, Benjamins), The L2 Acquisition of Tense–Aspect Morphology (2002, Benjamins – co-edited with Yas Shirai), Tense and Aspect in Romance Languages (2005, Benjamins – co-edited with Dalila Ayoun), .Marking Past Tense in Second Language Acquisition (2008, Bloomsbury Press), Research Design and Methodology in Studies on L2 Tense and Aspect (2013, de Gruyter – co-edited with Llorenç Comajoan), and several journal articles and refereed book chapters

  2. Political perspectives on multilingual education
    Three books: Language Allegiances and Bilingualism in the US (2009, Multilingual Matters), Ethics and Context in Second Language Testing (2023, Routledege – co-edited with Albert Weideman & Wei-Li Hsu), and Learning and Using Second Languages during a Pandemic – Social justice and diversity (2026, de Gruyter), as well as articles/chapters on 3rd language acquisition, translanguaging, etc.

  3. Interactional Competence
    Two books: Teaching and Testing Interactional Competence (2019, Routledge – co-edited with Silvia Kunitz) and Assessing Speaking in Context (2021, Multilingual Matters – co-edited with Rue Burch)

  4. L2 teaching and learning
    Two books: Spanish Second Language Acquisition: State of the Science (2003, Georgetown University Press – co-edited with Barbara Lafford), and The Art of Teaching Spanish (2006, Georgetown University Press – co-edited with Barbara Lafford), an online module on teaching methodology (UT Austin Foreign Language Teaching Methods), as well as several refereed articles/chapters.

  5. New media and technologies for SLA
    Several articles in journals such as CALICO, Computer Assisted Language Learning, Language Learning & Technology and The Modern Language Journal.

TEACHING:
Some courses I recently taught are: Dialects in Contact, Language and Thought, Language Ideologies and Language Identities, and Cognitive Approaches to L2 acquisition.

I am currently teaching/developing the following advanced seminars:

  1. Language and Migration: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in context (Fall 2025)
  2. Language and Power: The case of gender (Fall 2026)

SERVICE:
I serve on the Editorial Boards of the following peer-reviewed journals:

  1. Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practices,
  2. Asia CALL Online Journal , and
  3. Journal of Spanish Language Teaching.

I also serve on the Advisory Boards of:

  1. Instituto de Lengua y Cultura Españolas (ILCE) at the Universidad de Navarra in Navarra, Spain,
  2. Title VI Center CEDAR (Curricular Enhancement, Development, Access, and Research) at University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, OH.

At Rice University, I serve on the Committee on Faculty and Staff Benefits.