Xiaomeng Li (DC 2023) has been awarded the Language Learning Early Career Research Grant. This funding will support her research "Multiple Linguistic Thresholds in the transfer of sublexical processing skills," which aims to investigate second language reading from a cross-linguistic perspective.

Since graduating from our Ph.D. program, Li has joined Western Washington University as assistant professor of Chinese and applied linguistics in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. She also serves as the Chinese major/minor advisor and as an affiliated faculty member in Linguistics. We are proud to see her thriving as a scholar and educator and look forward to following the continued impact of her work in the field of second language acquisition.

On April 8, six LCAL faculty members joined as panelists in the Office of the Vice Provost for Community, Culture and Engagement’s Combating Hate series event, “AI, Bad Bunny and the Right to Language.” The panel brought together Nevine Abraham, Katharine Burns, Kenya Dworkin, Anne Lambright, Christopher Lowy and Mame-Fatou Niang for a wide-ranging conversation on multilingualism and language justice across the globe. Panelists explored what it means to claim a “right to language” in an era shaped by artificial intelligence, cultural production and shifting power dynamics, and considered how individuals and institutions can work to protect and advance linguistic diversity and equity.

Khaled Al Masaeed was invited by the American Language Institution to deliver a talk titled "Bridging MSA and Darija: Curriculum Design for Diverse Learners” at the inaugural Strategic Language Learning in Morocco: Balancing Arabic Instruction and Intercultural Engagement Symposium in Fez, Morocco.

On March 8, Uju Anya gave a keynote presentation titled “Reimagining Black placemaking through multilingual and multicultural exchange in the AfroMetaverse Project” at the University of Florida at Tallahassee 2026 Literatures and Linguistics Interdisciplinary Conference. Then, on April 2, she gave an invited talk introducing her AfroMetaverse Project at the SONA: Immersive Storytelling Festival hosted by LCAL and The Kenner Room at CMU.

Wendy Arons’s essay on Swiss dramaturg Kurt Hirschfeld was featured as the lead article in the March 28/29 weekend edition of REPUBLIK, a Swiss news and culture magazine. Titled “Letzte Bühne gegen den Faschismus” (“Last Stage Against Fascism”), the piece highlights Hirschfeld’s courageous efforts to support exiled German artists during World War II and his principled resistance to fascism through theatrical programming. The publication coincides with the Zürich premiere of the documentary Hirschfeld: Unbekannter Bekannter (Hirschfeld: The Unknown Known), in which Dr. Arons appears as a guest expert.

On March 28, Pina Gemboni and Emanuele Stefanori, attended the American Association of Teachers of Italian Summit held at the University of Pittsburgh, titled "Costruendo Ponti Insieme — Building Bridges." The purpose of the summit was to share teaching strategies, network with colleagues and brainstorm ways to promote the study of Italian while fostering connections between schools and different instructional levels.

Sanghee Kang gave an invited talk "Leveraging artificial intelligence for language learning: Linguistic alignment and feedback" at the Pitt Linguistics Colloquium. 

Yoshihiro Yasuhara presented “Legacy of an Idealist: The Case of Seiji Tsutsumi/Takashi Tsujii” remotely on April 3, at the Annual Spring Symposium: Environmental and Economic Challenges in Global Asia. His paper explores how his philosophy of “ethical capitalism” shaped Muji’s growth through a collaborative network of producers and consumers.

On March 26, students in Italian classes, along with professors Pina Gemboni and Emanuele Stefanori, attended a screening of Napoli New York, directed by Gabriele Salvatores, at the Italian Film Festival hosted by the University of Pittsburgh. Held from March 26 to April 11, the festival features Italian films with English subtitles and is free and open to the public.

Italian Intermediate II students attended their classmate Jocelyn Harte’s solo exhibition, Gentle Madness, held at The Frame Gallery from April 3–5. Harte, the gallery’s director, studied abroad in Rome in 2025, where she immersed herself in the language and culture. Her exhibited sketchbooks featured drawings inspired by her travels in Italy, and her work reflects strong influences from Etruscan and Renaissance art.

LCAL's language conversation groups are open to all students at CMU, regardless of field of study or experience level. Led by graduate students and/or faculty, our conversation groups offer students the opportunity to practice their language skills in a relaxed environment while engaging in fun cultural activities like playing games, dancing, watching movies/tv shows, eating snacks, etc.

All language groups will meet in the LCAL Studio and Humanities Commons (POS 343) unless otherwise noted.

Please note: groups only meet when regular classes are in session.

We are still accepting applications for our three master's programs for fall 2026:

• M.A. in Applied Linguistics & Second Language Acquisition
• Deadline: May 1, 2026
• M.A. in Applied Linguistics & Second Language Acquisition — Advanced Study
• Deadline; May 1, 2026
• M.A. in Global Communication & Applied Translation
• Deadline: May 13, 2026