Research Assistants

Elizabeth Alvarez Alfaro

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Education in teaching English from Universidad Católica de Costa Rica and a Masters in Teaching Spanish from CIESE-Comillas, UCantabria in Spain. She returned to university in pursuit of a post-baccalaureate Diploma in Linguistics and a Certificate in the Linguistics of Speech Science at SFU. She is very interested in bilingualism, first and second language acquisition, sociolinguistics, language education, educational resources and communication disorders. Outside the lab, she enjoys writing stories for children, doing storytelling and Spanish language heritage family workshops. She also loves dancing with her two daughters and relaxing with her hubby. Following her graduation, she aspires to become a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Danielle Brady

Danielle is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Linguistics and a Certificate in Speech Sciences. She loves all areas of linguistics, especially phonology and morphology. Volunteering with Fraser Health at an outpatient rehabilitation facility, she helps Speech-Language Pathologists who work with patients recovering from strokes, heart attacks, or accidents. After graduating with her BA, she hopes to pursue an MA in Linguistics before going to graduate school for SLP. Her main hobby is writing music and performing at open mics.

Jiyun (Daisy) Choi

Daisy is an undergraduate student with a major in Linguistics, French, and Certificate in Speech Sciences. Daisy is currently finishing the last few prerequisite courses for graduate school, where she hopes to pursue a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology. Daisy can also be found working as an RA in the LangDev lab. In the meantime, you can find her gaming, crafting the perfect playlists on Spotify, and escaping into sci-fi and fantasy worlds!

Kayla Koch

Kayla is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Linguistics, an extended minor in English, and a Certificate in the Linguistics of Speech Science. Her areas of interest include phonology, phonetics, and historical linguistics. After completing her bachelor’s degree, she plans on pursuing a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, playing Word Hunt, and maintaining her Duolingo streak.

Alev Maleki

Alev is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Linguistics with a minor in Learning and Developmental Disabilities, and a Certificate in Speech Sciences. She is deeply committed to speech rehabilitation, where her focus lies in assisting individuals in enhancing their communication skills and overcoming speech-related challenges. Following the completion of her BA, Alev aspires to pursue a Master's in Speech-Language Pathology. Outside of school, you may find her volunteering, at a spin class, or hanging out with her dogs!

Chelsea Riebesehl McGarvie

Chelsea is an undergraduate student at SFU pursuing a major in Linguistics, with minors in Gerontology and History. She is interested in language acquisition, sociolinguistics, and Indigenous language revitalization, and intends to pursue further education in Linguistics after graduation. In her free time, she can be found reading alongside her cats, jogging outdoors, or enjoying a trivia night.

Breelyn Plesha

Breelyn is an undergraduate student pursing a major in Linguistics and minor in Education in Learning and Developmental Disabilities, alongside a Certificate in Speech Sciences at SFU. Her interests lay in speech and language disorders like aphasia and the affect they have on individuals. She plans to complete a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology when she finishes her BA. In her spare time, Breelyn enjoys volunteering, reading, baking, and being outdoors.

Josh Thompson

Josh is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Linguistics. He is interested in phonology, syntax, and sociolinguistics. After he completes his BA, he plans on going to grad school to continue his education in Linguistics. Outside of school, he enjoys golfing, spending time with his dog, and watching stand-up specials. 

Marina Van Woudenberg

Marina is an undergraduate student pursuing a double major in Linguistics and English with a minor of Psychology. She is interested in speech aphasia, speech acquisition and sociolinguistics. After completing her undergraduate degree, Marina plans to pursue a MSc in Speech-Language Pathology. Outside of SFU, Marina enjoys writing, creating art, and spending time with her cat.