Please tell us about your journey so far at Western Sydney University.

My collaboration with Prof. Paola Escudero at the MARCS Institute has been both smooth and fruitful from the outset. Together, we developed a conference paper for the upcoming Interspeech conference in Sydney, in which we examined how Spanish learners of English at varying proficiency levels categorize vowels across American English and Southern British English dialects. Our findings suggest that L2 dialect-specific phonetic properties and L1 orthography jointly shape early perception and subsequent learning trajectories in L2 vowel acquisition.

Starting this postdoc, I was pleased to find that the skills I built during my PhD, such as statistical analysis, academic writing, coding and theoretical interpretation, transferred well and allowed me to contribute meaningfully from the beginning. At the same time, the early stages of the project have reminded me how much productive collaboration depends on clear, ongoing communication: not assuming what a supervisor expects, but constantly checking in and adapting my working style and pace accordingly. I’ve also been refining my command of key theoretical frameworks in L2 acquisition and sharpening my use of terminology. It has been encouraging to have my effort and competence recognized by others, and I look forward to what this collaboration will produce next. 

Understanding the Mastery of Multiple Languages and Dialects is a research project that is personally meaningful because it reflects my own linguistic journey. Growing up speaking Mandarin and Sichuan dialect and later learning English, Cantonese and French, I have experienced firsthand how multilingualism shapes identity, belonging and communication. Understanding how learners navigate multiple phonological and lexical systems, especially when dialects interact with second or third languages, resonates deeply with my lived experience both as a learner and as a researcher. 

What kept you motivated in the pursuit of both an MA and PhD at SFU Linguistics?

My experience at SFU was deeply formative both academically and personally. Over the past eight years, I’ve grown from a student exploring my academic interests into an independent researcher with a clear sense of purpose, learning to transform my intuitions about how people learn additional languages into scientific, testable and quantifiable patterns.

Through coursework, research training and the process of designing and executing my own studies, I learned how to take questions that once felt abstract, such as why certain sounds are harder to learn or how multilingual experience shapes speech perception, and turn them into rigorous empirical investigations. This transformation was one of the most meaningful aspects of my time at SFU. 

Additionally, what kept me motivated throughout this journey was the combination of supportive mentorship, a collaborative research environment and the freedom to pursue questions that genuinely mattered to me.

I truly felt accepted and encouraged at SFU. As an international student navigating a new academic culture and a new country, I benefited immensely from the understanding, empathy and guidance of my supervisor Prof. Henny Yeung, committee members and peers. Their trust in my potential sustained me through challenges and helped me build the confidence to take on ambitious research projects. 

The Linguistics Department provided abundant research resources, including seminars, statistical and computational support, and extensive theoretical, empirical and technical guidance, which allowed me to deepen my expertise and broaden my intellectual horizon. These opportunities not only strengthened my methodological foundation but also helped me turn curiosity-driven questions into rigorous research programs.

Which aspect of multilingualism research fascinates you most? 

What fascinates me most in multilingualism research is how prior linguistic experience reshapes the way people perceive and produce new sounds. Multilingual speakers do not simply “add” languages; they integrate them in dynamic and sometimes unexpected ways. This interplay creates hybrid phonological systems, unique perceptual strategies and diverse pathways to mastery. 

Studying these patterns not only advances theoretical models of language learning but also affirms the cognitive richness and legitimacy of multilingual and multi-dialectal speakers, whose voices are sometimes marginalized in traditional frameworks. Researching this topic allows me to connect empirical inquiry with questions of identity, diversity and equity. 

Understanding multilingual mastery is not just academically compelling; it has real implications for how we support language learners, design inclusive policies and appreciate the full linguistic complexity of communities in places like Canada and beyond.