hello

I am a Research Scientist in the Tweety Language Development Lab in the Department of Psychology at the University of Arizona, under the direction of Professor LouAnn Gerken.

I have been a member of the United Campus Workers of Arizona, CWA Local 7065 since its inception on September 1, 2020.

Just like the “union-minded” beagles of the past, I will not cross a picket line.

I am also the co-host of The Vocal Fries, a podcast about linguistic discrimination that Dictionary.com (!) named one of the best podcasts about language. My co-host Carrie Gillon and I are under contract with Columbia University Press to write a pop science book about linguistic discrimination based on the podcast.

The Vocal Fries was named in The New York Times as one of 5 Podcasts for Word Nerds!

I started the Scholars to Read in the Field of Language database. If you want to send a few bucks my way as a tip for maintaining the database or any other work I’ve done that you’ve found enlightening/helpful, visit my Ko-fi page or click the Tip Me widget in the left-hand corner.

Check out my publications: Podcasting past the paywall: How diverse media allows more equitable participation in linguistic science

Language development, linguistic input, and linguistic racism

You may have seen me in WIRED’s Accent Map Tour

• Part 1

• Part 2

• Part 3.

Interviews with NPR affiliate KJZZ’s The Show and Fronteras Desk

• How Latinos are reclaiming their accent marks in a stand against cultural assimilation

• Do masks delay language in little kids? This Arizona psycholinguist says no.

• Why banning preferred pronouns and identifiers like Latinx is a 'fool's errand'

• Latino or Latinx? The Linguistic Debate Over Inclusive Terms

• Why the term Latinx is out and Latine is in