News & Events

The leadership these five have brought to the department over the last several years has contributed significantly to the success of our language programs: this semester we have over eleven-hundred students enrolled in ALL languages—Chinese, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese.

The completion of these degrees is part of our continuing effort to upgrade our language teaching and programs through professional development and training. In fact, two of the candidates received research leave through the College of Liberal Arts professional development program to work on their dissertations. We thank the College for their support.

Ling Wang, Ph. D, Curriculum and Instruction, Purdue University, 2005
Wang Ling joined the department in 2002 as Lead Teacher in Chinese while she was still a graduate student at Purdue; in the interim years she has taken classes specializing in foreign language education at the U. Specializing in foreign language education, she has quietly finished her doctorate. Under her leadership, the Chinese program has grown rapidly and instituted many innovative reforms. Last year, the students in the Chinese program took five out of fifteen first prizes in the Chinese speech contest which included the best universities from the greater Midwest.

Ravi Prasad, Ph. D, Sociolinguistics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India, 2003
Ravi Prasad came to us as a Teaching Specialist in 1998; he transitioned to Lead Teacher in 2002. Since that time the program has grown substantially; this year he is teaching a “course share� of first-year Hindi to Pennsylvania State University. He has not only completed work on his dissertation but also presented academic papers at numerous conferences. In addition to academic work, Ravi is a professional musician, specializing in the Indian tabla drums.

Tomoko Hoogenboom, Ph. D, Japanese Linguistics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 2007
Tomoko Hoogenboom has had a long and varied relationship with the University and our department. She began as a graduate student in 1992, and worked as a Teaching Assistant until 1999. After several years away, raising a family and teaching at other institutions in the area, she returned to the department to become the Japanese Lead Teacher—this year she is transitioning with Yukiko Morita. Tomoko’s research and dissertation is on child language acquisition including first language, second language and bilingual acquisitions.

Hangtae Cho, Ph. D, Linguistics, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 2007
Hangtae Cho came to the University as a graduate student in 1996. He joined the department as a Teaching Assistant in 1997, and became our Lead Teacher in 2002. Since that time he has created one of the largest, most vibrant Korean Language programs in the United States; in fact, the largest program for non-heritage speakers in the nation. This year Hangtae will lead a Global Seminar of students to Korea, called “Open the Door to Korea.�

Zhen Zou, Ph. D, American Studies, Purdue University, 2006
Zhen Zou was one of ALL earliest hires, coming to the department and the Language Center in 2000. Since then he has served as Lead Teacher for the Chinese program and has developed and taught several new, innovative courses. In addition, he is our College in the Schools coordinator and representative to ComSLE, CLA’s Committee on Second Language Education. His dissertation, entitled "'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes': American Writers on the Opium Issue, 1840-1860," is on four Americans’ writings on opium trade, opium smoking, and the Opium War (1839-1842) in the mid-nineteenth century.

Department of Asian Languages and Literatures