Honors, Grants, and Offices

Fellowships, Honors and Grants

  • Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in December 2019

  • Misti-Japan Funds for joint language project with the University of Tokyo, December 2017

  • Brazilian Government funds for Language Acquisition and Loss. (with R. Berwick and A. Villavicencio) in January 2012

  • Hatch Research Project Funds, Cornell University (continued funding) in 2010-2013

  • The University of Iowa: Obermann Center for Advanced Studies ($40K) in Summer 2010
    June 7-11 Language (L3) Acquisition Workshop: Developing a Research Base (with J. Rothman).
    SF: Oberman Fellow

  • 16th Beom Jeong Award, Graduate School, Dankook University, Seoul, Korea, 2007

  • Class of 1957 MIT Alumnae award for the development of curriculum for introductory linguistics class (with N. Richards and D. Pesetsky) in 2003-2004

  • Provost's Award: Seed grant for L2 acquisition- MEG studies and Comparisons between L1 and L2 Acquisition of relative clause structures in 2000, 2003

  • NSF grant for visiting women faculty at MIT in 1997-1998

  • NEC Award for ESL interactive video development (with Janet Murray and Shigeru Miyagawa) in 1993

  • Consortium for Language Learning and Teaching: Campus-based project (with Robert Berwick and Gita Martohardjono) in 1992

  • National Foreign Language Center Grant (with Cornell University) in 1989

  • Annenberg Foundation Grant (with Kenneth Stevens): MIT Project Athena "Linguistic Theory and Second Language Acquisition" in 1985

  • MIT Department of Humanities Research Award in 1982

  • Cornell University Graduate Research Award in 1979, 80

  • New York State College of Human Ecology Grant in 1980

  • Linguistic Society of America Summer Institute Fellowship in 1978, 80

Professional Experience

Academic

  • Research Associate
    MGH, Aphasia Clinic, Boston, MA in Fall 2008

  • Visiting Professor
    Singapore Institute of Technology and Design in January 2014

  • Vising Professor
    Linguistic Society of America Summer Institute at Stanford University (July 2007), at MIT (July 2005), and at Cornell University (July 1998)

  • Visiting Professor of Linguistics
    Ortega y Gassett Institute, Madrid, Spain in May 2004, 2007

  • Visiting Professor
    Balliol College, Oxford University in Summer 2001

  • Invited Visiting Professor
    University at General Roca, Argentina, Department of Linguistics in October 2000

  • Head of Foreign Languages and Literatures
    MIT, 1996-2000

  • Visiting Scholar in Cognitive Science
    University of Pennsylvania, Fall 1989

  • Associate Professor with Tenure (Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition)
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1988-93

  • Associate Professor (Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition)
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 198    7-88

  • Assistant Professor (Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition)
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 198    2-87

  • Director of Summer Orientation Program for Foreign Students
    Cornell University, Summer 1979

  • Instructor of English as a Second Language
    Cornell University, Summer 1978

  • Teaching Assistant, English Instructor
    Cornell University, 1977-79

  • Bilingual Curriculum Specialist, Title VII
    Brighton High School, Brighton, MA, 1976-77

  • Bilingual Teacher of English as a Second Language
    English High School, Boston, MA, 1974-76

  • Elementary School English Teacher
    Campo Rico, Puerto Rico, 1973-74

  • Elementary School English Teacher
    Canovanas, Puerto Rico, Vista Volunteer, 1972-73

  • Adult Education English Teacher
    Loiza Aldea, Puerto Rico, 1972-73

Other service

  • Expert witness for Defense (Douglas Hyne, esq) Murder trial/Language (August 2013)

  • Expert Witness for Defense (Jamie Sultan, esq.) Bilingual Language Issues (November 2010)

  • Consultant to Tim Duncan, “Don’t sue the teachers” campaign (Summer, 2002)

  • Reviewer for the ESL program at Hostos Community College (Spring, 2002)

  • Expert Witness for Defense (Jamie Sultan, esq.) in U.S. Federal Court: Issues of language (Spring, 2001)

  • Consultant for numerous independent schools in Massachusetts for the development of foreign language programs in nursery through high school (1997-present)

  • Consultant for numerous Public School Systems in Massachusetts for the development of foreign language programs in elementary schools (1996-present)

  • Member, Advisory Board for the development of an educational interactive 1990-1994 video project on the study of language, Modern Language Association

  • Consultant for Australia's Adult Immigration English Project (1990)

Co-Founding Editor

Syntax: Theoretical, Experimental and Interdisciplinary Approaches

(1996-present) Blackwell Publishers (Sam Epstein retired co-founding Editor; Currently co-editor with Klaus Abels)

Editorial Boards

  • Associate Editor
    Linguistic Inquiry (1994-2000)

  • Associate Editor
    International Journal of Multilingualism (2004-2017)