Officers 

President

Cathleen Li

PhD Linguistics & Applied Linguistics 

Cathleen Li is a third-year PhD student in the Linguistics and Applied Linguistics program. Her research focuses on second language writing, particularly pedagogical approaches that develop multilingual learners’ metacognitive awareness and the use of AI in language teaching and learning.

Vice President

Y Emre Kahveci

PhD Linguistics & Applied Linguistics 

Emre joined the program in 2024. His research interests lie at the intersection of psycholinguistics and SLA, with a focus on individual differences among language learners and the integration of technology into language teaching.

Secretary

Michael McVeigh

PhD English Literature 

Michael McVeigh, Jr. is a doctoral candidate in the Literature program studying the early modern blackletter editions of Chaucer. He previously served GSEA as Literature Representative from 2020-2023.

Treasurer

 Nihan Sanic

PhD Linguistics & Applied Linguistics 

Nihan Sanic is a doctoral student in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics with an MA in TESOL from UIUC. Her research explores second language writing, automated feedback, and learner engagement with technology in language learning contexts.

Peer Coordinator

 Lan Dang

PhD Linguistics & Applied Linguistics 

Lan is a PhD student at Linguistics & Applied Linguistics program. She's interested in L2 writing, writing transfer, and World Englishes.

Graduate Student Rep.

Thi Thao Dang

PhD Linguistics & Applied Linguistics 

Thi Thao Dang is a PhD student in the Linguistics and Applied Linguistics program. She earned her MA in TESOL from Michigan State University as a Fulbright Student Program grantee.

 MA Graduate Student Rep.

Rayan Lakshmanan

M.A. in Film and Media Studies

Rayan is a financial engineer and producer with over 15 years in film, finance, and international consulting. He's currently pursuing an M.A. in Film and Media Studies at Arizona State University.  

PhD Graduate Student Rep.

May Kyu

PhD in Linguistics & Applied Linguistics

May Kyu’s research focuses on multilingual and transnational identity, particularly how identity, agency, and belonging are negotiated through social experiences across educational and cultural contexts.

Literature Rep.

Ashley Estrada

PhD English Literature 

Ashley Estrada is a PhD student in the English Literature program. Her focus center around decolonization and ideas of race being widely spread through the use of the detective novel.

Literature Rep.

Ford Peay

PhD English Literature

Ford Peay is originally from Oxford, Georgia. His research interests include the reception of Lucan and the embodiment of compunction in early English literature. 

English Education Rep.

Emily Niska

PhD English Education

Emily Niska is a third-year English Education doctoral student. She also serves as the Arizona English Teachers Association (AETA) President-Elect and as a Graduate Assistant Director of Writing Pedagogy for the ASU Writing Programs.

Creative Writing Rep.

Chris Du

MFA, Creative Writing 

Chris Du is an MFA candidate in poetry at ASU. She is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. Her work includes poetry, literary translation, and interdisciplinary creative research.