I am a Ph.D. student in Second Language Acquisition at the University of Maryland, College Park, with a strong academic background in language assessment and research. My expertise in this field has been enhanced through my participation as a former Fulbright and "laCaixa" fellow.

My research focuses on exploring the interaction between explicit and implicit knowledge in second language acquisition, and how these factors are influenced by individual differences such as working memory, executive functions, and aptitude. To investigate these topics, I adopt a cognitive approach, considering both the structure of memory systems and the participants' experience. The validity of various measures of working memory and implicit knowledge remains a topic of debate, necessitating the development of better instruments for more accurate results.

Recently, I joined Dr. Faroqi Shah's Aphasia Research Center as a member of the Bilingual Assessment Research lab. This project is aimed at creating equitable testing methods for aphasic bilinguals, who are often compared to monolingual norms. This experience has sparked my interest in non-normative populations and the insights that can be gained from studying them. By combining systematic observations of impairments with information from neuroanatomy and cognitive science, we can better understand the mechanisms behind language learning and the interplay between individual differences.

My passion for these topics is driven by my desire to create fairer, more accessible, and personalized assessments and instruction for learners.

<-- To the left, you can get insight into some of my non-academic interests, places I love, and things I do. Check it out!