Vashti Wai Yu Lee 

Hello! My name is Vashti Lee, and I am a doctoral student in the Second Language Studies Program at Michigan State University. I was born and raised in Hong Kong but attended English immersion international schools for most of my schooling, which led to multilingual education and social experiences that parallel those of many heritage speakers of Cantonese. 

My experiences with multilingual learning, teaching, hybrid ethnolinguistic identities impacted by transnationalism shape much of my research  pursuits. My work often focuses on questions related to how minoritized individuals navigate power relations in society and how this has an impact on their belonging and membership in particular communities with which they have an affinity. My research endeavors in relation to this question have centered on the following few areas:

1. Language learning and teaching, identity, ideology, and emotions

2. Language policy planning, implementation, and practice

3. Multilingualism and (non)belonging in heritage, immigrant, and transnational contexts