We aim to provide a glimpse into the rich, varied and dynamic life of our school through interviews, reports on local and international conferences, and reflections upon key questions occupying our research community.
For contributions and enquiries, contact soll-blog@unimelb.edu.au
School Life
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Walking with Wurundjeri Elder Chris Hume: A Journey Through Country and Memory
Written by Professor Adrian Hearn Enabled by an Arts Firestarter grant, a team from SOLL experienced an enlightening walk through urban Country alongside Wurundjeri elder Chris Hume. It was not just a tour of the land, but an immersion into layers of memory, language, and ecological wisdom that have historically shaped our city. Each stop […]
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From Italian Studies to Global Leadership: Nina Zepcan’s Journey as a McCall MacBain Scholar
How studying Italian at SoLL shaped an alumna’s path to one of the world’s most prestigious scholarships. Words by Matt Absalom and Nina Zepcan Introduction Nina Zepcan’s academic journey is a testament to the transformative power of language and culture. As an alumna of Italian Studies and Linguistics within the School of Languages and Linguistics […]
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Staff Series: an Interview with Astra Gilfillan
Astra Gilfillan is a professional staff member at the School of Linguistics and Languages, University of Melbourne. She ensures the smooth running of academic processes for both staff and students. Felicia interviewed Astra about her role as Academic Programmes Team Leader at SOLL, her prior work experiences, as well as her personal life.
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SoLL Postgraduate Club Annual Meeting & End-of-Year Social Gathering: Celebrating Success and Welcoming the Future
Xiaoyi Zhang The SoLL Postgraduate Club Annual Meeting & End-of-Year Social Gathering was a wonderful event that brought postgraduate students together to reflect on the past year and plan for the future. It was a celebration of everything the club achieved in 2024 under the leadership of Pip Mackey, and it was exciting to welcome the new leadership team […]
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An Interview with Matt Absalom: Cultivating a critical understanding of Italian language and culture with UMOS in Florence, Italy
Hangyu Matt Absalom, Lecturer in Italian Studies at the University of Melbourne, led the University of Melbourne Overseas Subject (UMOS) programme, Italian Cultural Studies A, in Florence, Italy this winter, hosted by our partner, the International Studies Institute (ISI Florence). He was ably assisted by Elisabetta Ferrari (week 1) and Riccardo Amorati (remainder of the […]
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Arts Global Languages Scholarship: an Interview with Cerys Evans
Felicia interviewed Cerys about her experience during her exchange programme in Trento, Italy. Ceryls also shared the process of applying for the Arts Global Languages Scholarship.
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From Master’s to PhD: an Academic Journey with Patrick Huang and Chloe Li at the School of Languages and Linguistics
Xiaoyi Zhang Yucong (Patrick ) Huang and Yue (Chloe) Li, first-year PhD students at the School of Languages and Linguistics (SoLL), University of Melbourne, share a unique bond rooted in their academic journey. Having graduated from SoLL’s Master of Applied Linguistics (MAppling) program, they cultivated a deeper interest in language studies that now guides their current […]
Students Matter
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SoLL Postgraduate Club Annual Meeting & End-of-Year Social Gathering: Celebrating Success and Welcoming the Future
Xiaoyi Zhang The SoLL Postgraduate Club Annual Meeting & End-of-Year Social Gathering was a wonderful event that brought postgraduate students together to reflect on the past year and plan for the future. It was a celebration of everything the club achieved in 2024 under the leadership of Pip Mackey, and it was exciting to welcome the new leadership team […]
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An Interview with Matt Absalom: Cultivating a critical understanding of Italian language and culture with UMOS in Florence, Italy
Hangyu Matt Absalom, Lecturer in Italian Studies at the University of Melbourne, led the University of Melbourne Overseas Subject (UMOS) programme, Italian Cultural Studies A, in Florence, Italy this winter, hosted by our partner, the International Studies Institute (ISI Florence). He was ably assisted by Elisabetta Ferrari (week 1) and Riccardo Amorati (remainder of the […]
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From Master’s to PhD: an Academic Journey with Patrick Huang and Chloe Li at the School of Languages and Linguistics
Xiaoyi Zhang Yucong (Patrick ) Huang and Yue (Chloe) Li, first-year PhD students at the School of Languages and Linguistics (SoLL), University of Melbourne, share a unique bond rooted in their academic journey. Having graduated from SoLL’s Master of Applied Linguistics (MAppling) program, they cultivated a deeper interest in language studies that now guides their current […]
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Graduate Researcher Series: an Interview with Niles Zhao
Chenyang Zhang Nies Zhao recently completed his PhD in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne. His research interests include language testing and assessment with a particular focus on test impact and validation, as well as second language writing and teacher education. His PhD project investigates the impact of the National […]
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Upcoming SoLL Event: SoLL Postgraduate Club’s Academic Reading Group Activity
Hangyu Zhang The SoLL Postgraduate Club is organising the second academic reading group to allow thought-provoking discussions in terms of various topics in Applied Linguistics. On 27 September 2024, the reading group is going to hold its second event welcoming all PhD and MA students in Applied Linguistics from all institutions! Dive in, accumulating and inspiring new […]
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Upcoming SoLL Event: SoLL Postgraduate Club’s Academic Reading Group
Hangyu Zhang The SoLL Postgraduate Club is organising an academic reading group to allow thought-provoking discussions in terms of various topics in Applied Linguistics. On 30 August 2024, the reading group is going to hold its first event welcoming all PhD and MA students in Applied Linguistics from all institutions! Dive in, accumulating and inspiring new insights! […]
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Graduate Researcher Series: An Interview with Alan Bechaz
Xiaoyi Zhang Alan Bechaz is a second-year PhD candidate in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne. His research explores mental health and wellbeing communication in multilingual contexts. For his PhD project, Alan is focusing on communication with and by members of Afghan and Hazara communities in Victoria. Alan is supervised […]
Languages and Culture
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Walking with Wurundjeri Elder Chris Hume: A Journey Through Country and Memory
Written by Professor Adrian Hearn Enabled by an Arts Firestarter grant, a team from SOLL experienced an enlightening walk through urban Country alongside Wurundjeri elder Chris Hume. It was not just a tour of the land, but an immersion into layers of memory, language, and ecological wisdom that have historically shaped our city. Each stop […]
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From Italian Studies to Global Leadership: Nina Zepcan’s Journey as a McCall MacBain Scholar
How studying Italian at SoLL shaped an alumna’s path to one of the world’s most prestigious scholarships. Words by Matt Absalom and Nina Zepcan Introduction Nina Zepcan’s academic journey is a testament to the transformative power of language and culture. As an alumna of Italian Studies and Linguistics within the School of Languages and Linguistics […]
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An Interview with Matt Absalom: Cultivating a critical understanding of Italian language and culture with UMOS in Florence, Italy
Hangyu Matt Absalom, Lecturer in Italian Studies at the University of Melbourne, led the University of Melbourne Overseas Subject (UMOS) programme, Italian Cultural Studies A, in Florence, Italy this winter, hosted by our partner, the International Studies Institute (ISI Florence). He was ably assisted by Elisabetta Ferrari (week 1) and Riccardo Amorati (remainder of the […]
Linguistics
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The Impact of Generative AI on Universities: A New Era for Education?
A new limited series on The Secret Life of Language exploring the impact of AI on tertiary education. This podcast features special guest, Professor Jeannie Paterson from the Centre for AI and Digital Ethics at the University of Melbourne.
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Graduate Researcher Series: an Interview with Niles Zhao
Chenyang Zhang Nies Zhao recently completed his PhD in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne. His research interests include language testing and assessment with a particular focus on test impact and validation, as well as second language writing and teacher education. His PhD project investigates the impact of the National […]
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The Intersection of AI and Language: An Interview with Dr. Lea Frermann
In today’s world, artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many fields, and languageresearch is no exception. We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. LeaFrermann, senior lecturer in Natural Language Processing (NLP) at the University ofMelbourne. Her interdisciplinary research spans cognitive science, computationallinguistics, and social sciences, giving her a unique perspective on how AI […]
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Upcoming SoLL Event: SoLL Postgraduate Club’s Academic Reading Group Activity
Hangyu Zhang The SoLL Postgraduate Club is organising the second academic reading group to allow thought-provoking discussions in terms of various topics in Applied Linguistics. On 27 September 2024, the reading group is going to hold its second event welcoming all PhD and MA students in Applied Linguistics from all institutions! Dive in, accumulating and inspiring new […]
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Taking Center Stage: SOLL Researchers’ Presentations at AILA 2024 in Kuala Lumpur
Xiaoyi Zhang The AILA 2024 World Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was a significant event for applied linguistics, and the University of Melbourne’s School of Languages and Linguistics (SOLL) had a strong presence. This year’s congress celebrated the 60th anniversary of the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA) and brought together researchers from around the […]
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Beatrice Venturin is a senior tutor at the School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne. Her research interests lie in multilingualism, intercultural communication and emotionality in language. She is also a polyglot and a sports enthusiast. Felicia interviewed Beatrice about her experience as Senior Tutor at SOLL, and how she navigates her academic life teaching and doing research at the same time.
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“The University of Melbourne had a strong presence this year”: SOLL Researchers’ Presentations at LTRC 2024 in Innsbruck, Austria
Chenyang Zhang Eight SOLL researchers attended and presented their research outputs at the Language Testing Research Colloquium (LTRC) annual conference, which was held in Innsbruck, Austria between the 1st and the 5th of July 2024. The LTRC conference presents the most recent research trends in the language testing field and offers a valuable opportunity for […]