A recent graduate of Harvard College with a joint concentration in Computer Science and Linguistics and a Chinese language citation, I am interested in the intersection of language education and technology. Since I was young, I have always been interested in languages. My first foray into learning a foreign language was with Rosetta Stone Chinese at a mere eight years old. Upon Duolingo’s rising to prominence in the mid-2010s, I became confident that my dream of becoming a polyglot was possible, even though I then could neither leave the country nor access native speakers of the languages on which I had set my sights.

In recent years, I have downloaded several new language-learning apps like LingoDeer, Busuu, and HelloChinese. Initially, my only intention was to better understand how languages like Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin Chinese work. Unknowingly, my biggest takeaway was learning what makes language learning software effective. I came to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each company’s platform, and now, I have a decisive conception of what makes a successful language-learning app.

Despite my immense passion for receiving education as demonstrated by my academic record and commitment to independent language study, I could not in good faith begin designing educational software without first walking the walk as an educator myself. I have taught others in my capacity as a course assistant in the Harvard Math Department for three semesters, teaching a range of multivariable calculus and linear algebra courses. This incredibly positive experience inspired me to pursue education in a more formal capacity after graduation, and I applied for and was accepted to teach English in Taiwan through the Fulbright-Hayes Program. By the conclusion of this year, I will be confident that I understand more intimately the inner workings of Eastern and Western education systems. This will empower me to take a more grounded, experience-informed approach to creating language-learning software that can cater the the diverse minds of my future users. 

Overall, my professional goal is to make language learning more intuitive yet rigorous. Calling on my background in linguistics, computer science, and international and bilingual education, I will be able to contribute my expertise to projects that make the world a bit more connected.