Linguistics Careercast

“I'm happy for the winding path that took me to this work” Kathryn Hymes is a technologist and computational linguist, currently serving as a director of product and innovation at Doctors Without Borders. Previously, she worked in leadership positions at multiple technology firms, most recently as the head of international product expansion at Slack and an advisor at Airtable. She holds an MS in computational and mathematical engineering and an MA in linguistics, both from Stanford. Her writing on language and technology has appeared in the Atlantic, Wired, and the New York Times. Kathryn is also a co-founder of Thorny Games, a design studio that explores the stories behind the language we speak. Kathryn Hymes on LinkedIn MSF Science Portal Thorny Games Topics include: – computational linguistics – project management – localization – field research – non-profitsThe post Episode #73: Kathryn Hymes first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“If you understand why you're making a career move, then don't worry about explaining it” Tim Durgin (杜腾飞) is an ATA-certified Chinese-to-English linguist, translator, and analyst based in the Washington DC area. His primary focus is on written translation in several key domains, including video games, politics, national security, and contracts. Beyond his freelance endeavors, Tim has contributed to teams at NetEase, Amazon, Google, and R2Games. He holds a Master's in East Asian Studies, and he is passionate about video games. Tim Durgin on LinkedIn Topics include: – LSPs – translation – localization – recruiters – networking – generative AI – LLM – LinkedInThe post Episode #72: Tim Durgin first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“The buzz in LLMs now is all about training data” Andy Edmonds has an MS in Human Factors, Applied Psychology from Clemson University. He started his working career as a webmaster in 1995 and has since developed a huge breadth of expertise in UX, e-commerce, web analytics, online experimentation, data science, information retrieval, and software development methods at tech companies including Microsoft, eBay, RedBubble, Adobe, Facebook, and LinkedIn. He is now a product manager at Quora. He also holds nine patents. Andy Edmonds on LinkedIn Tabtopia on Github Anthropic blog Topics include: – experimental design – cognitive science – applied psychology – data science – HCI (human computer interaction) – LLMs (large language models) – QuoraThe post Episode #71: Andy Edmonds first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“I love the process of directing voice actors – and I never would have found out about it without the internet” Colette Feehan is an audiobook director with a PhD in linguistics who specializes in multi-language books, books with technical jargon, and multi-book series that require maintaining a strong pronunciation database. Colette's doctoral research focused on the intersection of articulatory and acoustic phonetics and vocal performance specific to character voiceover – using ultrasound to look at how actors move the parts of their vocal tract around to make different voices. Colette Feehan on LinkedIn Colette Feehan’s website Colette Feehan on YouTube Colette Feehan on TikTok Natalie Naudus’s book Gay the Pray Away Rosina Lippi-Green’s book English with an Accent Topics include: – acoustic phonetics – voice over – audiobooks – voice acting – pertubation theory – pronunciation guides – accents – contract workThe post Episode #70: Colette Feehan first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

Linguists at Work! This is a special mini-podcast of the Linguistics Careercast called Linguists at Work. It's a series of 5-minute interviews with career linguists, conducted by grad students in the Georgetown Linguistics program, in which they ask the question: “What’s your job and how did you get it?” Every interview focuses on a job that a linguist not only can do, but adds value to based on the unique skillset we develop as language scientists. Today’s pod features Lexi Slome, who is an associate trial consultant. She earned her Ph.D. in Linguistics from Georgetown University in 2024, where she focused on discourse analysis of courtroom language, including research examining the role of identity construction in telling persuasive opening statement narratives. In her current role as a trial consultant, she uses both her linguistic knowledge and research skills to provide data-driven analysis of juror reactions to complex legal cases through research exercises such as mock trials and focus groups. The interview is conducted by Joana Fehr, a graduate student from Germany in the MLC program at Georgetown University. She has lived and studied in seven countries across Europe, North America, and South America, and brings a global perspective to her work. Lexi Slome on LinkedIn Joana Fehr on LinkedInThe post Mini-pod: Linguists At Work with Lexi Slome first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“In tech, I feel like I’m giving a sociolinguistics 101 course once a month” This episode is a recording of a special live episode of the Linguistics Careercast podcast. Our panel of linguists discusses how artificial intelligence (especially Gen AI) is impacting linguistics as a field. We'll cover topics like AI bias, challenges in training data curation, and implications of GenAI on online language data collection. These are conversations that linguists are having behind the scenes about the future of this changing technical landscape. The panel was held on April 12, 2025, during LingFest, a part of LingComm 2025 Panelists: Aubrie Amstutz, Responsible AI Research Scientist at Grid Dynamics Alicia Beckford Wassink, Director of the Sociolinguistics Laboratory and Professor of Linguistics at the University of Washington Katie Swindler, Content Management for Generative AI at Mother Tongue AI Producer: Alex Johnston, MLC Director, Georgetown University Topics include – generative AI – large language models (LLM) – ethics – trust and safety – minoritized dialects – language bias – automatic speech recognition – discourse analysis – product policyThe post Episode #69: Live at LingFest 2025 first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Conversation designer jobs are inherently collaborative” Jyoti Iyer earned her PhD in linguistics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Since then she’s made the journey from theoretical linguistics to expertise in customer-facing language experiences.  She is currently employed as a conversation designer, working at the interface between customer-focused experience design and enterprise AI, and focused on LLM-powered chat: guardrails, analytics and metrics, and API integrations. She’s also an LCL alum! Jyoti Iyer on LinkedIn Jyoti Iyer’s website Topics include: – theoretical linguistics – teaching – semantics – conversation design – networking – human computer interaction – LLMsThe post Episode #68: Jyoti Iyer first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is titled “Jobs in Tech for Qualitative Researchers and Social Scientists”. Our moderator, Alfonso Sánchez-Moya, guides a discussion with panelists Lex Konnelly and Jyoti Iyer on how backgrounds in linguistics and social sciences can shape innovation and drive meaningful change in tech companies. In this session, you'll learn how to utilize skills and expertise in analysis, critical thinking, and understanding human behavior to impact tech and technology. And there's practical advice on breaking into these fields and advancing your career in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. The video of this presentation is available at the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. Alfonso Sánchez-Moya on LinkedIn Lex Konnelly on LinkedIn Jyoti Iyer on LinkedIn This episode of the podcast is generously sponsored by Amazon Science. Topics discussed include – qualitative research – job search – networking – transferable skills – reframing – language context – language bias – career transition – job descriptions The post Episode #67: Jobs in Tech (LCL audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is titled “Re-Finding Your Career Path”. Our three panelists, Nancy Frishberg, Emily Pace, and Laurel Sutton share stories of their careers and the decision points that led them to their current situations. This panel emphasizes the importance of always considering your next steps and career goals as you encounter unpredictability and many unknowns throughout your life. You'll hear candid reflections about what our panelists' paths look like, what worked best for them, and how you can propel your own career forward. The video of this presentation is available at the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. Nancy Frishberg on LinkedIn Emily Pace on LinkedIn Laurel Sutton on LinkedIn This episode of the podcast is generously sponsored by Amazon Science. Topics discussed include – career journey – navigating careers – precarity – intuition – personal life changes – work environment – networking The post Episode #66: Re-Finding Your Career Path (LCL Audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is titled “The New Role of Faculty – Advising Linguistics Students”. Did you know that a draft-eligible baseball player has better odds of playing Major League Baseball than a new linguistics PhD has of getting a tenure-line job? In this session, panelists Alex Johnston and Sue Steele review the real data on academic employment outcomes, and the other opportunities (beyond academia) that are available to linguistics graduates. This presentation is aimed at linguistics faculty, but will be relevant to students and advisors too! The video of this presentation is available at the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. The deck used in this presentation is available here Alex Johnston on LinkedIn Sue Steele on LinkedIn This episode of the podcast is generously sponsored by Amazon Science. Topics discussed include – job market – academia – tenure track positions – PhD outcomes – faculty advising – career outcomes – alumni community – career resources The post Episode #65: The New Role of Faculty – Advising Linguistics Students (LCL Audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is titled “Salary and Benefits: Negotiate Like a Pro”. The presenter is Alex Johnston, who is Director, Master's Programs & Career Management in the Georgetown University Dept. of Linguistics. In this presentation, you will learn how to prepare for the negotiation stage and the proper etiquette to request what you need, as well as how to respond to tricky questions from employers regarding salary expectations. You'll also find out how to research the typical salary range for the job, how to investigate the company’s compensation history, how to avoid stating your salary expectations too early, and how to appropriately request more in the benefits package. The video of this presentation is available at the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. The deck used in this presentation is available here Alex Johnston on LinkedIn This episode of the podcast is generously sponsored by Amazon Science. Topics discussed include – salaries – salary negotiations – job research – self-advocacy – pay transparency – job interviews – Handshake app – salary expectations – benefitsThe post Episode #64: Salary and Benefits (LCL Audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“The pairing of linguistics and law makes a lot of sense” Marta Baffy is a lawyer and linguist who has over a decade of English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching experience both in the United States and abroad. She received her Ph.D. in Linguistics from Georgetown University and her JD from the Cardozo School of Law. Her research focuses on the discourse processes underlying law students' socialization to law school and the legal profession, as well as discourse analysis of interactions in the courtroom and congressional hearings. Marta's current position is Professor of the Practice and Director of Academic Success at University of Baltimore School of Law. Marta Baffy on LinkedIn Academic Legal Discourse and Analysis: Essential Skills for International Students Studying Law in The United States, by Marta Baffy and Kirsten Schaetzel Topics include: – teaching English – law school – second language education – sociolinguistics – networking – LL.M,  Master of Laws – forensic linguistics – legal EnglishThe post Episode #63: Marta Baffy first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is an audio version of a virtual panel held at the Linguistics Career Launch in the summer of 2024, titled “Leveraging LinkedIn: Creating your Profile and Using LinkedIn as a Research Database”. The presenter is Alex Johnston, who is Director, Master's Programs & Career Management in the Georgetown University Dept. of Linguistics. In this workshop, you'll learn not only how to optimize your own LinkedIn profile, but also how to leverage LinkedIn as a research tool in service of your career development. Consider this online platform to be the world’s largest database of resumes and exemplar language for work experience in the vast array of jobs available. You can learn to use LinkedIn not only to showcase yourself, but also to find leaders in your fields of interest, learn the language varieties of different positions and sectors, create a worthwhile network, and locate the right people for informational interviews. The video of this presentation is available at the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. The deck used in this presentation is available here Alex Johnston on LinkedIn This episode of the podcast is generously sponsored by Amazon Science. Topics discussed include – LinkedIn – community building – career learning – career discernment – networking – personal branding – career preparation – job research – resumesThe post Episode #62: Leveraging LinkedIn (LCL Audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“You need to have a heart of service to do this work” Carole Chaski is a forensic linguist who is considered one of the leading experts in the field. Her research has led to improvements in the methodology and reliability of computational linguistics and inspired research on the use of this approach for authorship identification. She has provided expert testimony in several federal and state court cases in the United States and Canada. She is president of ALIAS Technology and executive director of the Institute for Linguistic Evidence, a non-profit research organization devoted to linguistic evidence. Carole Chaski on LinkedIn Carole Chaski on Wikipedia Forensic Files “Letter Perfect” on YouTube ALIAS Technology The New Yorker, “Words on Trial” Topics include: – computational linguistics – LLMs – expert systems – forensic linguistics – junk science – discourse analysis – authorship identificationThe post Episode #61: Carole Chaski first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is an audio version of a virtual panel held at the Linguistics Career Launch in the summer of 2024, titled “Informational Interviews”. The presenter is Alex Johnston, who is Director, Master's Programs & Career Management in the Georgetown University Dept. of Linguistics. Informational interviewing is the key way to learn about jobs of interest, what jobs might be a good fit (or not!), and finding out “what’s out there” beyond the information available on the internet. It's an effective research tool, but it’s important to do it right. In this presentation, you can learn how to use your research skills in service of your own job search. This presentation covers topics such as what an informational interview is, who to contact, how to contact them, which questions to ask, and how to maintain the connections you’ve made for the long term. The video of this presentation is available at the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. The deck used in this presentation is available here Alex Johnston on LinkedIn Informational Interviewing: Best Practices and Etiquette Guide, by Alex Johnston (work in progress, PDF download) This episode of the podcast is generously sponsored by Amazon Science. Topics discussed include – informational interviews – professional relationships – networking – career preparation – job research – community building – career learning – career discernment – interview etiquetteThe post Episode #60: Informational Interviews (LCL audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“In customer research, if there is any group that’s capacitated to just go out and talk to people, it's linguists” Mary-Caitlyn Valentinsson earned her Ph.D. in anthropology and linguistics in a joint program from the University of Arizona in 2019. Her dissertation research was on fandoms – the way communities engage with pop culture. After finishing her doctoral degree, she taught at Appalachian State University for three years. In August 2022, she took a position with Universal Parks and Resorts in Orlando, Florida, where she works as a manager of ethnographic research. Mary-Caitlyn Valentinsson on LinkedIn Topics include – anthropology – networking – transferable skills – ethnography – qualitative research – quantitative research – focus groups – sociolinguistics – discourse analysis – fandomThe post Episode #59: Mary-Caitlyn Valentinsson first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is an audio version of a virtual panel held at the Linguistics Career Launch in the summer of 2024, titled “Creating and Tailoring an Effective Resume”. The presenter is Alex Johnston, who is Director, Master's Programs & Career Management in the Georgetown University Dept. of Linguistics. In this presentation, Alex will answer the following questions: How do I “convert” my academic, student or volunteer experiences into a professional resume? What experience do I even HAVE? (More than you think!) How do I showcase those experiences on my resume so it has a better chance of passing through the Applicant Tracking System and getting in front of a real person? How can my resume convince a real person that I'm a fit for the job? After this talk, you'll understand STAR stories, effective resume bullet points, and ways to research and display “fit” with a job announcement. The video of this presentation is available at the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. The deck used in this presentation is available here. Alex Johnston on LinkedIn Action Verbs to Make Your Resume Stand Out How to Beat the Applicant Tracking System This episode of the podcast is generously sponsored by Amazon Science. Topics discussed include – career management – career preparation – resumes – portfolios – accomplishments – career learning – job applications – job market – STAR Stories – transferable skillsThe post Episode #58: Effective Resumes (LCL Audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is an audio version of a virtual panel held at the Linguistics Career Launch in the summer of 2024, titled “Networking for Introverts”. The presenter is Alex Johnston, who is Director of the Master's program in Language and Communication at Georgetown University. In this presentation, she'll talk about on-ramps to career conversations, how small talk isn't ‘small', and how to make networking work with your personality and preferences. She'll also model small risks you can take in our supportive environment that you can carry forward during our boot camp and beyond. The goal here is to reframe networking as community building, research, and an everyday habit – something we can even enjoy. The video of this presentation is available at the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. The deck used in this presentation is available here. Small Talk, Big Deal (Ep 51 of the Lingthusiasm podcast) Alex Johnston on LinkedIn Topics discussed include – networking – career management – reframing – informational interviews – small talk – community building – career learning – career preparationThe post Episode #57: Networking for Introverts (LCL audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Are you competent? And are you someone I want to work with? You need to be both” Christopher Farina holds a doctorate in linguistics from the University of South Carolina. He has over 10 years of experience across a wide range of functions in qualitative and quantitative research in applied linguistics and in the social sciences. He is currently Associate Director, Listening & Linguistics, at InVibe Labs, a voice research company that works with healthcare organizations. Christopher Farina on LinkedIn Harry Frankfurt, On Bullshit Topics include – historical linguistics – pre-med – business writing – discourse analysis – conversational analysis – interviewing – professionalizing – work environment – power point – mentoring – medical communicationThe post Episode #56: Christopher Farina first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Linguists make the best everything” Minnie Quartey is is Vice President of Impact & Innovation for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. She earned her PhD in linguistics at Georgetown University and embarked on a career working in the non-profit organization management industry. Her research has been featured on the front page of the Washington Post, she has been a guest on NPR, and she was the primary field researcher for the first publicly accessible Corpus of Regional African American Language (CORAAL) funded by the National Science Foundation. Minnie Quartey on LinkedIn Minnie’s LCL21 panels: Being Black and Successful Beyond the Academy, and Linguists in Non-Profit Organizations Write the Damn Dissertation Topics include – sociolinguistics – storytelling – data management – networking – non-profits – disabilities – adjuncting – organization management – non-linear paths The post Episode Guide #55: Minnie Quartey first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“I’d like to see anthropology become a household word again” Elizabeth Briody is an anthropologist who has been involved in cultural-change efforts for over 30 years – first at General Motors Research and later through her own consulting practice, Cultural Keys. She has led many career initiatives including an analysis of AAA Mentoring programs, numerous career webinars, and the Career Tools for Anthropology Workbook, just published by the Anthropology Career Readiness Network, of which she is one of the founders. Elizabeth Briody on LinkedIn Cultural Keys LLC Anthropology Career Readiness Network Career Tools for Anthropology Workbook Transforming Culture Topics include – anthropology – employee culture – data science – research science – company culture – alumni speakers – medical communicationThe post Episode #54: Elizabeth Briody first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Linguistics has a marketing problem” Andrea Berez-Kroeker is the Linguistics Department Chair at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and an At-Large member of the LSA's Executive Committee. She is primarily a documentary linguist specializing endangered language preservation. Andrea Berez-Kroeker on LinkedIn Andrea Berez-Kroeker’s website Kaipuleohone, University of Hawai’i’s Digital Language Archive Brendan Regan is an Assistant Professor of Spanish & Linguistics at Texas Tech University and the Director of the Sociolinguistics & Bilingualism Research Lab. He is a mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) researcher. Brendan Regan on LinkedIn Brendan Regan’s website The Linguist List Leaving Academia, by Christopher L. Caterine 7000 Languages Topics include – linguistics faculty – career preparation – networking – language for the professions – linguistics and law – linguistics and social work – graduate school reform – alumni speakersThe post Episode #53: Andrea Berez-Kroeker and Brendan Regan first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Build relationships with your coworkers – you don't have to be friends with them” Taylor Melton is a linguist and educator with over 15 years of international experience in teaching, language consulting, and data-driven research. She earned her Master's in Linguistics from National Taiwan Normal University, as well as attending Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta, Georgia. Her career has included lecturing at Overseas Chinese University in Taiwan, crafting tailored language programs for corporate clients in Germany, and writing freelance for culture magazines. She is currently writing an Introduction to Linguistics textbook for undergraduate students. Taylor Melton on LinkedIn The Language of Food by Dan Jurafsky The Extensive Reading Foundation Topics include – language teaching – second language acquisition – discourse analysis – international travel – cooking – culinary language – networking – entrepreneurship – study abroadThe post Episode #52: Taylor Melton first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Go work with people in legal fields because they are the ones working on language access” Serena Williams received her PhD from UC Davis. She is a linguistic entrepreneur who leads walking tours, does genealogy research, is writing a textbook, developing K-12 linguistics courses, and is even writing a memoir about her time spent doing van life with her daughter while teaching her lessons tailored to the places they were visiting. She founded both the Language and Heritage Institute and Chronos Heritage Services. Serena Williams on LinkedIn Chronos Heritage Services Language and Heritage Institute From PhD to Life (Jen Polk) Topics include – genealogy – entrepreneurship – work environment – translation – language rights – language access – language justiceThe post Episode #51: Serena Williams first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This is just a reminder that Linguistics Career Launch 2024 is happening SOON – July 15-26, 2024. If you’re a linguist looking for a job outside academia, LCL24 is THE two-week event that will jump start your career journey. LCL events are open to undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, faculty, and alums — in short, any linguists who want to transition from academia to industry. There will be workshops, panels, interviews, and even financial planning sessions! Here's a selection of what's on offer: Working for the Government in National Security Organizations The Current State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Work Re-finding Your Career Path: The Never-ending Journey of Your Work Life Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI): Working with Large Language Models (LLMs) as a Prompt We'll also have two courses: Document Design & Usability 101, taught by Dr. Nancy Frishberg: The class project is revising the California Olive Oil Council's (COOC) Seal Certification Kit for extra virgin olive oil, as shown on its website Career Discernment, taught by Dr. Anna Marie Trester: Learn how to demonstrate how your unique set of skills – from critical thinking to cross-cultural competency – make you invaluable in any professional setting. Tickets are available at Eventbrite. Please visit LinguisticsCareerLaunch.com for more information! The post Linguistics Career Launch 2024 Last Chance! first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Be open to doing things that are not what you studied in school” Peter Benson received his PhD in linguistics from UC San Diego in 1973, in addition to studying neuroscience, neuropsychology, and computer science. He's worked on speech recognition, user interface, and artificial intelligence. He had a long career in aerospace communications, while navigating life as a single parent. He is now retired and pursuing a life of gardening, woodworking, philosophy, and crossword puzzles. Peter Benson on LinkedIn Dialect Identification (Peter Benson, co-author), research for the Air Force Research Laboratory Topics include – neuroscience – neuropsychology – single parenthood – financial concerns – work environment – user interface – computer science – speech recognitionThe post Episode #50: Peter Benson first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This is just a reminder that Linguistics Career Launch 2024 is happening SOON – July 15-26, 2024. If you’re a linguist looking for a job outside academia, LCL24 is THE two-week event that will jump start your career journey. LCL events are open to undergraduate and graduate students, post-docs, faculty, and alums — in short, any linguists who want to transition from academia to industry. There will be workshops, panels, interviews, and even financial planning sessions! Here's a selection of what's on offer: Networking for Introverts Finding Alternative Careers through Content Creation Leveraging LinkedIn Getting Familiar with Gen-AI Negotiating Salary and Benefits Chat GPT, your job search assistant How to Taxonomy: Bringing useful order to less useful chaos and two open discussions: Everything about work environments that you were afraid to ask and But what KIND of degree? In which we tackle the ubiquitous question: Should I get a PhD or a masters? What's right for me? We'll also have two courses, each of which will meet six times during LCL: Document Design & Usability 101, taught by Dr. Nancy Frishberg: The class project is revising the California Olive Oil Council's (COOC) Seal Certification Kit for extra virgin olive oil, as shown on its website Career Discernment, taught by Dr. Anna Marie Trester: Learn how to demonstrate how your unique set of skills – from critical thinking to cross-cultural competency – make you invaluable in any professional setting. Early-bird registration for hashtag#LCL24 is ending on 6/24! Get your ticket before prices go up. Or take advantage of the special early bird group rate: save over $100 by registering 4 people together! Register as a department or with friends. Tickets are available at Eventbrite. Please visit LinguisticsCareerLaunch.com for more information! The post Linguistics Career Launch 2024 Promo! first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“It was a wake-up call – my marriage is more important to me than that job” Emily Pace has a breadth of experience across the non-profit, public, and private sectors, including at several technology companies, the National Association of Attorneys General, the Close Up Foundation, and the Library of Congress. She was one of the leaders of Linguistics Career Launch 2021 and is now heading up Linguistics Career Launch 2024. Emily holds a B.A. in French and Arabic and an M.S. in Theoretical Linguistics, both from Georgetown University, as well as certificates from the Paris Chamber of Commerce and the Paris Institute of Political Studies. Emily Pace on LinkedIn Linguistics Career Launch 2024 Topics include – computational linguistics – corpus linguistics – annotation – NLP – networking – sabbaticals – LCL24The post Episode #49: Emily Pace first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Linguistics has given me frameworks to build my career on, and to get wildly creative within those frameworks” Alexandra Botti is a radio and podcast producer, sociolinguist, ballet dancer and ballet teacher. She is a dual citizen of the United States and France, and grew up primarily in the Boston area; she holds a Master’s degree in Language and Communication from Georgetown University. After embarking on a career in journalism, she worked for multiple media outlets including WAMU, WNYC Radio, and NPR. She is currently employed as a supervising producer at Axios. Alex Botti on LinkedIn Alex Botti’s website Topics include – bilingualism – discourse analysis – public radio – journalism – framing – storytelling – audio production – dance – sociolinguisticsThe post Episode #48: Alexandra Botti first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“There are many pathways to the solution to climate change, and that means more jobs for linguists” Jackson Kuzmik was born and raised in Hong Kong and received his Master's in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics from the University of Cambridge in England. Alongside various research positions, he has worked in outreach for an environmental research center, as a product management intern at a language-technology startup, and as the Head Mentor for his undergraduate department. He is currently working in the cleantech/climate space at Carbon Limiting Technologies in London, a specialist consultancy for scaling key climate innovations. Jackson Kuzmik on LinkedIn Topics include – working abroad – job search – analyst – consulting – data research – environmentalism – green tech – clean techThe post Episode #47: Jackson Kuzmik first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Language is the code that cracks open access to people in the world” Emily Sabo is a writer and data analyst who specializes in scientific communication, applied research, and digital content creation. While she was earning her PhD at University of Michigan, she traveled around South America, Europe & Asia researching how languages are processed in the bilingual brain. In her industry career, she's written and produced YouTube videos and podcasts for a language learning app. She's also had experience in standup comedy, and gave a TEDx talk on the power of language. Emily Sabo on LinkedIn Emily Sabo’s website Emily Sabo’s TEDx talk, “Where Humor Hides in Language” Critical Language Scholarship program Topics include – public relations – language teaching – changing identity – job search – content development – content marketing – brand engagement – interviewing – moral issuesThe post Episode #46: Emily Sabo first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Passion doesn't always have to be the thing that pays you” Emily Gref has been a bookseller, copy editor, literary agent, and, most recently, an exhibit content manager for the Planet Word museum in Washington, DC. She received her BA in linguistics from McGill University and an MA in Language Documentation and Description from SOAS, University of London, where she began creating books and resources for minority language communities. Her current position is as a Project Manager at Dragonfly Editorial. Emily Gref on LinkedIn Emily Gref’s website Planet Word in Washington DC ACES: American Copy Editors Society Endangered Language Alliance Topics include – editing – publishing – indigenous languages – endangered languages – copyediting – museums – literary agents – organizational skills – networking – project management – data analysisThe post Episode #45: Emily Gref first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“We all end up training ourselves throughout our careers” Brad Davidson is a linguist and medical anthropologist with extensive experience in marketing, positioning, branding, and overall customer and patient provider experience. He received his PhD in Linguistics from Stanford University and worked as a professional namer, before moving into life sciences and healthcare marketing. He's currently employed as the SVP of Medical Anthropology at Havas Health, and hosts the podcast Breaking the Code. Content warning – there are some swears, and discussions of medical conditions and treatments. Brad Davidson on LinkedIn Breaking the Code podcast Topics include – applied linguistics – medical anthropology – medical linguistics – naming – branding – networking – research – medical communicationThe post Episode #44: Brad Davidson first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“It feels weird to say I've ‘just’ been working” Dmitry Tereshenko is a neurodivergent, first-generation college graduate who earned his Master's degree in the MLC program at Georgetown. His work has explored human-human and human-computer interaction (HCI), specializing in the intersection of how digital technologies mediate our communication in virtual spaces. In his employment, Dmitry has variously labelled himsels as a language specialist, discourse analyst, language engineer, and language technologist. He is currently employed as a Generative AI Strategist and Conversational Interface Developer at Deloitte Consulting. Dmitry Tereshenko on LinkedIn Dmitry Tereshenko’s website Topics include – cancel culture – interactional sociolinguistics – LLM – generative AI – conversational AI – language technologist – language engineering – discourse analysisThe post Episode #43: Dmitry Tereshenko first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Networking is mutual aid.” Daniel Ginsberg is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the American Anthropological Association, where they bring their knowledge of association management and organizational anthropology to help association leaders understand the culture of the AAA community and create new pathways into active, engaged membership. For the previous four years as Director of Education and Professional Practice, they oversaw the AAA’s professional development and public outreach efforts, including nonformal education such as internships, workshops and mentoring, as well as informal education such as career development resources, youth outreach and webinars. They have taught as an adjunct professor in the American University departments of anthropology and world languages & cultures, and as a public high school ESL teacher. They also serve on the Program Committee at the LSA. Daniel Ginsberg on LinkedIn Annals of Anthropological Practice, vol 47 #1 American Association of Applied Linguistics World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration Topics include – anthropology – TESOL – networking – Center for Applied Linguistics – post docs – AAAL – project management – non-formal educationThe post Episode #42: Daniel Ginsberg first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Where in your body do you feel a ‘yes’?” Aubrie Amstutz is a cognitive linguist & researcher working towards AI Fairness. She earned a Master's in Linguistics and Cognitive Science at University of Siena in Italy. She is interested in using empirical linguistic research to dispel language myths. This has taken the form of promoting anti-accent stigma in second language development at Duolingo, exploring the downfalls of prescriptive grammar rules in foreign language learning guides, conducting research into anti-bias and discrimination in AI-powered language systems at Microsoft Research, and most recently in guiding product policy decisions and developing safety strategies for TikTok’s text-based features. Aubrie Amstutz on LinkedIn Aubrie Amstutz’ website The Linguist List Amanda Montell’s book Cultish Topics include – creative writing – screenwriting – networking – auditing – administrative academia – cult of academia – analytical linguistics – content moderation – prompt engineeringThe post Episode #41: Aubrie Amstutz first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“The jump to industry means recognizing transferable skills, industry prep, and interview prep” This episode is an audio presentation of a talk called “Alexa, how can I transition to industry positions with a background in (mostly qualitative) critical discourse analysis?” The presenter is Alfonso Sánchez-Moya, who previously appeared as a guest on this podcast. It was given in October 2023 at Georgetown University, as part of the Linguistics Career Series, a monthly talk series held by the Linguistics Department. In this series, Linguists who work outside academia speak to students about their personal career path, as well as introduce opportunities for linguists in different sectors of employment. Alfonso Sánchez-Moya is a discourse analyst currently employed at Amazon. The video recording of this talk is available on our YouTube channel, Linguistics Career Launch. Alfonso Sánchez-Moya on LinkedIn Alfonso’s website Topics include – discourse analysis – digital discourse – NLP – Alexa – tech workThe post Episode #40: Alfonso Sánchez-Moya at Georgetown University first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Naming isn't an academic exercise – it's more about your gut feeling about a name” Eric Jackson is a linguist, namer, and brand strategist. He earned his master's degree in linguistics from Boston University, where his thesis was called “A linguistic introduction to brand naming”. His employment as a namer has spanned top-tier companies like Lexicon Branding, Salt Branding (now Material), and Northbound, and he's created names for companies like Philips, New Balance, Verizon, Gillette and Nestlé. He's also a fan of Dungeons and Dragons. Eric Jackson on LinkedIn Sketch Engine (corpus analysis tool) Corpus of Contemporary American English Catchword soda names Topics include – networking – theology – job hopping – small agencies – naming – branding – internships – taxonomy – linguistic analysisThe post Episode #39: Eric Jackson first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Including personal information on your resume is recommended – it shows recruiters that you're a well-rounded person” Marina Zhukova is finishing a PhD in linguistics at UC Santa Barbara. During her time in school, both in the US and Russia, where she was born, she has held a number of internships related to linguistics, most recently at Amazon, working on Alexa. Marina is skilled in Conversational AI, Customer Research, and Product Management; she was selected as one of the 60 students out of 1,500+ applicants to attend Google’s Product Inclusion and Equity Summit. Marina Zhukova on LinkedIn Marina Zhukova on github LSA 2024 Panel: Securing an internship, contract work and part-time jobs during your degree program: A practical guide for linguistics students & faculty advisors Imagine PhD The Graduate Program in Management Practice (GPMP) Beyond Academia at UCSB Topics include – internships – computational linguistics – informational interviews – LinkedIn – knowledge engineer – Alexa – conversational AI – international visasThe post Episode #38: Marina Zhukova first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“I’m a jack of all trades – all linguists are” Falene McKenna is a linguist, tech enthusiast, conversation wizard, and a “true robot whisperer”. She studied Computational Linguistics at the University of Alberta. Since then, she’s led QA crusades, expanded beta programs across North American homes, and built customer support systems from the ground up. Falene has presented at various events, including the Conversation Design Festival 2022, emphasizing the importance of bot building standards, language expertise in AI experiences, and persona building. She is also an active member of Women in Voice, promoting gender diversity in the voice technology industry. Falene McKenna on LinkedIn Falene McKenna’s speaking profile on Sessionize Alberta Language Technology Lab (ALT Lab) Conversation Design Institute Danielle Boyer’s Skobots Topics include – language revitalization – computational linguistics – QA – robotics – conversational AI – conversation design – data science – academic precarity – job interviewsThe post Episode #37: Falene McKenna first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

Michal Temkin Martinez Anna Marie Trester “Don’t let one bridge troll stop you – find another bridge!'” Anna Marie Trester is Michal Temkin Martinez Anna Marie Trester on LinkedIn Buy Anna Marie’s books, Employing Linguistics and Bringing Linguistics to Work Career Linguist network Michal Temkin Martinez on LinkedIn and on Wikipedia Michal Temkin Martinez’ website Boise State University Linguistics Dept. “Employing Linguistics” class at Boise State Topics include – informational interviews – entrepreneurship – sociolinguistics – Boise State University – transferable skills – career readiness – internships The post Episode #36: Anna Marie Trester and Michal Temkin Martinez first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Just because you have a PhD doesn't mean you'll get hired at an advanced position in a company.” Kaitlyn Tagarelli earned her PhD in Linguistics from Georgetown University and eventually made the move to the language-learning industry, making it more fun, accessible, and effective through evidence-based solutions. She is currently Head of Research for Mango Languages. She draws on her interdisciplinary background in linguistics, language learning, pedagogy, educational technology, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience to drive research initiatives and collaborations. Kaitlyn Tagarelli on LinkedIn Kaitlyn’s blog posts, Adventures in Language, at Mango Languages Kaitlyn’s YouTube series: Science Behind Language Learning Mango Methodologies The Linguist List Topics include – neurolinguistics – postdocs – the Linguist List – job interviews – transferable skills – research studies – thought leadership – applied linguisticsThe post Episode #35: Kaitlyn Tagarelli first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

This episode is an audio version of a virtual career panel held at the Linguistics Career Launch in the summer of 2021. The title of the panel is Educational Technology. Our three panelists followed different routes from linguistics into Education Technology. They'll share their decisions about taking these routes, and what's involved in this profession. The moderator in Kaitlyn Tagarelli. Panelists: Anastassia Loukina on LinkedIn Sam Cooper on LinkedIn Emily Moline on LinkedIn Anna Marie Trester’s Career Camp Topics discussed include – educational technology – project management – transferable skills – coding – informational interviews – soft skills – collaboration – internships – indigenous languages – salary negotiationsThe post Episode #34: Linguists in Ed Tech (LCL audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“I had a foot out the door for years – and it was still a total re-evaluation of my life'” After getting her Ph.D. in Linguistics from Berkeley, Suzanne Wertheim held faculty positions at Northwestern, University of Maryland, and UCLA. In 2011, she left the university system in order to apply her expertise to real-world problems. Suzanne has done fieldwork with speakers as diverse as Tatar nationalists in the former Soviet Union, Native Americans in central California, comedians in Los Angeles, and female engineers of San Francisco and Silicon Valley. She now runs Worthwhile Research & Consulting, which specializes in analyzing and addressing bias at work. Her book, The Field Guide to Inclusive Language, is an essential resource for anyone interested in inclusive language. It’s out now! Suzanne Wertheim’s website Suzanne Wertheim on LinkedIn Worthwhile Consulting Buy The Field Guide to Inclusive Language Topics include – DEI – inclusive language – endangered languages – grieving academia – hierarchies – language bias – consultingThe post Episode #33: Suzanne Wertheim first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“You’ve got to figure out how to talk about your own expertise'” Bozena Pajak is is the Vice President of Learning and Curriculum at Duolingo, where she works at the intersection of learning science and product development. She got her PhD at UC San Diego, training in linguistics and cognitive psychology. She now focuses on developing digital educational products that are both effective and motivating for learners. Bozena Pajak’s website Bozena Pajak on LinkedIn Topics include – language learning – multilingualism – second language acquisition – cognitive science – two-body problem – language learning courses – Duolingo – metrics – management – data analysis – language typologyThe post Episode #32: Bozena Pajak first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Don’t underestimate the power of the skills you have.” This episode is an audio version of a virtual career panel held at the Linguistics Career Launch in the summer of 2021. Our three panelists followed different routes from linguistics into work in non-profit organizations. They share their decisions about taking these routes, and what's involved in working in this sector. The moderator is Alex Johnston. Panelists: Marissa Fond on LinkedIn Meg Montee on LinkedIn Minnie Quartey on LinkedIn Topics include – non-profits – Center for Applied Linguistics – applied linguistics – testing – government work – data analyst – framing – collaboration – grant proposals – fundingThe post Episode #31: Linguists in Non-Profit Orgs (LCL Audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“You have to ask yourself, ‘What am I meant to be doing when I’m done with graduate school?'” Kate Mesh is a linguist who is working as a disability-inclusive researcher in London, England. She helps major brands to improve their designs by observing the friction points, and innovated solutions, of their customers with a range of specific access needs. She leads accessibility-oriented projects that shape strategy and design choices for businesses ranging from retail corporations to government innovation agencies. Her fieldwork in grad school was focused on studying how hearing people gesture while they speak, and how deaf people adapt many of these gestures to use in young sign languages that are just now being created. Kate Mesh on LinkedIn Kate Mesh on Github International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) CPACC Certification Nancy Frishberg Topics include – ASL – sign linguistics – deaf studies – post docs – work environment – networking – research design – project management – ethnography – bible translation – ChatinoThe post Episode #30: Kate Mesh first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“In industry, personal qualities are just as important as qualifications – who you are, what you’re interested in.” This episode is an audio version of a virtual career panel held at the Linguistics Career Launch in the summer of 2021. It's true: Developing brand names is a real job, and one for which linguists are particularly well-suited. In this Career Linguist panel, three professional namers will share their career journeys, how they use their linguistic training at work, and discuss the opportunities available in naming and branding for interested linguists. Panelists: Will Leben on LinkedIn Eric Jackson on LinkedIn Laurel Sutton on LinkedIn LCL panel on translation/localization (YouTube video) LCL naming workshop (YouTube video) Topics include: – naming – branding – sound symbolism – linguistic skills – trademarks – cross-cultural communication – teamwork The post Episode #29: Linguists in Naming (LCL Audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“Sometimes having a PhD will not be to your advantage – it can put you in a box” Alfonso Sánchez-Moya is a discourse analyst currently employed at Amazon. He earned a PhD in English linguistics in Spain and did post doctoral work at Harvard and at Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He is particularly interested in online discourse and multimodal communication, mostly looking at the connections between language, ideology, power and identity. He is also interested in digital discourse and communication as key components of online education, fields he has been involved with in professional terms for the last ten years. Alfonso Sánchez-Moya on LinkedIn Alfonso’s website Topics include – success in grad school – discourse analysis – non-linear paths – digital discourse – resumes – bilingual education – NLP The post Episode #28: Alfonso Sánchez-Moya first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“There's nothing more important than staying in touch with people” This episode is an audio version of a live recording of the Linguistics Careercast podcast. The panel was held on June 24, 2023, as part of the 2023 LSA Summer Institute at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Today our three panelists will discuss non-academic career options combining cognitive science and linguistics, focusing on their journeys from academia to industry. Each of the panelists speaks about their experiences for about ten minutes, and then we go to questions both in the Zoom chat and live at the Institute, where the lovely and talented Hadas Kotek (Apple) moderates. The video is available on the Linguistics Career Launch YouTube channel. Best practices for informational interviews (LCL video) Panelists: Ann Thyme-Gobbel, Vice President, UX & Design, Milo Jayden Ziegler, Vice President of Product, Alembic Technologies, Inc. Michelle Gregory, Senior Vice President of Data Science at [24]7.ai The panel was moderated by Christopher Stewart (Google) and Laurel Sutton (Catchword Branding). Producer: Alex Johnston, MLC Director, Georgetown University Integrity Communications Topics include – cognitive science – data science – machine learning – NLP – product management – informational interviews – UX – summer internshipsThe post Episode #27: LCC Live at Amherst: Careers for Cognitive Science Linguists first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.

“You may be looking for a job, but people are looking for YOU.” Careers for linguists in government roles are more that just working for a three-letter agency. The government is a big space which presents lots of room to work on different problems of public interest. In this panel, three linguists talk about their path from academia to government roles at the federal and state level. Panelists: – Sarah Clark on LinkedIn (U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory), – Bill Marcellino on LinkedIn (RAND Corporation) – Cecilia Castillo Ayometzi on LinkedIn (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) Moderator: Emily Pace Topics include: – sociolinguistics – government work – networking – job titles – data analyst – qualitative data analysis – behavioral science – mixed methods – transferable skills – salary schedules – public policy The post Episode #26: Careers in Government (LCL Audio) first appeared on Linguistics Careercast.