Standing Committee Updates

Table of Contents

1. Conference Connections: Continuing a Focus on the Future | Dustin Crowther
2. Applied Linguistics Research in our Changing World | Anwar Ahmed & Uju Anya

Conference Connections: Continuing a Focus on the Future

Dustin Crowther, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Chair, AAAL Committee on Conference Connections

Aloha, everyone, my name is Dustin Crowther, and as the Conference Connections Committee Chair, I am excited to report on our mentoring accomplishments during the AAAL 2024 conference in Houston, Texas. For this year’s conference, we provided mentoring for 221 junior members of our association (BAs, MAs, PhDs, and post-docs). This mentoring was

provided by 131 senior members, either via small groups (2–3 students at a time) or one-on-one mentoring. This was an increase from Portland for both mentees (+19) and mentors (+13), demonstrating the continued growth of our program, which will be entering its 7th year for the 2025 AAAL conference in Denver, Colorado. This year, we had mentees from 23 countries and mentors from 15 countries, truly highlighting the international impact of AAAL!

As I step down as Chair, I note that I first joined Conference Connections in 2018, as a graduate student, on an invite from current AAAL President Dr. Peter De Costa (Michigan State University). It has been an absolute pleasure to watch the program develop from an exploratory diversity initiative into a full committee, with contributions and insight from a wide range of applied linguistics scholars. I have seen, and have directly experienced, the benefits that the program has brought forth to AAAL membership. With that, I am excited to welcome Dr. Irina Zaykovskaya (University of Minnesota), who will be taking over as Committee Chair for the 2025 and 2026 conferences. Irina has been a staunch proponent of mentorship in applied linguistics, including helping to oversee a mentorship program during the 2019 Second Language Research Forum (SLRF) at Michigan State University. Joining Irina will be Drs. Ji-young Shin (University of Toronto Mississauga) and Kevin W. H. Tai (The University of Hong Kong). I would also like to offer my sincere appreciation for the time and energy provided by Drs. Brittany Frieson (University of North Texas) and Mihiri Jansz (The Open University of Sri Lanka), who have made valuable contributions over their three years on the committee. Finally, a big welcome to Graduate Student Council member John Wayne dela Cruz (McGill University), who will step in for now Dr. Oksana Moroz (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), who is ready to step into the role of mentor!

Thanks to everyone who participated in Conference Connections 2024, and I greatly look forward to seeing the program flourish in 2025 and beyond!

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Applied Linguistics Research in our Changing World

Anwar Ahmed, University of British Columbia, and Uju Anya, Carnegie Mellon University

Chair and Vice Chair, AAAL Public Affairs and Engagement Committee (PAEC)

Are you looking for ways to make applied linguistics research more impactful in school and society? Are you wondering how to make stronger connections between applied linguists and members of the public? Are you passionate about promoting social justice through your work in applied linguistics? Then we invite you to get involved in the work of AAAL’s Public Affairs and Engagement Committee (PAEC).

What is the PAEC? 

PAEC is a standing committee formed in December 2016. It provides “an important means by which AAAL members can bring their collective expertise to bear on issues of social importance and inform public debate by speaking to issues of social and professional relevance” (AAAL Standing Rules). PAEC’s mandate is to engage AAAL in the public domain.

As a collective of applied linguists, we support PAEC’s mandates by (1) preparing and proposing position statements, (2) processing position statements submitted by the general membership, (3) recommending endorsement of position statements/resolutions issued by other organizations, (4) organizing an annual public affairs event, and (5) other outreach activities, such as interviews, op-ed pieces, blog posts, social media outreach, and other relevant means of communicating with the public.

Who serves on the committee?

Current members of PAEC are Anwar Ahmed (University of British Columbia), Uju Anya (Carnegie Mellon University), Nasiba Norova (University of Massachusetts Boston), Rima El Abdali (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), Amelia Tseng (American University), Liying Cheng (Center for Applied Linguistics), and Ryuko Kubota (University of British Columbia).

What does PAEC do?

Since 2017, PAEC has contributed to creating position statements, endorsing professional organization and congressional statements, participating in advocacy and social justice events at AAAL and TESOL, and building membership in the applied linguistics and social justice listserv. As in previous years, PAEC held its open meeting at the AAAL conference in Houston in March 2024 and solicited attendees’ ideas for future initiatives in which to engage.
PAEC also facilitates the publication and distribution of applied linguistics briefs: short pieces on language-related topics of public interest and importance written in language accessible to a wider readership outside the applied linguistics community. Our most recent brief is "Accents," written by Tracey M. Derwing. Visit the AAAL briefs webpage for more information, including access to the published briefs and instructions for authors.

How can you get involved?

All AAAL members are welcome to get in touch with ideas for projects and initiatives of social concern. For example, you can propose briefs, position statements, or endorsements and work with other scholars/practitioners to create op-ed pieces, blog posts, social media outreach, or webinars relevant to the membership and the public at large. Please feel free to contact Anwar Ahmed or Uju Anya with your ideas.

We would also like to encourage AAAL members to join the applied linguistics and social justice listserv, an online collaborative space for sharing ideas, resources, publications, and initiatives focused on applied linguistics and social justice.

Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to the committee members who have recently finished their terms on the committee. We are especially grateful to Bedrettin Yazan for his leadership and service to PAEC. We would also like to welcome our new members who have recently joined the committee.

Join us and our work on the AAAL Public Affairs and Engagement Committee. We look forward to collaborating with you to make applied linguistics research more impactful in our changing world!

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