Students

Our lab includes both undergraduate and graduate students working on various child language projects.

 

Marin leans against a rock wall in front of trees and a sunsetMarin Alemán Ortiz

I have a BA in Anthropology from USFQ (Quito, Ecuador). My main research interests are language description and language documentation, particularly related to Ecuadorian Highland Kichwa, Afro-Esmeraldeño Spanish, and the Barbacoan languages. I am also interested in historical and queer linguistics.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharmaine CheeSharmaine Chee

Sharmaine Chee is an undergraduate student majoring in Speech and Hearing Science with a minor in Navajo at the University of New Mexico. She is born for the Sleeping Rock People and for the the Towering House People. Her maternal grandfather's clans are Meadow People, and her paternal grandfathers are Red Running into the Water People. She is originally from Pine Hill, New Mexico. She is overjoyed to work at the Indigenous Child Research Lab as a research assistant. She is interested in phonology and morphology in the Navajo language.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A white femme person with long red hair and a septum ring wears a black t-shirt and smiles at the cameraEliza Forrest

Eliza is a PhD student in Linguistics. Their interests are at the intersection of sociolinguistics, disability studies, and accessible design. They are the lab manager of the Lobo Language Acquisition Lab where they work on educational outreach projects that focus on language diversity and linguistic bias.

 

 

 

 

  

 

Photo of Alec Goldberg

Alec Goldberg

Alec is pursuing a MA in linguistics at UNM. He works for the Indigenous Child Language Research Center under the direction of Dr. Melvatha Chee studying Navajo child language acquisition. His research interests are in the morphosyntax and semantics of the Navajo language. He is honored to work for ICLRC as a research assistant during his studies. As an undergraduate, he earned a BA in linguistics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a BFA summa cum laude in art studio from UNM. He is originally from the Monterey Peninsula area of California.

 

Evelyna sits smiling in a floral dress on green grassEvelyna Johnson

Evelyna is an undergrad student pursing her BS in Signed Language Interpreting with a Minor in Fine Arts. 

Evelyna works with the signed language research team focusing on Hand Talk. Her goal is to become a signed language interpreter after graduation.

She is originally from Churchrock, a Navajo reservation in New Mexico. 

She is Navajo and part Mescalero Apache. Kinyaa'áanii nishłį́ (I am of the the Towering House Clan) Ta'neeszahnii bashíshichíín (Born for the Tangle Clan) 'Áshįįhi éí dashcheii (My maternal grandparents are the Salt People Clan), Tábąąhá éí dashinálí (My paternal grandparents are the Water’s Edge Clan).

 

lab logoTaye Johnson

Taye Johnson is an undergraduate student majoring in Management Information Systems at the University of New Mexico. She is born for the Sleeping Rock People and the Bitter Water People. Her maternal grandfather’s clan is Towering House People, and her Paternal grandfather's clan is the Mexican clan people. Taye is originally from Pinehill, New Mexico. She is grateful for the opportunity to work at the Indigenous Child Research Lab as a research assistant. Her interests include the Navajo Language. 

 

 

 

   

 

a woman in blue glasses smiling and holding a grey and white catAkasha Khalsa

Akasha Khalsa is a first-year MA linguistics student at UNM, with a focus on documentation and revitalization. This is her first semester as a Research Assistant for LLA, and she is excited to help increase community engagement and researcher collaboration through her work in this position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mariana marchesiMariana Marchesi

Originally from Argentina, Mariana is currently pursuing a PhD in Linguistics. She has an MA in TESOL, and her research focuses on children's acquisition of minority languages. She is currently investigating child heritage speakers' production of demonstratives in Spanish and English.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

fredy mendietaFredy Mendieta

Fredy is currently pursuing a PhD in Hispanic Linguistics. His research focuses on Spanish-speaking adults' and children's co-speech gestures, in particular points accompanying the production of demonstratives in the interactional space.

 

 

  

   

monica perezMonica Perez

Monica Perez is a student researcher at the LLA lab, working on Spanish-English bilingualism. 
Monica was born and raised in Bloomfield, NM, and has been in New Mexico her whole life, to remain closer to her family. Monica is currently attending UNM through the Combined BA/MD Program and is on the pre-med track. However, she is majoring in Criminology and Spanish, with minors in chemistry and HMHV (health, medicine, and human values). Her goal is to help people in the medical field, but an additional goal of hers is to use her bilingualism to help those who struggle with language barriers to get the help they need. Inspired by her little brother and her parents, her overall career goal is to become a pediatrician and help kids, while relieving parents who may have language barriers.

 

 

 

 

Kayleigh Russell 2Kayleigh Russell

Kayleigh Russell is an undergraduate student in the Signed Language Interpreting program with a minor in Navajo at the University of New Mexico. She is grateful for the opportunity to work as a research assistant for the Indigenous Child Research Center and the Lobo Language Acquisition Lab. Her interests are on Indigenous forms of signing, specifically Hand Talk. Kayleigh grew up in Kayenta, AZ and her clans are: Kinłichiinii nilį́, Bisaan éí yáshichíín, Tabąąhá éí dabicheii, Dideschiin éí dabinálí (she is Navajo and Chiricahua Apache). 

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

Audriana Sauceda audriana sauceda

Audriana Sauceda was born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado, a small town on the southern border of the state. The rich Hispanic culture of Albuquerque drew her to the University of New Mexico, as a reminder of her own cultural upbringing. Audriana is pursuing an B.A in Speech and Hearing Sciences, with a minor in Family and Child Studies. Inspired by her younger brother and cousins, she is passionate about helping the younger generation. Her goal is to attend graduate school and become a certified Speech Language Pathologist who specializes in pediatric care.

 

Olivia Stinsona young woman smiling and posing with the Eiffel Tower in the background

I am a freshman majoring in Business Administration. I speak Spanish and French and am planning to dual major in French. This January I began work as a Research Assistant under Dr. Naomi Shin in the LLA Lab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ava Strattonwoman laughing with bangs and a white shirt in a tea shop

I study Spanish and music with a concentration in cello. My interests lie in agriculture. After college I hope to work on farms in Latin America and learn regenerative practices. I have been working in the lab since January and work on the Spanish-English bilingual research team with Dr. Shin. 

 

 

  

Devin TankersleyDevin Tankersley

Devin is a researcher in the Lobo Language Acquisition Lab, working on topics related to phonological features of ASL and effects of language deprivation on neurodevelopment. His research interests also include documentation and analysis of Taiwan Sign Language, focusing on phonological patterns and lexical variation.