Carrie Jackson. I direct the SLA lab. I am currently a professor of German and Linguistics at Penn State University and the head of the Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures. My main interests include psycholinguistics, language acquisition, and foreign language pedagogy. Over the years I have spent time abroad in Graz, Austria, where I taught English and studied at Karl-Franzens Universität for two years; in Utrecht, The Netherlands, where I studied Dutch language and culture; and at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, where I spent a yearlong sabbatical learning about neurophysiological (ERP) methods for studying language processing. The central question in my research is to test linguistically-informed theories of how second language (L2) speakers process lexical and grammatical information during real-time comprehension and production, to advance our understanding of the cognitive and linguistic mechanisms that drive L2 acquisition and use. When I’m not busy being a professor (yes, occasionally we do get some time off!) you can usually find me playing my violin, running or spending time outdoors with my dog, Beau.
Graduate Students
Natacha Mally. I am currently pursuing a PhD in German Linguistics and Applied Linguistics as well as Language Science. I earned an M.A. in German Second Language Acquisition, an M.A. in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (with a secondary focus on curriculum design) and a Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning from Kansas State University. I am qualified to teach ESL, French and German and enjoy teaching at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. My primary focus is on the study of bilingualism and second language acquisition and (re)learning, particularly in individuals with neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive disorders. The primary objective of my research is to develop instructional methods, techniques, and tools that make language learning more inclusive and accessible. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my children and playing the cello.
Megan Wadas. I am currently a Ph.D. student at Penn State. I received my B.A. in German with minors in Communication and Linguistics in 2020 from The Ohio State University. My main research interests are second language acquisition, particularly language attitudes and learner motivation. I am spending the 2023-2024 academic year as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Feldkirch, Austria.
Alexis Wilt. I received my B.S. in Business Admiinstration0Finance and B.A. in German from Millersville University of Pennsylvania in 2018. Afterwards, I spent a year teaching English in Fulda, Germany with theFulbright English Teaching Assistant program. As a PhD student in German linguistics and applied linguistics, I’m interested in the acquisition of morphosyntax in a second language.
Undergraduate Students
Carly Levy. I am currently an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Linguistics at Penn State as well as a minor in music performance specializing in voice. My main research interests are in second language acquisition (specifically in German), psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. Outside of school, I love to travel, hike, watch some good movies, and write poetry!
Former Students/Postdoctoral Scholars
Dr. Eric Pelzl (Postdoctoral Scholar, 2018-2022) currently: Assistant Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Dr. Laurel Brehm (Postdoctoral Scholar, 2016-2017) currently: Assistant Professor, University of California Santa Barbara
Dr. Aaron Albin (Postdoctoral Scholar, 2015-2016)
Dr. Valerie Keppenne (PhD, 2023) currently: Research Data Management Specialist, Penn State Survey Research Center
Dr. Anna Wells Piotti Castonguay (PhD, 2023) currently: Assistant Director of Inclusive Teaching, Bates College
Dr. Katherine Kerschen (PhD, 2022) currently: Lecturer and Pedagogy Specialist, Washington University in St. Louis
Dr. Bianca Gavin (PhD, 2019) currently: Lecturer and German Program Coordinator, SUNY New Paltz
Dr. Patricia Schempp (Ph.D., 2017) currently: Academic Advisor, Penn State
Dr. Courtney Johnson Fowler (Ph.D., 2017) currently: Assistant Director, Office of Global Programs, Denison University
Dr. Christine Gardner (Ph.D., 2016)
Dr. Nick Henry (Ph.D., 2015) currently: Assistant Professor, U of Texas at Austin
Dr. Alison Eisel Hendricks (Ph.D., 2014) currently: Assistant Professor, U at Buffalo
Dr. Janice McGregor (Ph.D., 2012) current position: Assistant Professor, U of Arizona
Edwin McMillan (M.A., 2009)
Lisa Hundley (M.A., 2007) current position: High School English teacher, Eisenstadt Austria
Rosa Padt (B.S., 2021) post-graduation: M.A. Program in International Development Studies, University of Amsterdam (NL)
Allison Kelly (B.S., 2018) post-graduation: Environmental Education Intern, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
Erin Carpenter (B.S., 2018) post-graduation: M.S. Program for Speech Language Pathology, Boston University
Neil Shook (B.S., 2018) post-graduation: USTA English Teaching Assistant in Graz, Austria
Benjamin Simonson (B.S., 2018) post-graduation: Research Technologist (Biology), Penn State University
Jack DiMidio (B.S., 2017)
Jalyn Taylor (B.S., 2017) post-graduation: M.S. Program for Speech Language Pathology, Longwood University
Julia Hotchner (B.S., 2014) post-graduation: M.S. Program for Speech Language Pathology, University of Jacksonville
Abigail Massaro (B.A., 2014) post-graduation: USTA English Teaching Assistant in Graz, Austria
Leah Pappas (B.A., 2014) post-graduation: Ph.D. Program in Linguistics, University of Hawaii-Manoa
Kaylee Roupas (B.A., 2014) post-graduation: Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, Romania
Elizabeth Mormer (B.S., 2012) post-graduation: M.S. Program for Speech Language Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Rebecca Leimkuhler (B.S., 2012)
Luke McDermott (B.S., 2010) post-graduation: Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, Cornell University