Meet the newest members of the Department of Languages who joined us this fall.
Adrienne Fama, lecturer of Spanish
Subjects taught: elementary and intermediate Spanish
Education: M.A. in Hispanic linguistics from the University of Florida; B.A. in Spanish from Northwestern University
Research focus: Her research interests are second language acquisition and phonology as they can be applied to the foreign-language classroom.
Prior appointment: She previously taught middle- and high-school Spanish.
Personal note: A native of Florida, she enjoys biking, swimming, reading and traveling.
Ana Paula Miller, lecturer of Spanish
Subjects taught: elementary and intermediate Spanish
Education: M.A. in Foreign languages and literature from the University of Memphis; B.A. in Foreign languages (Spanish and French) from Union University
Research focus: Her research interests are translation, interpretation, second language acquisition, phonetics, as well as neurolinguistics.
Personal note: A native of São Paulo, Brazil, she enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures. She has volunteered to interpret and translate for medical teams in the Dominican Republic and Brazil, as well as for college students on mission trips to Honduras.
Roberto Risso, visiting assistant professor of Italian
Subjects taught: Italian language, culture, literature
Education: Ph.D. in Italian, University of Wisconisin, Madison; Dottorato di Ricerca in Italianistica (Italian Ph.D. in Italian); Laurea Magistrale in letteratura Italiana (M.A. in Italian)
Research focus: His central interest is the Italian narrative prose tradition, with special interest on the history of the Italian novel from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. He published a book on the Italian epistolary novel of the 16th and 17th centuries and is working on a book on the Italian historical novel of the first half of the 19th century with special attention on the depiction on the Middle Ages.
Prior appointment: Colby College (ME), visiting assistant professor in Italian
Personal note: I love animals, especially birds and dogs. I read as much as I can and I love being outdoors. South Carolina is so great for me!
Jae DiBello Takeuchi, assistant professor of Japanese
Subjects taught: Japanese language, Japanese culture and related courses
Education: Ph.D. in Japanese linguistics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; M.A. in Japanese from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research focus: In her research, she draws on sociolinguistics and second language acquisition to examine Japanese linguistic issues from the point of view of second language (L2) learners and speakers. She is currently examining the linguistic beliefs and perceptions of L2 speakers and comparing L2 speakers who are short-term and long-term residents of Japan.
Prior appointment: Prior to coming to Clemson, she was completing her Ph.D. and teaching Japanese at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Personal note: Before moving to Wisconsin, she lived in Ehime, Japan for 12 years. She and her husband are having fun getting to know Clemson and South Carolina. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano and watching Japanese TV shows.
Pauline de Tholozany, assistant professor of French
Subjects taught: French and French Literature
Education: Ph.D. in French studies from Brown University; M.A. in French studies from Brown University
Research focus: Her research focuses on 19th-century France, and most particularly on the ways in which the novel both reflects and constructs new norms of civility. She is currently finishing her book, L’Ecole de la maladresse, which draws a history of clumsiness in 18th- and 19th-century France.
Prior appointments: Bryn Mawr College, Avignon Institute (summer teaching appointment); Mellon Post-doctoral fellow, Wellesley College; visiting assistant professor, Department of French and Francophone Studies, Bryn Mawr College; visiting assistant professor, Department of French, Gettysburg College
Personal note: I have two amazing younger sisters that always keep me up to date about what is new on the French musical scene. I practice yoga every day and am a certified yoga instructor.
Yanlin Wang, lecturer of Chinese
Education: Ed.D. in instructional technology from Texas Tech University; M.A. in linguistic and applied linguistics from Beijing Language and Culture University, China; B.A in English from Sichuan International Studies University, China
Research focus: Her research focuses on technology-enhanced foreign language acquisition, computer-mediated communication, and instructional design guided by cognitive theory of multimedia learning, cognitive load theory and dual code theory.
Prior appointment: Instructor of Chinese Language, Texas Tech University
Personal note: I have a son who is 9 years old. He likes Clemson so much because there are lakes where he can go fishing and forests where he can catch insects. We are so glad to move to Clemson. Go Tigers!
Debra Williamson, lecturer of Spanish
Subjects taught: Beginning and intermediate Spanish
Education: M.A.University of Southern Mississippi
Personal note: Clemson is a great place to teach and to live. I love outdoor sports such as hiking, kayaking, and paddle boarding. When I am not teaching I can be found in and around Lake Hartwell. In addition, I enjoy Spanish language film and travel to Spanish speaking countries.
