Anthropologist | Linguist | Southeast Asianist

អ្នកនរវិទ្យា | អ្នកភាសាវិទ្យា | អ្នកស្រាវជ្រាវអាស៊ី​អា​គ្នេ​យ៏

I am a linguistic anthropologist whose research interests include language ideologies, social relationships, and social identities. Broadly speaking, I am interested in how people use language to navigate the world and how people use language to create that world. I have conducted research in Cambodia, China, and the United States. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Carleton College. 

As the daughter of Cambodian refugees of Chinese descent, my research and teaching interests all relate to my personal background in some way. Born in the ethnically diverse city of Long Beach, California; growing up in a multilingual household; and witnessing social inequality, I have tried to understand my own sense of identity as well as the circumstances that have impacted my community. A first-generation student who is from a minoritized background, I am committed to empowering other underrepresented students to know that they too are knowledge producers. 

A large part of my outreach involves advocating for Southeast Asian Americans whose stories and histories have largely been ignored and forgotten. I seek to amplify our voices, not only bring equity to Southeast Asian Americans, but to also create a socially just world for all communities who have experienced inequity, racism, and marginalization. 

Appointments

2023-present Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Carleton College 

2021-2023 UC Berkeley Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies

Education

PhD University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Anthropology, specialty in Linguistic Anthropology) 

MA University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Anthropology, specialty in Linguistic Anthropology) 

BA Pitzer College (Anthropology, Linguistics) 

On Capitol Hill, in the office of my hometown Representative Alan Lowenthal (California's 47th congressional district), requesting Representative Lowenthal not only advocate for Cambodian Americans facing deportation, but to also make a formal statement condemning the deportations. (2017, I am on the left and a staff member from Rep. Lowenthal's office is on the right) 

In 2017, I participated in Southeast Asia Resource Action Center's Leadership & Advocacy Training program. My cohort and I acquired advocacy and leadership skills necessary to seek policy change for Southeast Asian Americans. We met with elected officials on Capitol Hill and urged them to modify policies that are damaging to Southeast Asian Americans and educated them on how they can promote policies that uplift our communities instead. Yes, that's me in the thumbnail (second from the top right) and around the 19-21 second mark.