Shelley Dawson— Applied Linguistics PhD graduate

Shelley uses Applied Linguistics to study how individuals find their voice in new surroundings.

I am constantly intrigued by my students’ varied journeys as they navigate the intricacies of the target language and negotiate ‘who’ they are amidst new linguistic, sociocultural, and ideological backdrops.

Now, as I forge my own identity as a researcher, I am afforded access to unanticipated depths as I investigate this relationship. My study centres on the trajectories of exchange students, focusing on the crucial, yet under explored transition period. Through a detailed analysis of interactions, I aim to uncover the complexity involved in finding one’s voice in new surroundings and to link this to wider societal contexts. It is a privilege to be part of my participants’ journeys, and to be part of such a supportive and stimulating academic environment at Victoria.