ALLL PhD Students Pass Qualifying Exams

Congratulations to Our PhD Students on Passing Their Qualifying Examinations

The Applied Linguistics, Language, and Literacy (ALLL) Lab is proud to celebrate an important milestone in the doctoral journeys of several of our PhD students, who successfully passed their qualifying examinations in August 2025.

On August 20, 2025, Xiaoke (Sherlock) Bai completed his examination, followed by Xinrong (Carol) He, Yunfei (Phil) Du, and Ivo de Noronha Vital on August 27, 2025.

Each candidate was presented with a set of critical questions tailored to their areas of research, challenging them to reflect deeply on both theoretical and methodological dimensions of their future work. The questions covered a wide range of topics, including:

• Theoretical frameworks underlying incidental vocabulary acquisition, L3 collocational learning, and Generative AI-mediated interaction in language learning.

• Methodological approaches such as the design and analysis of eye-tracking and EEG studies, and the use of text mining and sentiment analysis in applied linguistics research.

• Cognitive and linguistic mechanisms that support vocabulary learning through reading and video-based instruction.

The examination panels commended all candidates for their thoughtful, well-grounded, and forward-looking responses. Their ability to synthesize complex ideas and articulate future research goals impressed both the panel members and the chairs.

Passing the qualifying examination represents a significant milestone in the PhD journey, marking the transition from coursework to independent research. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sherlock, Carol, Phil, and Ivo for their achievements and wish them continued success in their upcoming dissertation research.

The ALLL Lab looks forward to seeing how their work continues to contribute to the growing body of research in second and third language acquisition, vocabulary learning, and educational technology.