Hi, my name is Ruth Westfall and I’m a lecturer in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.  I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Ph.D. in Spanish and Romance Languages. From Indiana University at Bloomington, I received a Master of Arts in Hispanic Linguistics. From the University of Iowa, I received my Bachelor of Arts in French and Linguistics.

My areas of academic interest include linguistics, applied linguistics, pedagogy and course development. At Iowa, I teach a variety of courses, including Spanish Language Skills: Writing, Spanish Language Skills: Speaking, Spanish in the U.S., and Spanish Pronunciation. I’m currently developing a new online version of Advanced Spanish Grammar.

A couple of interesting facts about myself; I am a serious “rolling stone” and have lived in many different states in the U.S. and several countries abroad. I believe that understanding languages and cultures brings humanity together and enriches our lives. In my spare time I enjoy exploring the natural world (there are many wonderful state parks and forests within a few hours of Iowa City—get outside!).