Christine Shea is interested in how age, experience and the native language sound system interact with the perception and production of a second language. Adult second language learners approach their second language with a first language already in place. She investigates how experience with a previously acquired language affects the way learners perceive and produce a second (or third) language.

Violeta Vaca Delgado was born in Huelva, Andalusia, Spain. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Comparative Literature from the University of Granada, where she graduated with honors, and a master’s degree in Philosophical Criticism and Argumentation from the Autonomous University of Madrid. She was awarded a research scholarship twice at the Residencia de Estudiantes de Madrid, where she lived for two years.

Diana Vélez is Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Spanish & Portuguese at the University of Iowa, specializing in contemporary Spanish American narrative, Caribbean literature, Chicano literature & culture, translation studies, and women's studies.

Tijuana, California (1993) Born in California and raised in Tijuana, a border child. She goes back and forth between Mexico and the United States so she's fluent in Spanglish although she writes mostly in Spanish. Currently a Spanish Creative Writing, MFA candidate.

Suzanne has lived, worked, and studied abroad extensively. In addition to Iowa, she has lived in South America, Africa and Europe and speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, with a considerable background in Arabic as well. She is associated with the Union des Français à l’Étranger and leads a weekly French conversation group through the organization. Her passion for her UI teaching is inextricably tied to her countless international experiences and linguistic endeavors. She deeply believes in the power of language and cross-cultural experiences and brings that frame of reference to the classroom each day, while inspiring students to follow a unique path of their own.

Ruth Westfall is a lecturer in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Her areas of academic interest include linguistics, applied linguistics, pedagogy and course development. At Iowa, she teaches a variety of courses, including Spanish Language Skills: Writing, Spanish Language Skills: Speaking, Spanish in the U.S., and Spanish Pronunciation. She currently developing a new online version of Advanced Spanish Grammar.

Irene Wherritt is Associate Professor Emertius in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Iowa, specializing in Portuguese and Spanish Sociolinguistics and in Applied Linguistics.

Luke has an M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Iowa. Through his work as a researcher and instructor, Luke has gained valuable experience in designing and conducting experiments, analyzing data, presenting findings, and using empirically tested methods to guide language instruction in the classroom. He speaks English, Spanish, and French, and loves to find new ways of taking the language learning experience out of the classroom and into daily life.

Giovanni Zimotti is the Director of Spanish Language Instruction at the University of Iowa. His research interests include second language acquisition, technology for language acquisition, and pragmatics. He is curating various VR projects to expose students to transcultural contact. Dr. Zimotti is also a big proponent of OER (Open Educational Resources) materials to make college education more accessible and affordable. He has authored two OER textbooks for Spanish for the professions; Salón de Clase, which was released on December 3, 2021, and Maletín Médico. Dr. Zimotti is also the president of HEROE-S, an organization that brings together Spanish language educators to create, develop, and share high quality educational resources.