Maria Diez Ortega

Bio

Dr. María (Mery) Díez-Ortega is an applied linguist, a language teacher, and a researcher. Her research interests lie in the intersection of second language acquisition, task-based language teaching (TBLT), and language learning and technology. She follows a communicative task-based and project-based learning approach, with an interest in developing intercultural competence. Before coming to Stanford, she taught a variety of Spanish courses at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, at South Puget Sound Community College, and at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She has also taught second language pedagogy, second language acquisition, and English for academic purposes at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.

Dr. Díez-Ortega received her PhD in Applied Linguistics from the Department of Second Language Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. She earned an MA and an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Spanish Applied Linguistics and Hispanic Cultures and Literatures from the University of Hawai‘i. Dr. Díez-Ortega has published journal articles and book chapters on her research interests. Moreover, she has earned several grants and awards for her work in the field of language learning and technology, such as the American Association of Applied Linguistics Graduate Student Award, the Duolingo Dissertation Grant, and the CALICO Robert A. Fischer Outstanding Graduate Student Award, among others.

Academic Appointments

• Lecturer, Stanford Language Center

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

• Executive Board Member, CALICO (2023 - Present)
• Chair of Graduate Student Special Interest Group, CALICO (2019 - 2022)
• Board Member - Graduate Student Representative, Hawai’i TESOL (2018 - 2021)
• Board Member and Reviewer, Multi‘Ōlelo (2018 - 2021)

Professional Education

• PhD, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Applied Linguistics (2023)
• Advanced Graduate Certificate, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Spanish Applied Linguistics (2019)
• MA, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Hispanic Studies (2014)