Students in this program earn a PhD in Second Language Studies, a field that examines the learning, teaching, and use of second (or multiple) languages from diverse perspectives. My research focuses on understanding patterns of language use among second language learners through corpus-based and usage-based approaches. While I use computational methods in my research, my interest lies in the linguistic questions these methods can help address. So, if you are interested in using computational approaches to investigate learners' written and spoken language, I think you might be a good fit for this position.
It would help if you first got a sense of my research. Browsing my publications and reading a few papers that catch your interest is a good start. You do not need a perfectly defined research topic. What matters more is that you can tell me what drew you to my work, or what you would like to explore instead.
Please email me at sungh [at] hawaii [dot] edu and attach your CV. In your message, briefly tell me about your background (for example, any experience with quantitative research, programming, or statistics), why my research interests you, what you would like to explore during your PhD studies, and which term you plan to apply for. I appreciate emails written in your own words that reflect your genuine interests and motivation.
If your background and interests seem to align, I will get back to you to schedule a time to talk. I may not be able to reply to every email, and I apologize in advance for that.
For general information on the application process, including deadlines, requirements, and funding, please check the UH Mānoa SLS Graduate Program page. Please note that contacting me does not replace the formal application process. You are welcome to apply directly to the program if you feel it is a good fit for your research interests.