Curriculum Vitae

Yamawaki, Rui, Sabrina Mossman, & Carla Contemori. In progress. Acquiring L2 pronoun interpretation biases: Implicit learning and explicit instruction at the discourse level in L2 English.

Berez-Kroeker, Andrea, Cedar Lay, Bradley McDonnell, Racquel-María Sapién, & Rui Yamawaki. 2021. Listening session: Promoting inclusion and social justice in the journal Language Documentation & Conservation. Talk story facilitated at the 8th International Conference on Language Documentation & Conservation, March 3–5, Honolulu, HI.

Contemori, Carla, & Rui Yamawaki. 2021. Acquiring L2 pronoun interpretation biases: Implicit learning and explicit instruction at the discourse-level in L2 English. Paper presented at the international conference on the Acquisition and Processing of Reference and Anaphora Resolution (APRAR 2021), May 19–20.

Yamawaki, Rui. 2017. Documenting Ixil Mayan: The process of digital language archiving. Poster presented at UT Linguistics Department Undergraduate Research Day, April 24.

Yamawaki, Rui. 2017. The infuence of language mode on monolingual and bilingual word-learning. Poster presented at UT Longhorn Research Bazaar, April 19.

Yamawaki, Rui. 2015. The development of phonological representations in monolingual and bilingual children. Poster presented at UT Longhorn Research Bazaar, April 22.

2023 University of Hawaiʻi Graduate Achievement Scholarship

2023 Bilinski Summer Research Fund

2022 University of Hawaiʻi Graduate Achievement Scholarship

2022 Bilinski Summer Research Fund

2021 University of Hawaiʻi Graduate Achievement Scholarship

2017 Honorary Mention at I.E. Citizen Scholars Research Contest

2017 Distinguished President’s Achievement Scholarship

2017 Kuhn Family Intellectual Entrepreneur Award

2017 Linguistics Departmental Honors

2016 Distinguished President’s Achievement Scholarship

2015 Presidential Scholars Individual Opportunity Scholarship

2015 Liberal Arts Honors Rapoport Study Abroad Scholarship

2015 Liberal Arts Honors

2015 Distinguished President’s Achievement Scholarship

2014 Distinguished President’s Achievement Scholarship

2013 Distinguished President’s Achievement Scholarship

Department of Linguistics, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

LING 102 (Intro. to the Study of Language) – Spring 2024 (20 students)

LING 102 (Intro. to the Study of Language) – Summer 2023 (12 students)

This course is an introduction to the study of language. There are many misconceptions about language, its development, structure, and use. Therefore, the main objective of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to examine language from a linguist’s perspective—one from an analytical and scientific point of view.

LING 102 is a writing intensive (WI) course, which requires students to do a substantial amount of writing. Students will write a minimum of 4,000 words, or about 16 pages, through various writing assignments and activities.

Institute of Reading Development

Summer Reading Teacher – May 2021 to June 2022

I taught fundamental reading and writing skills to 200 students (from prekindergarten to 11th grade). In my classes, I promoted foundation reading skills (including phonics, phonemic awareness, and letter awareness) and writing skills (including paragraph structure, essay structure, descriptive language, and sensory language). 

Beyond these skills, I deepened my students' connection to literature and love of reading by engaging in inclusive in-class discussions about themes, characters, and personal experiences. In my classroom, all students' voices are respected and heard. To support students beyond the classroom, I coached students and parents in one-on-one sessions to hone reading/writing skills at home, to achieve reading and writing objectives, and/or to address academic or behavioral concerns. 

For a list of the books and materials I used in my classroom, please contact me via email. 

ESOL Lab at the University of Texas at El Paso

Graduate Teaching Assistant – August 2020 to May 2021

I provided individualized writing and speaking instruction to 140 non-native English-speaking undergraduate students. I developed teaching materials related to reading comprehension, English grammar, APA style, academic writing, essay writing, pronunciation, listening comprehension, and fluency. I encouraged students to build their fluency using these materials and other guided activities. To ensure students were meeting the program's objectives for progress, I created and maintained detailed progress reports for each student, highlighting areas of improvement. 

To access the materials I developed for the ESOL Lab, please contact me via email. 

Peace Corps - Panama

Trainee in Teaching English, Leadership, and Life Skills (TELLS) – February 2020 to March 2020 (service interrupted due to mandatory evacuation)

I was trained to serve schools and communities in Panama to promote English language-learning and build students' leadership, professional, and life skills. Part of my training involved community outreach and relationship-building. During my training, I organized community meetings to strengthen relationships with members in the surrounding community. 

The University of Texas at Austin

Undergraduate Grader – October 2017 to December 2017

I graded assignments (annotated bibliographies, essays, and exams) and provided feedback on mechanics of writing for a class of 46 undergraduate students. The course was taught by Dr. David Quinto-Pozos and was on language/communication across species. 

Diversity in the City

Co-founder – January 2011 to January 2013

I co-created an educational program about cultural diversity for children. Assessments of the program’s efficacy revealed greater awareness of the heterogeneity of cultures and experiences surrounding us, a higher value on inclusion, and an overwhelming enthusiasm for more content and programs like this. The program continued on for several more iterations, serving more than 80 children.

Department of Linguistics, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Rarámuri (Tarahumara) Fieldwork – August 2023

The exact number of Rarámuri (Tarahumara) dialects is widely contested, ranging from two to as many as five. This study aims to collect data that may provide insight on the characteristics of Rarámuri dialects. These data include speech elicitation (word lists, Frog Story, and Pear Story) and speakers' perceptions of dialects annotated on a map of the region.

Rarámuri Fieldwork – July 2022 to August 2022

In this project, I compare Rarámuri language and education in an urban setting and rural setting. As part of the project, I interview Rarámuri mothers living in urban neighborhoods in Chihuahua City, Mexico, and in towns in the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Department of Languages and Linguistics, University of Texas at El Paso

Research Assistant – August 2020 to May 2021

Along with Dr. Carla Contemori and Dr. Sabrina Mossman, I conducted research on pronoun interpretation biases in English and Spanish speakers. The study aimed to analyze the role of input on sentences with high discourse complexity, which drive native English speakers to use a local antecedent bias (when speakers interpret a rementioned subject to be the most salient referent in a sentence with two overt subjects). 

The results of this paper were presented as a paper at APRAR 2021 and are currently in preparation for publication. 

Ixil Documentation Project

Research Assistant – August 2016 to December 2017

I assisted Dr. Danny Law with his documentation project on Ixil, an Indigenous language in Guatemala. During my involvement in the project, Dr. Law had collected materials from three villages: Chajul, Cotzal, and Nebaj. I prepared these materials to be archived in AILLA (Archive of Indigenous Languages of Latin America) at the University of Texas at Austin. 

Check out the amazing collection at AILLA!

Nahua Research Project

Research Assistant – May 2015 to August 2015

I analyzed articles about Nahua culture for Dr. Kelly McDonough's project on the group. I annotated these articles for specific historical, anthropological, and linguistic elements. The results of this project has been published in Dr. McDonough's book The Learned Ones: Nahua Intellectuals in Postconquest Mexico.

Child Language Lab, University of Texas at Austin

Language Mode on Monolingual and Bilingual Word-Learning – October 2014 to December 2017

Under Dr. Suzanne van der Feest's supervision, I designed and conducted an experiment to study word-learning differences between monolingual and bilingual adult learners. The results of this study formed the basis of my undergraduate honors thesis and were presented at the Longhorn Research Bazaar. 

Reduced Habit-Driven Errors in Parkinson's Disease – October 2014 to December 2015

Supervisors: Dr. Colin Bannard and Dr. Elisa Ferracane 

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39294-z 

Children's Faithfulness in Imitating Language Use – October 2014 to May 2015

Supervisors: Dr. Colin Bannard and Dr. Jörn Klinger

https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12503 

Phonological Representations in Monolingual and Bilingual Children – October 2014 to May 2015

Supervisors: Dr. Colin Bannard and Dr. Cindy Blanco

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00993 

Archive of Indigenous Languages of Latin America (AILLA)

Archive Assistant – February 2015 to May 2015

Under the supervision of Dr. Susan Smythe Kung, I processed and prepared documents gathered from fieldwork on Indigenous languages in Latin America for archival ingestion to AILLA, which is housed at the University of Texas at Austin. 

8th International Conference on Language Documentation & Conservation

Student Steering Committee Member – August 2022 to March 2023

I was involved in three subcommittees: Registration, Posters, and GatherTown. As part of the Registration Subcommittee, I maintained a detailed list of registrants (including complimentary, paid, and group registration), assisted with ICLDC merchandise on RedBubble, and helped create registration forms and post-conference evaluation form. In the Posters Subcommittee, I determined the poster schedule, helped create guidelines for poster creation, helped design the poster rooms and lobby in Gather Town, and uploaded all posters to Gather Town. In the Gathertown Subcommittee, I designed the movie theater room in ICLDC Gather space, helped create Gather guidelines for attendees, and assisted attendees with moving around the Gather Town space.

Southeast Asian Linguistics Society XXXI (SEALS 31)

Student Organizing Committee – August 2021 to December 2021

As a member of the student organizing committee, I helped determine the logistics of a hybrid conference model, which involved investigating on-campus spaces for in-person attendance and determining the spatial and technological layouts for registration, posters, and plenary presentations. 

Linguistic Society of Mānoa

Chair of Social Events Committee, Head of Social Committee – May 2022 to May 2023

I organized multiple social events for the Linguistic Society of Mānoa to encourage positive student and faculty interactions, boost student morale, and foster a welcoming environment in the Department of Linguistics at UH Mānoa. I coordinated event logistics, such as eco-conscious catering, event space, transportation, and activities; consulted with other LSM members to stay under budget and promote events to increase attendance; sought funding for social events; and paired new students with current graduate students through a mentorship program.

Types of events I have coordinated: 1) welcome parties, 2) hikes, 3) coffee hour meet-ups, 4) mid-semester and end-of-semester Destress Fests, 5) joint Halloween party, 6) volunteer workdays, 7) general assembly meetings, 8) Open House activities and parties, 9) spring mid-semester party, and 10) graduation celebrations.

Language Documentation & Conservation (LD&C)

Copy-Editor – August 2021 to December 2023

I reviewed accepted manuscripts to the peer-reviewed, open-access journal Language Documentation & Conservation (LD&C) for proper use of English (American, British, or Australian) and adherence to in-house style guide. Additionally, for training purposes, I assembled a detailed style guide on rules regarding references and citations, layout and formatting, tables and figures, and workflow

Language Learning & Technology (LLT)

Volunteer Copy-Editor – November 2021 to Present

I review academic publications for the open-access journal Language Learning & Technology (LLT) for proper use of English, good writing etiquette (e.g., flow, grammar, word choice), and adherence to APA (7th edition) style.

Endangered and Lesser-Studied Languages and Dialects

Copy-Editor – September 2021 to December 2023

The publication is an open-access peer-reviewed series on poorly studied languages and dialects, particularly in Japan and the Asia–Pacific region. The project is a collaboration between NINJAL (National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics), the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and the publishing company Brill. 

Papercheck, LLC

Associate Editor – February 2018 to February 2020

As an associate editor, I edited documents ranging from professional publications to legal texts for proper use of English (American or British), good writing etiquette (e.g., flow, grammar, word choice), and client’s chosen style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, AMA, CSE, Chicago/Turabian). I critiqued papers on narrative style, argumentation, presentation of ideas, and command of English to improve clients’ writing skills. Additionally, I supervised teams of 3 to 8 editors on large assignments and ensured documents maintained high editing quality and were delivered to clients on time. I assembled a detailed Excel sheet on the rules and guidelines of 6 style guides (APA, MLA, CSE, Chicago/Turabian, AP, and AMA) as a training guide for novice editors. I consistently maintained a rating of over 4.5 out of 5 on editing quality and speed.