khychen@um.edu.mo
Tel
(853) 8822 4505
Office
E7-2023
Consultation Hours
On sabbatical leave 2025/2026.
Katherine Hoi Ying CHEN
Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics
.
Introduction
*On sabbatical leave 2025/2026AY as an academic visitor at the Oxford Mindfulness Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford.
As a sociocultural linguist and linguistic anthropologist, I draw on theories and practical knowledge from linguistics, anthropology, psychology, and neurosciences to study the nexus of discourse, identity, and ideology. My current research and teaching focus on the discourse and application of mindfulness in Higher Education. Learn about our RCT Mindfulness intervention for research postgraduate students in Macau and Hong Kong (2025), and current events at the Mindfulness Research & Teaching Group at UM.
Before joining UM, I worked at the School of English of the University of Hong Kong, and at the Department of Linguistics and the English Language Institute (ELI) at the University of Michigan. I am a teacher and teacher-trainer, while at Michigan’s ELI, I trained international PhD students to be English-medium instructors for diverse disciplines.
PhD student recruitment: Currently FAH exercises central recruitment, please go through the UM official application process directly https://grs.um.edu.mo/index.php/prospective-students/doctoral-degrees-programmes/. Once you are admitted to FAH, you’d be advised to contact potential supervisors, and you’re very welcome to talk to me. Priority is given to students interested in Mindfulness research.
Education
PhD & MA Linguistics, University of Michigan
MPhil & BA (Hons) English, University of Hong Kong
Professional Certifications
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) Foundational Teacher Training, Trauma-sensitive Mindfulness Training, Oxford Mindfulness Foundation
Deeper Mindfulness Teacher Training, Mindfulness Network UK
Interpersonal Mindfulness Program (IMP) teacher training, Association pour le Développement de la Mindfulness
Teaching and Supervision
PhD Supervision (PhD in English Linguistics) graduated: Leslie Li (2025). Ongoing: Titus Tan, and Hazel Yang.
UM Credit-bearing courses:
- EELC2011 English Speaking for Academic Research
- EELC1003 Academic English
- HONR1000 Honours Project
Mindfulness courses (MBCT curriculum):
- Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World (8-week course for postgraduate students in Macau U and HKU)
- Introduction to Mindfulness (3-week course for students in Macau U, for postgraduate students and faculty in Michigan U)
- University of Macau Multi-Year Research Grant (MYRG-GRG Level II). A Discourse Analysis of Inquiry in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy. PI.
- Macao SAR Government DSEDJ Specialized Subsidy Scheme for Macao Higher Education Institutions in the Area of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences of Higher Education Fund. Discourse Analysis of Mindfulness-based Intervention. PI.
- Hong Kong SAR Government Research Grants Council General Research Fund (GRF), and University of Hong Kong Seed Funding. Ethnography of Indonesian Chinese Transnationals. PI.
- Hong Kong SAR Government Research Grants Council General Research Fund (GRF), and University of Hong Kong Seed Funding. Multilingual transnationals in Hong Kong. PI.
Chen, K. 2024 “Mindfulness as a relational practice”. Oxford Mindfulness Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford.
Chen, K. 2024 “Mindfulness: Resilience and Mental Well-Being for Grad Students”. Rackham Graduate School, University of Michigan.
Chen, K. 2024 Key discussant at the Language Education Conference: “Dissolving the Theory-Practice Dualism”, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Chen, K. 2023 “Creating a positive classroom climate and inspiring learning with mindfulness” Keynote, the 6th CLE Conference on Teaching and Learning, Southern University of Science and Technology.
Chen, K. 2023 “Teaching online reasoning and critical thinking in the infodemic era” Public Lecture, Department of English Language Education, The Education University of Hong Kong.
Chen, K. 2022 “Mindfulness for wellbeing and English language teaching: an exploration” Public Lecture, Department of English Language Education, The Education University of Hong Kong.
Chen, K. 2021 “Transnationality and language worlds of a family of Indonesian Chinese” Public Lecture, Ministry of Education Bay of Bengal Countries Research Centre, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics.
Chen, K. 2021 “Research and methodologies in language and gender” MA Lecture, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics.
Chen, K. 2021 “How can mindfulness improve teacher wellbeing” Keynote, the Macao Association for the Advancement of English Language Teaching Conference.
Chen, K. 2021 “Our beliefs about the English languages, and why do they matter?” Public lecture, Department of English Language Education, The Education University of Hong Kong.
Chen, K. and Xu, JQ. 2024 “Transforming Reactivity: A Discourse Analysis of Mindfulness Insights in MBI Classes” International Conference of Mindfulness, University of Bangor.
Chen, K. and Xu, JQ. 2024 “Transforming Reactivity: Discourse of Awareness in a Mindfulness-based Intervention (MBI) Programme” AILA World Congress, Malaysian Association of Applied Linguistics.
Xu, JQ and Chen, K. 2024 “Transformative Power of Online Mindfulness Training for Research Postgraduate Students: A Mixed Methods Randomized Controlled Trial” International Conference of Mindfulness, University of Bangor.
Yang, H. and Chen, K. 2024 “Reducing foreign language anxiety in a mindfulness-integrated university English classroom: An ethnographic observation” Poster. International Conference of Mindfulness, University of Bangor.
Xu, JQ and Chen, K. 2022 “Effects of an eight-week online mindfulness program on wellbeing in research postgraduate students: preliminary quantitative and qualitative results from a randomized controlled trial” International Mindfulness Conference Asia Pacific, University of Melbourne.
Xu, JQ and Chen, K. 2022 “網上八周靜觀課程對提升研究生幸福感的成效：隨機候補名單對照試驗的初步結果” 中国生命关怀协会静观专业委员会, 北京大学第六医院临床心理中心, 北京回龙观医院静观中心主办, 第三屆中國靜觀應用發展論壇。
Chen, K. 2021 “Transnational Hong Kong: the stories of places, times, and people”. Sociolinguistics Symposium 23. June, 2021, The University of Hong Kong.
Chen, K. 2021 “Chronotope and the idea of home among transnational returnees in Hong Kong”. Special Session, the language effects of im/mobility, New Waves of Analyzing Variation-Asia Pacific 6, February. National University of Singapore.
Xu, JQ., Tang, YM.J. & Chen, K. (2025) Impact of an Online Mindfulness-Based Program on Wellbeing and Trait Mindfulness for Research Postgraduate Students: A Randomized-Controlled Trial. BMC Psychology 13, 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-02233-3. SJR Q1.
Chen, K (2018) Ideologies of Language Standardization: The Case of Cantonese in Hong Kong. In James Tollefson and Miguel Pérez-Milans (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Language Policy and Planning. UK: Oxford University Press.
Chu, S., Zhang, Y., Chen, K., et al. (2017) The effectiveness of wikis for project-based learning in different disciplines in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education. Vol 33, pp. 49-60. The Netherlands: Elsevier. SJR Q1.
Chen, K (2016) The transnational journey and multilingual repertoire of an Indonesian Chinese couple in Hong Kong: the story of one family, three places, and multiple languages. In Li Wei (ed.) Multilingualism and the Chinese diaspora, pp. 237-254. UK: Routledge.
Chen, K (2015) Styling bilinguals: Analyzing structurally distinctive code-switching styles in Hong Kong. In Gerald Stell and Kofi Yakpo (eds.) Code-switching at the crossroads between structural and socio-linguistic perspectives. pp.163-183. Germany: Mouton de Gruyter.
Chen, K & Kang, A (2015) Demeanor indexicals, interpretive discourses and the “Kong Girl” stereotype: Constructing gender ideologies in social media. The Journal of Language and Sexuality. Issue 4:2. pp. 193-222. USA: John Benjamins Publishing Co. SJR Q1.
Kang, A. and Chen, K. (2014) Stancetaking and the Hong Kong Girl in a shifting heterosexual marketplace. Sage: Discourse & Society. 25(2) pp. 205-220. SJR Q1.
Chen, K. (2008) Positioning and repositioning: Linguistic practices and identity negotiation of overseas returning bilinguals in Hong Kong. Multilingua 27 (1-2), pp. 57-75. SJR Q1.
Documentary Film (2005, 2017) Multilingual Hong Kong: A Sociolinguistic Case Study of Code-switching. USA: Films Media Group.
Academic visitor, University of Oxford Mindfulness Research Centre (2025 – present)
Honorary Associate Professor, University of Hong Kong School of English (2018 – present)
Teaching Excellence Award, University of Hong Kong Faculty of Arts
Barbour Scholar, University of Michigan
Michigan Teaching Fellow, University of Michigan
Linguistic Society of America Institute Fellow
Director of ELC (June 2018 – June 2025)
Joint Admission Examination for Macao Four Higher Education Institution English paper UM chief examiner (2018 – 2025).
CET 4&6 UM deputy chief examiner (2018-2020).
UMFAH representative to collaborate with Macao DSEDJ on local school English teacher workshops and community adult English teaching (2018 – 2025).
Academic community services:
Grant proposal reviewer: Hong Kong RGC
Routledge book proposal reviewer
Journal reviewer: Mindfulness, Language in Society, Journal of Sociolinguistics, Applied Linguistics, International Journal of Bilingualism, AILA Review, Multilingua, World Englishes, Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, Springer Encyclopedia of Language and Education, Sage Ethnicities, UCLA Issues in Applied Linguistics.
Former associate editor of Journal of Language, Culture, and Society by John Benjamins.
Organizing Committee member: Sociolinguistics Symposium (HKU); American Anthropological Association Society of Linguistic Anthropology Inaugural Spring Conference (U Penn); Sociolinguistics of Globalization (HKU); New Ways of Analyzing Variation (U Mich); Michigan Linguistic Society annual meetings (U Mich), Michicagoan Conference in Linguistic Anthropology (U Mich).