Rossina Soyan (she/her)

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences

4th Year / PhD in Modern Languages, Second Language Acquisition

Hometown: The village of Beldir-Aryg, Tuva, Russia

1. What are your academic and/or professional goals? I have two big goals for this academic year: defend my dissertation and find a job. My smaller goals are to attend three conferences, present my papers there, finish the first draft of a journal article I have been working on since this summer, and apply for a grant to fund my next research project.
2. Tell us about a significant moment in your academic journey at CMU so far. I like how the PhD program is structured in my department. There is clear scaffolding from the first year to the fourth year of the program that gradually leads to independence as a researcher: first, a systematic review of literature; next, a smaller research project to try out your ideas; and finally, a dissertation proposal. When I understood how this structure benefits my growth and leads to a finished dissertation, I was very happy.
3. What do you like to do in your time away from academic work? I like reading and walking. Every year, I read about 80 books not related to research or teaching, just for fun. I have a huge TBR list which will never be finished. Before or after reading, I usually walk in Frick Park and observe how nature changes with seasons.
4. Tell us about your last memorable meal. What was it, where did you have it, and who were you with? Since I am answering these questions at the end of November, of course, the last memorable meal is Thanksgiving dinner. My boyfriend Tom is from Pittsburgh, so we went to his parents' place and enjoyed all the traditional dishes. Tom's parents are great at cooking, so we are regularly spoiled with amazing homemade dinners.
5. What’s your favorite thing about Pittsburgh? I like that the city is small and affordable, but also it has a lot to offer in terms of nature and culture. I like all the parks around CMU such as Schenley and Frick and hiking destinations around Pittsburgh like the Presque Isle and Ohiopyle. Also, I like that whenever I want to be entertained, I can buy tickets to CMU drama plays or downtown theatres. I have enjoyed my four years in Pittsburgh. It was all I ever wanted and more than I imagined.