Amber Galvano
she/they
amber_galvano@berkeley.edu | 586.741.9085
3040 Telegraph Ave, Apt #2
Berkeley, CA 94705
Education
University of California, Berkeley Present
● Ph.D. student in the Department of Linguistics
○ Advisor: Dr. Keith Johnson
● MA, Department of Linguistics Conferred Fall 2023
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Class of 2020
● College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
○ BA, Spanish and Cognitive Science (Language & Cognition track) with High Conferred Fall 2020
Distinction
■ Advisor: Dr. Nicholas Henriksen
■ Awarded Agnes Nicolini Vincenti Award for an Outstanding Honors Thesis
● School of Music, Theater, and Dance
○ BMA, Vocal Performance with Highest Honors Conferred Fall 2020
■ Studio of Professor Stephen West
IES Abroad / Center for Global and Intercultural Study (University of Michigan)
● Spanish Language & Culture (Madrid, Spain); 6 weeks Summer 2019
Work & Research Experience
Graduate Student Instructor, LINGUIS 100 (Intro to Linguistic Science) Spring 2024
● Instructor: Lev Michael
● Taught, collaboratively prepared course materials, and held office hours for three discussion
sections (40 students)
Graduate Research Assistant, PI: Hannah Sande Spring – Fall 2023
● Revised and edited collaborative manuscript on documentation and analysis of Lobi (Gur,
West Africa)
Graduate Research Assistant, PI: Keith Johnson Spring 2023
● Worked with audio recordings for use in listening studies with ECog patients at UCSF
● Compiled information about sound inventories and lexical statistics of various languages
● Developed computational acoustic analysis methods for use in modeling speech perception,
and for measuring dialect and language phonetic differences
Mentor, Linguistics Research Apprentice Practicum (LRAP) Spring 2023
● Weekly supervision of two undergraduate apprentices in speech & sexuality research
● Trained apprentices in sociolinguistic interviewing, forced alignment (MFA), speech
transcription, acoustic analysis (Praat), and visualization (Excel, Python, R)
● Provided guidance in development of apprentices’ own research interests
Linguistic Partner at Breath of Life Archival Institute May 2022
● Worked with Konkow Maidu Community Researchers
● Consolidated orthographic/phonetic representations, worked through basic morphology and
syntax with community members
● Compiled cultural resources from California Language Archive and Bancroft Library
Research Assistant at UM Speech Production Lab Summer ‘19 – Winter ‘20
● Spanish speech lab, co-directed by Drs. Nicholas Henriksen & Lorenzo García-Amaya
● Worked collaboratively with undergraduate, graduate, and faculty researchers
● Headed interdisciplinary group projects, analyzed phonetic data in Praat and Fission, graphed
data in R, edited academic papers, coded participant data
Team Leader at Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea Fall 2018 – Fall 2020
● Managed cafe and supervised New Team Members and Baristas during closing shifts
● Prepared and served drip coffee, espresso drinks, teas, and blended drinks
● Cleaned and prepared work area, equipment, and cafe area for the next morning
● Upsold beverages, bakery items, and retail
Counselor at Michigan Math and Science Scholars Summer 2018
● Organized, facilitated, and executed group social activities for high school students
● Chaperoned students on group outings and field trips
● Provided guidance to students, serving as a positive role model
Toll Attendant at Stony Creek Metropark Summer 2017
● Responsible for selling park entry passes to patrons
● Provided directions and recommendations to patrons
● Manually accounted for cash transactions
Sales Associate at Kohl’s Summer 2016
● Responsible for clothing recovery and department zoning
● Completed customer requests in store and via phone
● Operated cash register as well as RF and Bluebird item inquiry devices
Leadership Experience
Organizing committee member, WCCFL42 Fall 2023 –
● Drafted call for papers, secured grant funding, assisted with logistics of conference Spring 2024
Reviewer, Underrepresented Minority Linguistics Application Review Program Fall 2023
● Reviewed underrepresented minority candidates’ applications to linguistics graduate programs
across North America
Co-organizer, Phorum (Phonetics, Phonology & Psycholinguistics forum) 2023–present
● Invited, introduced, and socially hosted weekly guest speakers at home department
● Maintained forum website and email listserv
Student Representative, Faculty Search Committee Spring 2022
● Evaluated candidates for open-rank Professor of Phonetics (UC Berkeley Linguistics)
Student Representative, Faculty Search Committee Fall 2022
● Evaluated candidates for lecturer in Phonetics (UC Berkeley Linguistics)
Co-organizer, SLaB (Sociolinguistics at Berkeley) 2022-2023
● Organized yearly meeting schedule, selected and contacted speakers, compiled reading list,
facilitated biweekly meetings
Member, Colloquium Committee (UC Berkeley) 2021-2022
● Helped select and host colloquium speakers and organized scheduling related to talks
RLL Working Group on Gender Diversity 2021
● Served as student representative on faculty committee aiming to address issues of gender
diversity in the Romance language classroom
● Created template for nonbinary language modifications and terminology in five Romance
languages, to be published on departmental webpage
Living Arts Peer Mentor 2017 – 2018
● Served as live-in mentor to freshman and new students
● Organized and facilitated group projects and team building activities
● Spearheaded community recruitment activities
Skills
Languages: Spanish (advanced), Lobi, Tonko Limba (research)
Praat, LaTeX, Python, R, ELAN, Gorilla, Excel
Electroglottography (EGG)
Awards and Honors
Language Revitalization Grant (California Language Archive) ($1,800) 2024
Oswalt Endangered Languages Grant ($3,500) 2024
Graduate Diversity Pilot Grant ($2,715) 2024
Tinker Field Research Grant ($2,500) 2023
UC Berkeley Regents Fellowship 2021–2023
Agnes Nicolini Vincenti Award for an Outstanding Honors Thesis 2021
University of Michigan Honors 2016 – 2020
James B. Angell Scholar 2018, 2020
Vocal Music
Private Vocal Instructors
● Stephen West, email: sbwest@umich.edu 2017 – 2020
● Kristen DiNinno, email: kdininno@umich.edu 2016 – 2017
● Olivia Ferguson, email: ocf99@comcast.net 2013 – 2016
National Federation of Music Clubs Festival, earned nine consecutive Superior ratings 2006 – 2015
Performed live with the Jonas Brothers at DTE Energy Music Theatre as winner of Vine singing 2013
contest
Piano
Private Piano Instructor
● Vanessa Chasney, email: vanessacc@aol.com 2007 – 2016
National Federation of Music Clubs Festival, earned eight consecutive Superior ratings 2007 – 2015
National Piano Playing Auditions (Guild), earned eight consecutive Superior ratings (auditions 2007 – 2014
include eight solo pieces, sight-reading, and transposition)
