Keynote speakers

Marc Brysbaert

Ghent University

Marc Brysbaert is a professor of psychology at Ghent University. He is best known for the word norms he collected in multiple languages. Currently, he is examining the extent to which AI-generated norms are a valid addition and the best ways to measure individual differences in language proficiency. Together with Jocelyn Folk, he is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Psycholinguistic Research.

Ana Pellicer-Sánchez

University College London (UCL)

Ana Pellicer-Sánchez is Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and TESOL at University College London (UCL). She is a member of the UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics and co-director of the Second Language Cognition and Brain Lab. Her research centres around the teaching and learning of vocabulary in a second language, with a focus on learning from meaning-focused input. She is particularly interested in exploring the cognitive processes involved in vocabulary learning from a range of input modes. Her work has appeared in leading journals such as Applied Linguistics, Language Learning, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, The Modern Language Journal, among others.

Simone E. Pfenninger

University of Zurich

Simone E. Pfenninger is Professor of English Linguistics at the University of Zurich. Her research investigates the optimal age for second language acquisition across different contexts, language learning later in life, linguistic indicators that predict performance in neuropsychological assessments for detecting mild cognitive impairment, cause-and-effect relationships in explaining linguistic phenomena, cognitive mechanisms contributing to language change, and language acquisition in individuals with special needs or learning differences such as dyslexia and autism. She has been serving on the EuroSLA EC as Vice President (2021-25) and Ordinary Member (since 2025) and is co-editor of the SLA book series for Multilingual Matters.

Masatoshi Sato

Universidad Andrés Bello

Masatoshi Sato is a Professor at Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile. His overarching research goal is to produce theoretical and applied research that contributes to facilitating a dialogue between practitioners and researchers. In addition to his publications in international journals and co-edited volumes, he co-authored 2024 textbook with Shawn Loewen from Cambridge University Press, entitled A Practical Guide to Second Language Teaching and Learning, which received the PROSE Award in 2025. He is also a recipient of the ACTFL/MLJ Paul Pimsleur Award. He is the Co-Director of TESOLgraphics, whose objective is to provide a platform for researchers and practitioners to collaborate, as well as Montreal Institute of Second Language Acquisition, whose objective is to foster collaboration regardless of researchers’ theoretical and methodological paradigms. He is currently the Editor of Language Awareness.