Dr. Nian Liu is Chair of the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics and Associate Professor of Chinese at the University of Oklahoma. Her research sits at the intersection of cognitive linguistics, Chinese language processing, and cultural pedagogy, with a focus on how language and culture shape cognition and meaning-making. She has published in journals such as Cognitive Linguistics, Journal of Chinese Linguistics, Brain Research, and the Journal of Neurolinguistics, and has secured more than $200,000 in external and internal funding for research and program development, including support from the National Science Foundation, the Eu Tong Sen Foundation, and the Taiwan Ministry of Education. Her work is international in scope, with visiting appointments at institutions including the University of California, San Diego and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is currently completing a book manuscript, Rationales for Chinese Characters: Cultural and Cognitive Perspectives (under advanced contract), along with a second project on language, culture, and the Chinese mind.
Dr. Liu serves as Founding Director of the Mandarin Language Education Center at OU, where she leads initiatives in language instruction, teacher training, and community outreach. She has also led curricular innovation, study abroad initiatives, and institutional partnerships that have expanded Chinese language education at both the university and state levels. She currently serves as President of the American Society of Shufa Calligraphy Education, an international organization that brings together scholars, educators, and practitioners to promote the study and teaching of Chinese calligraphy and writing.
