Xiaoyan Xiao (Professor, College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Xiamen University; HYI Visiting Scholar, 2023-24)
“The Deaf Community in a Chinese Socialist Welfare Factory”
What got you interested in your research topic?
I encountered signed language by accident in 2006. What a wonderful “accident”! I have since been fascinated by the language. As I get to know more and more Deaf people in China and have “heard” their life stories, I feel compelled to tell their stories.
Outside of work, where can we find you?
Not too much in the library I’m afraid, hahaha. Most likely you might catch me rushing between classes that I audit, singing with the Harvard-Redcliffe Choral Society, or occasionally in the gym.
What would you want to do most as a career if you were not in academia?
I love musicals, so maybe a musical actress?
Read Prof. Xiao’s bio on our website