Bio
Mahdi Duris is pursuing a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics & Technology, specializing in research on second language pronunciation. His research interests revolve around pronunciation, phonetics, and phonology, particularly in relation to the automation of intelligibility ratings using the Acoustic Masking and Intelligibility (AMI) theory. In a broader sense, his focus encompasses the study of phonetic characteristics in second language speech, evaluating the intelligibility of L2 speakers, and exploring technological approaches to enhance language acquisition. He is a research assistant to Dr. John Levis (NSF-funded project) and Dr. Volker Hegelheimer (U.S. Department of State-funded project).