Danwei Li

Danwei Li (李丹薇) is a Term Associate of Chinese at Barnard College. She has experience developing and teaching Chinese language and content-based courses (e.g., Chinese Contemporary Film) ranging from the introductory to advanced levels.

Before joining Barnard in Fall 2025, she served as a Visiting Lecturer at Brown University (2016–2018), a Lecturer in the Chinese Flagship Program at the University of Rhode Island (2018–2020), and an Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Rhode Island (2024–2025). She has also taught in the Chinese immersion program at Middlebury Language Schools for seven summers.

She received her B.A. from Beijing International Studies University and her M.A. in Chinese Linguistics and Language Acquisition from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Applied Linguistics at the University of Connecticut. Her research interests include second language acquisition, bilingualism, psycholinguistics, intercultural communicative competence, and language pedagogy. Committed to bridging theory and practice, she incorporates the latest research and acquisition theories into her teaching to promote student success and engagement.

Her career goal as a language teaching professor and scholar is captured in three words, “Inspiration, Creativity, and Sharing,” borrowed from filmmaker Agnès Varda. She strives to support students in reaching their proficiency goals while fostering critical cultural awareness and a lasting interest in the Chinese language and culture.