On August 14–15, 2026, I had the honor of hosting the 42nd Annual Conference of the Council of Teachers of Southeast Asian Languages (COTSEAL) here at UC San Diego. It’s a two-day hybrid gathering of Southeast Asian language educators, researchers, and community practitioners from across the U.S. and abroad.
Taking this on was no small task, but it turned out to be one of the most fun and genuinely exhausting experiences I’ve had in this role as the COTSEAL secretary so far. From the late nights sorting out logistics to the quiet pride of watching colleagues from across the country connect, share ideas, and celebrate the work we do in Southeast Asian language education, it was an experience I’ll always be grateful for.
I’m especially thankful to our UC San Diego Linguistics Department Chief Administrative Officer, whose support and guidance made this event’s success possible.
You can read the full conference recap on the Linguistics Department website.