Dr. Suneeta Thomas

Department

English
Role: Faculty
Campus: Springfield

Postal mail

Missouri State University
English
901 S. National Ave.
Springfield, MO 65897

Details

Education

  • PhD, English, Second Language Studies/ESL, Purdue University
  • MA, English, Literary Studies, Purdue University

Teaching

  • ENG 793 Seminar in Linguistics (Grammatical Analysis)
  • ENG 793 Seminar in Linguistics (World Englishes)
  • ENG 793 Seminar in Linguistics (Introduction to Corpus Linguistics)
  • ENG 792 Linguistics in Rhetoric and Composition (Second Language Writing/ESL/Translingualism focus)
  • ENG 591/691 Linguistics Theory
  • ENG 595/695 Principles in Second Language Acquisition
  • ENG 592/688 Sociolinguistics for Language Teaching
  • ENG 590/690 Grammatical Analysis
  • ENG 494 Dialects of American English
  • ENG 390 Modern English Grammar
  • ENG 296 Introduction to Linguistics

Professional experience

  • MLA, Language Studies and Linguistics, Global English Forum Executive Committee, 2025-2030
  • Reviewer for textbook in Language and Linguistics, Cambridge University Press, 2024
  • Faculty Writing Retreats FLC Facilitator, Faculty Center of Teaching & Learning, Missouri State University, 2023-2024
  • Graduate Faculty Research Mentoring (2017-present): 19 graduate students (as Research Director), 21 graduate students (as Reader). 
  • Coordinator of TESOL Programs and Sole Academic Advisor of seated TESOL & ESOL Programs, Missouri State University, 2022-present
  • RCASH College Representative, Inclusive Engagement Council, Missouri State University, 2023-
  • Editorial Board, Ozarks Studies Institute, 2023-
  • University Committee on Faculty Concerns, Missouri State University, 2022-present
  • Graduate Committee; Planning Committee, Department of English, Missouri State University, 2022-present
  • RCOAL Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism Council, Missouri State University, 2020-2023
  • Conference Proposal Reviewer, TESOL 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2015 International Convention
  • Journal Manuscript Reviewer: Frontiers in Communication, 2024; SALT, Journal of Contemporary Philology, 2020-present; World Englishes, 2020.
  • Curriculum Committee, Department of English, Missouri State University, 2018-2023
  • Co-Academic Advisor with Dr. Yili Shi, seated TESOL/ESOL programs, Missouri State University, 2018-2021
  • Personnel Committee, Department of English, Missouri State University, 2017-2021
  • Linguistics Program Committee, Missouri State University, 2016-present
  • Content Developer, Online Writing Lab (OWL), Purdue University, 2015-2016
  • Chair, Second Language Studies/ESL Graduate Symposium, Purdue University, 2015
  • Certified Rater, Purdue University's Oral English Proficiency Test (OEPT), 2014-2016
  • Graduate Instructor, Content Developer, Oral English Proficiency Program (OEPP), Purdue University, 2014-2016
  • Chair, ESL Speaker Series, Second Language Studies/ESL Graduate Organization, Purdue University, 2013-2014
  • Instructor, Introductory Composition at Purdue (ICaP) Program, Department of English, Purdue University, 2010-2014

Research and professional interests

  • World Englishes/sociolinguistics
  • Applied linguistics
  • Second language writing/writing studies
  • TESOL
  • Corpus linguistics

Selected publications

  • Thomas, S. (in press). The “Default Space” of English: Sociolinguistic Perspectives from the United Arab Emirates. In Kay Gallagher (Ed.), World Englishes in the Arab Gulf States. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/World-Englishes-in-the-Arab-Gulf-States/Gallagher/p/book/9781032699967
  • Xiong, Y., & Thomas, S. (in press). “Navigating US academia as transnational women from the Global South: A duoethnographic inquiry”. In Christina L. Dobbs & Christine Montecillo Leider (Eds.), Until every woman is free: A duoethnographic exploration of equity and belonging in the academy. Bloomsbury Press. 
  • Thomas, S. (2024). Professional and cultural identity performances in transnational, middle-class migrants: A sociolinguistic case study of the United Arab Emirates. Atlantic Studies, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/14788810.2024.2341458 
  • Thomas, S. (2021). Perceiving Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” through Sociolinguistic and World Englishes lenses. In K. West &  L. T. Moser (Eds.), Critical Insights: Amy Tan (pp. 42-57). Amenia, NY: Salem Press.
  • Thomas, S. (2021). Code-switching in spoken Indian English: A case study of sociopolitical talk. Journal of Contemporary Philology, 4(1), 7-40. https://doi.org/10.37834/JCP2141007t
  • Thomas, S. (2021). English in the United Arab Emirates: A sociolinguistic profile. World Englishes, 42(2), 344-370. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12560
  • Thomas, S. (2017). Journalogue: Voicing student challenges in writing through a classroom blog. Educational Technology & Society, 20(1), 112-122.
  • Thomas, S. (2016). [Review of the book Teaching and Learning English in the Arabic-Speaking World]. World Englishes, 35(4), 618-621.
  • Silva, T., Thomas, S., Park, H. K., & Zhang, C. (Sept, 2014). Scholarship on L2 Writing in 2013: The Year in Review, SLW News. http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolslwis/issues/2014-09-24/6.html
  • Silva, T., Lin, M-H., & Thomas, S. (Oct, 2013). Scholarship on L2 Writing in 2012: The Year in Review, SLW News. http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolslwis/issues/2013-10-07/9.html

Awards and honors

  • Research Sabbatical Award for Fall 2024, Missouri State University.
  • Judy Award for Graduate Mentorship, Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, Missouri State University, 2023.
  • Assessment Grant, Missouri State University, 2021
  • Diversity Scholar Award, Missouri State University, 2020
  • Assessment Grant, Missouri State University, 2020
  • Master Advisor, Missouri State University, 2019
  • Faculty Travel Grant, Missouri State University, 2019
  • Faculty Travel Grant, Missouri State University, 2017
  • College of Arts and Letters Faculty Summer Fellowship, Missouri State University, 2017
  • Master Advisor, Missouri State University, 2016
  • Mary Gitzen Memorial OEPP Excellence in Teaching Award, Oral English Proficiency Program, Purdue University, Spring 2016, Fall 2015 and Spring 2015
  • Introductory Composition at Purdue (ICaP) Pedagogical Travel Grant, Purdue University, Spring 2016
  • Summer Grant, Purdue Research Foundation, Purdue University, 2015
  • Instructor Travel Award, Oral English Proficiency Program, Purdue University, 2014-2016
  • Teaching Assistantship, Oral English Proficiency Program, Purdue University, 2014-2016
  • Q-Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Composition Program, Department of English, Purdue University, 2014
  • Emerging Scholar Award, The Graduate Student English Association, Purdue University, 2014
  • Graduate Student Travel Award, Department of English, Purdue University, 2013 and 2014
  • Teaching Assistantship, Introductory Composition at Purdue (ICaP), Department of English, Purdue University, 2010-2014