Susan M. Barone, Ph.D.
Susan is a driving force behind Vanderbilt’s English Language Center and an innovative educator. With a dynamic background in linguistics, she’s passionate about transforming language programs, advancing intercultural health communication, and exploring the fascinating links between Applied Linguistics and Narrative Medicine. As a U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist, she’s championed internationalization in higher education and crafted discipline-specific language initiatives across Vanderbilt’s top schools. A requested speaker at global conferences, Susan’s research, publications, and teaching inspire new ways of understanding medical and legal language in intercultural contexts. A leader in the field, she blends experience, expertise, and drive to innovate English language programming in higher education.
As a sociolinguist, Susan’s research investigates the intersection of Applied Linguistics and Narrative Medicine and the connection between clinician elicitations and patient narratives in intercultural health-care contexts.
In addition to teaching linguistics, her professional background includes directing English-language instruction, cultural programming, education abroad, agreements management, and immigration services. Susan has participated in the U.S. Department of State English Language Specialist Program with a primary focus on internationalization in higher education. She has been instrumental in developing discipline-specific language programs in the Vanderbilt University schools of Education, Engineering, Law, Nursing, Medicine, and Management. Professional interests include needs analysis, program design, and medical discourse analysis. Susan presents at international conferences, and her publications include the following articles and textbooks:
In VU Publications:
Explore Nashville with the Southern Festival of Books
Mentoring Buchanan Fellows toward an Open Source Resource Portal
Virtual Reality Support for International Students
Peabody Graduate Students Work With Vanderbilt Dining to Improve Safety Through Language
Foreign nurses find work in Nashville
Applied Linguistics Leadership
English for Specific Purposes Project Leader Profiles: The Leadership Communication
of 55 ESP Project Leaders. https://www.candlinandmynard.com