Chunxiao He
PhD
he / him / his
Generative AI-mediated academic writing
EAL and multilingual writing
Authorial identity
Writer voice
Critical digital literacies
LITR – Literacy Education
Biography
Chunxiao He is a PhD student in Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia, supervised by Dr. Ron Darvin. Her research examines how English as an Additional Language (EAL) writers engage with generative artificial intelligence in academic writing. She is particularly interested in authorial identity, writer voice, agency, critical language awareness, critical digital literacies, and the inequities that emerge as AI technologies become increasingly embedded in language and literacy education. Her current work explores how writers negotiate linguistic and academic norms while interacting with GenAI, and how these practices are shaped by broader sociotechnical and institutional conditions. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Chunxiao completed a thesis-based Master of Arts in Teaching English as an Additional Language at Simon Fraser University and a Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language at UBC. She has more than ten years of experience in English language education, curriculum development, and digital literacy education across private, public, and community-based settings in China and Canada.
Awards & Honours
Four Year Fellowship, 2025
BPOC Graduate Excellence Award, 2026
President’s Academic Excellence Award, 2026
Projects
He, C. (2026, May 1). Rooted in Language, Navigating AI: English as an Additional Language (EAL) Students’ Critical Awareness in their Engagement with Automated Writing Technologies. BC TEAL 2026 Annual Conference, Douglas College, New Westminster, BC.
He, C. (2026, May 28). Beyond Assistance: English as an Additional Language (EAL) Graduate Students’ Interactions with AI Writing Technologies. 2026 International Graduate Research Symposium, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
He, C. (2024–2025). More than collaborators: Graduate students’ interactions with automated writing technologies in academic writing. MA thesis research project, Simon Fraser University.
Creative Works
Pedagogy and curriculum developer, AI-Assisted English Language Learning Micro-Certificate, UBC Extended Learning, focused on critical AI literacy, language, identity, and power. IELTS Writing Samples (New Oriental Education Group, Zhejiang Educational Press, 2022).
Served as project lead and contributed multiple chapters. ISBN 9787572238895. Academic Vocabulary for Absolute TOEFL (New Oriental Education Group, Zhejiang Educational Press, 2017). Contributed two chapters as part of the development team. ISBN 9787553653976.
Selected Publications
He, C. (2026). Review of Innovations and Challenges in Digital Literacies: Literacies of Repair, R. H. Jones. System, 140, 104073.
Darvin, R., & He, C. (in press). Generative AI. In A. F. Selvi (Ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Applied Linguistics and Language Education. Palgrave Macmillan.