Dr Yanhua Liu

Profile

I am a language educator and researcher with international teaching experience in China, Singapore, and the UK. I joined the University of Leeds in December 2024.

From 2022 to 2024, I taught academic English at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). I served as the Academic Lead for two postgraduate English courses and chaired the Domain Expert Committee overseeing the recruitment of English language faculty members. During my tenure, I initiated and organised two university-wide academic communication events—Three Minute Thesis (3MT), and an MPhil thesis writing competition. I also co-led an international language and culture exchange summer programme, which involved about 300 students from over 20 countries.

During 2014-2022, I undertook fully funded studies at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, earning a postgraduate diploma (with Distinction), an MA (Top Graduate) and a PhD. My PhD thesis received the inaugural BALEAP Doctoral Studies Award for making a significant contribution to the field of EAP. Meanwhile, I worked as a part-time communication coach at the university’s Language and Communication Centre, and as a PhD student tutor at the National Institute of Education. I taught on the Pre-sessional EAP programme at the University of Southampton in the summer of 2023. Earlier in my career, I spent nearly a decade teaching English as a foreign language in China and a year teaching Chinese at a private school in Somerset, UK.

I have published research in leading journals such as the Journal of English for Academic Purposes, English for Specific Purposes, the International Journal of Applied Linguistics, and System. I am the Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) of several funded research projects. I have delivered invited talks in Singapore, Indonesia, China, and the UK. I currently serve on the Editorial Board of Computers and Composition and regularly review manuscripts for several journals.

Research interests

I welcome enquiries about PhD supervision in areas of my expertise and interests (please email me your research proposal, CV and transcripts, along with a plan outlining how you intend to secure funding for your full-time study). My research expertise lies primarily in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and (Multimodal) Discourse Analysis, with additional experience in the applications of generative AI, corpus and scientometric tools. I draw on quantitative, qualitative, as well as mixed methods to explore these areas. The overarching aim of my research is to provide students and teachers with optimal support for the learning and teaching of English and academic communication skills.

My current research interests span two main areas:

1. Spoken Academic Genres for Non-Specialists
   I have a particular interest in the discourse features of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) presentations, and the process and perspectives of those participating in the genre. My work in this area has focused on:
   • Organisational features: Analysing rhetorical moves and cross-disciplinary variations.
   • Linguistic features: Exploring interactive and interactional metadiscourse, as well as the use of negation.
   • Multimodal features: Examining visual resources in the single slide and their relationship to the speech.
   • Preparation process: Investigating how presenters prepare for their participation.
   • Stakeholder perspectives: Understanding the views of presenters, judges, and audiences on the effectiveness of presentations and impact of the genre.
2. Integration of Generative AI Tools in Academic Communication
   I am exploring the integration of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) into the learning and teaching of academic writing and speaking. I currently work on:
   • The experiences of students and teachers using generative AI tools.
   • Perspectives on the role and impact of generative AI in academic contexts.
   • The impact of generative AI on learning outcomes and assessment practices.

Through my research, I aim to bridge the gap between academic inquiry and practical application, offering insights and resources that enhance both the learning and teaching experiences in EAP and language learning contexts.

Qualifications

• PhD in Applied Linguistics (NTU Singapore)
• MA in Applied Linguistics (NTU Singapore)
• MA in Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics (SCU China)
• Postgraduate Diploma in English Language Teaching (with Distinction) (NTU Singapore)
• CELTA (Cambridge)

Professional memberships

• BALEAP
• BAAL
• SAAL

Student education

I currently teach on the General English programme at the Language Centre.

Research groups and institutes

• Language Centre