Dr. Sonam Chusang is an Adjunct Professor in the Asian Studies department at the University of British Columbia where he has been teaching Tibetan to students of heritage and non-heritage backgrounds for the past 15 years. He also taught Tibetan at the University of Virginia in 2007.
What are your current research interests?
I am currently focused on exploring my mother tongue, Tibetan, through a linguistic lens. I am enrolled in several linguistic classes that I find both interesting and enriching. My current area of interest is the gender category in Tibetan letters and how it affects the spelling of different verb tenses.
How does your work intersect with Language Sciences?
Language Science provides support for important language and literacy-related projects, including the Storybook Himalaya project in partnership with the UBC Himalaya Program. This project brought together members of the local Tibetan community from different regions to translate and record over 40 children's stories.
What is a project you're currently working on that you're particularly proud of?
I am working on developing a children's font for Tibetan, which I find to be an engaging and organic process. I also teach Tibetan on the weekends at the Munsel Lobta school with a group of volunteer teachers. These classes give me the opportunity to observe students' responses to the learning materials and draw inspiration from the learning experience.
What inspires you to pursue your line of research/work?
The beauty of the Tibetan language and the rich cultural heritage it embodies are a great source of inspiration for me. Additionally, my students provide a constant source of inspiration as I observe their progress and enthusiasm for learning. The beauty of the Tibetan language and the rich cultural heritage it embodies are a great source of inspiration for me. Additionally, my students provide a constant source of inspiration as I observe their progress and enthusiasm for learning.
If you had to choose a different career path, what would you be interested in pursuing?
When I was young, wanted to become soccer player and writer. If I had to choose one different career path, I would pursue writing.