Faculty Representative

Cristian Lopez Villegas is a Professor of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics at Arizona State University. His academic interests concern the interconnections between the structural aspects of human language (Typology, Syntax) and the social-psychological aspects of language (Speech Act Theory, Conversation Analysis, Discourse Analysis).

He was born and raised in Mexico until the age of 6 and raised in Southern California before finding his home in beautiful Arizona. 

He is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese and is currently learning Arabic.

Outside of academia, he has devoted his life to the sports of Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. He spent many years competing professionally in the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, placing 3rd in the World Championships of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation in 2008. He subsequently spent many years coaching and mentoring other athletes. 

He is also devoted to helping the plight of other Earth Beings (non-humans) through animal-rescue. Currently, Cristian is beginning a research project in which he investigates Linguistic matters as they pertain to other Earth Beings.