I am a linguist who conducts field research on the indigenous languages of Papua New Guinea. I have been interested in language and culture for as long as I can remember. I am particularly intrigued by the ways that languages change over time, and the ways they do and don’t vary. This is the focus of my academic research, and it has given me a solid grounding in empirical and theoretical argumentation. Living with and befriending rural Papua New Guineans has also also taught me a great deal about the realities faced by marginalized people around the world, and I would approach serving on the Senate with a view to enhancing outcomes for communities that have historically been marginalized in the university context. I am a junior faculty member, and I would also bring to the Senate the perspective of someone currently at the bottom of the academic ladder.