María Morado-Vázquez serves as an Education Program Senior Specialist, a position she has held since May, 2024. Before that, she served as a Spanish Lecturer at The Ohio State University, where she taught in the Spanish Language program. She specializes in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and Syntax. She obtained a Ph.D. in Romance Languages with specialization in Hispanic Linguistics from the University of Georgia and an MA in TESOL from West Virginia University. María also completed a BA in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Valladolid, Spain, and is a Sworn Translator and Interpreter certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain.
In her specialist and administrative roles, she brings extensive knowledge of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards. Recognizing these highly detailed, research-based guidelines as the bedrock of instruction in the most successful language programs, she possesses deep expertise in implementing and applying ACTFL standards in both curriculum design and program administration.

When she is in the classroom, María uses the communicative method. She implements a wide variety of engaging techniques to foster a focus on learning and progress that leads to excellence and lifelong learners. She strives to cultivate an inclusive environment through her methodology, creating contributing citizens of the world. She has taught beginner and intermediate courses in Spanish since 2013, as well as Introduction to Linguistics. Moreover, she was a TA for Service Learning for three semesters at UGA, where she also served as a TA for Business Spanish, Medical Spanish, and Introduction to Linguistics.

Her research interests span SLA, syntax, bilingualism, and language contact. In addition to her practical work with ACTFL standards, she is publishing research on topics ranging from the Galician dialect of Spanish intonational patterns, to innovative instructional practices. Her main linguistic research explores subject-verb word order variation of intransitive verbs at the syntax-discourse interface, specifically examining student-directed input and its potential applicability for SLA and pedagogy.
Finally, she has developed a great passion the administration of study abroad programs after having worked as a Program Assistant for the University of Georgia summer program in Cadiz, Spain and as a Program Coordinator for the University of Georgia summer program in Sevilla, Spain. During her free time, she enjoys playing soccer, going for evening walks, traveling, reading non-academic works, sharing new recipes with friends, and attending seasonal and cultural events in her area.