Detong Xia, PhD, FHEA, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Linguistics at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. She has taught a wide range of TESOL and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses in both China and the United States, and previously worked at Southeast University in Nanjing.

Her research focuses on corpus linguistics, second language writing, and English for academic and specific purposes, with her current projects expanding into artificial intelligence in education, particularly the role of AI in supporting academic writing and enhancing language learning.

In 2025, her work on AI-supported writing analytics received the Bronze Award at the 2nd Global Digital Intelligence Education Innovation Competition for the project “REVISAGE Analytics: Guiding Writing Through Reflection, Visualization, and Classroom Integration” and was shortlisted for the QS Reimagine Education Award (AI in Education track).

Her work has appeared in leading journals in applied linguistics, including the Journal of English for Academic Purposes (JEAP), the International Journal of Applied Linguistics (InJAL), and the International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching (IRAL). Through this research, she seeks to bridge theory and practice, contributing to both scholarly advancement and pedagogical innovation.

She welcomes PhD applications from students interested in corpus linguistics, second language writing, English for academic and specific purposes, and the use of artificial intelligence to support academic writing and language learning.

English for Academic/Specific Purposes

Second Language Acquisition

Corpus Linguistics

AI in Language Learning and Teaching

Assistant Professor, 2023-present, XJTLU

Assistant Professor, 2022-2023, Southeast University

Instructor at Center for ESL, 2018-2022, University of Cincinnati

LNG 205 Semantics and Pragmatics

LNG 207 Language Acquisition

LNG 301 Analyzing Text (Module Leader)

LNG 404 Speaking and Listening (Module Leader)

LNG 409 Dissertation 

LNG 410 English for Specific Purposes (Module Leader)

Bronze Award, 2nd Global Digital Intelligence Education Innovation Competition (2025), for the project “REVISAGE Analytics: Guiding Writing Through Reflection, Visualization, and Classroom Integration”

Shortlisted, QS Reimagine Education Award, AI in Education Track (2025)

McGlone Distinguished Dissertation Award, 2022