Dr Yan Zhao received her Masters (2005) and PhD (2011) degrees in Applied Linguistics from Warwick University, UK. Since joining Xi'an Jiao-Liverpool University in 2013, Yan has taught Linguistics modules to undergraduate students. She has also taught Research Methods and Discourse Analysis to MA TESOL students. In Feb. 2015, Yan published her monograph Second Language Creative Writers: Identities and Writing Processes (with the UK academic publisher Multilingual Matters). Yan has also published at peer-reviewed international journals including New Writing: International Journal for the Practice and Theory of Creative Writing; Asian EFL, Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, Asian ESP and the top CSSCI journal Modern Foreign Languages (现代外语). Yan is interested in second language writing studies, discourse analysis, and second language motivation and identities studies. She is particularly interested in using creative writing as resources and medium for learning. In Oct. 2023, Yan successfully completed her National Social Science Fund project (as the PI, 17CYY020) which is A Case Study of A Multi-dimensional, Identity-driven Second Language (L2) Pedagogical Model. The monograph that comes out of the above NSSFC project, entitled 《以二语认同为导向的多维外语教学模式》has been published in April 2025 by 中国社会科学出版社（Beijing: China Social Sciences Press) (ISBN: 9787522750026). Yan has been serving as the Programme Director of English and Finance from June 2020 to now. She had also been the Programme Director of English and International Business from June 2020 to August 2022. Yan would serve as the Programme Director of English and Business from Sept. 2025 onwards.

Discourse Analysis, L2 creative writing, L2 identity, L2 academic writing

Associate Professor, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), Suzhou, China - January 2025 to Now

Programme Director of English and Business, Department of Applied Linguistics, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, XJTLU - September 2025 to Now

Programme Director of English and Finance, Department of Applied Linguistics, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, XJTLU - June 2020 to Now

Programme Director of English and International Business, Department of Applied Linguistics, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, XJTLU - June 2020 to August 2022

Assistant Professor, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China - August 2013 to December 2024

EAP tutor, Coventry FoundationCampus, UK - 2013 to 2013

EAP tutor, Coventry University, UK - 2012 to 2012

EAP tutor, Southampton University, UK - 2012 to 2012

LNG408 Discourse Analysis

LNG406 Research Methods

LNG301 Analysing Texts

LNG103 Introduction to Linguistics

LNG107 Introduction to Linguistics: Spoken and Written Discourse

2021-2022 苏州工业园区2021-2022年度优秀教育工作者

2017年科教创新区高端人才集聚工程-科教骨干人才

2019 HIGHLY COMMENDED for the 2018/19 Annual XJTLU Learning and Teaching Awards for THE MOST INNOVATIVE TEACHING PRACTICE

2010 Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme, Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme

2010 Warwick Postgraduate Research Scholarship, The University of Warwick

2009 Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme, Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme

2009 Warwick Postgraduate Research Scholarship, The University of Warwick

2008 Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme, Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme

2008 Warwick Postgraduate Research Scholarship, The University of Warwick