About us

	Convenor Dr Olena Rossi, independent language testing consultant and researcher. Olena’s interests within language testing lie in the area of item writing and, in particular, in using AI for item generation. Olena used to serve as the chief of ILTA’s Graduate Student Assembly, she was also a founding member and a co-convenor of the UKALTA’s Postgraduate Researcher Network.
	Convenor Dr Sha Liu, recently completed her PhD in Language Assessment from the University of Bristol. Her research is deeply embedded in the domain of technology-assisted language learning and assessment, with a strong focus on automated writing evaluation leveraging AI algorithms and investigating learner engagement through eye-tracking. She presently serves as the Communications Officer for the British Association for Applied Linguistics Testing, Evaluation, and Assessment Special Interest Group (BAAL TEASIG) Committee.
	Content specialist Dr. Nazlınur Göktürk is a language assessment specialist working for the Board of Education at the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of National Education. She obtained her PhD in Applied Linguistic and Technology from Iowa State University. Her research interests encompass L2 oral communication assessment, spoken dialog systems, and the use of AI for language test development. Within her role at the Ministry, she oversees various project activities aimed at aligning foreign language education with the CEFR CV.
	Website manager Mr. Josep Maria Montcada, Senior Assessment Expert, is currently in charge of language test design and language evaluation at the Ministry of Education of the Generalitat de Catalunya. He coordinates the development of high-stakes certification tests for the Official Language Schools (EOI) in Catalonia in 8 different languages and at levels B1, B2, C1 and C2. He trained in language assessment at Lancaster University and his main interests in this field are test validation and item writing.
	Publication project lead Dr Stefan O’Grady, associate lecturer in academic English and TESOL at the University of St Andrews. Stefan obtained his PhD from the Centre for English Language Learning and Assessment at the University of Bedfordshire. His research interests are in language test development and validation primarily for English medium university admissions and the potential for AI to impact on the assessment process.
	Content specialist Mr. Darren Perrett, Senior Assessment Services Manager, Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Darren is in his final year of his PhD with Leeds University, which is focused on the validation of Cambridge reading texts with NLP features and training an ML algorithm for CEFR classification of previously unseen texts. His main interests are centred around Automated Item Generation (AIG) for high-stakes assessment.

The following EALTA expert members act as AI SIG advisors:

• Prof. Tony Green, University of Bedfordshire
• Prof. Barry O’Sullivan, British Council
• Dr Veronika Timpe-Laughlin, Educational Testing Service