Juana Gamero de Coca Lecture Series: Using the sciences with the humanities

Using the sciences with the humanities: Middlebury students’ participation in a Maya-led language revitalization effort in Guatemala.

In January, Jack Carew (’20), James Finn (’20.5), Sabine Poux (’20) and Lila Sternberg-Sher (’21.5) participated in an effort to promote the use of the Mayan language K’iche’ in Nahualá, Guatemala along with Professor Brandon Baird (Luso-Hispanic Studies). Following the lead of the local Maya, they visited schools, disseminated materials, and produced a national radio program to promote the use of K’iche’ via the neuroscientific, psychological, and linguistic benefits of bilingualism. In this talk, Jack, Sabine, James and Professor Baird will talk about their experiences and what they learned from the contemporary Maya of Guatemala.