 About CASL
The University of Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language transcends
boundaries to conduct academically rigorous research in language and
national security. Our research is interdisciplinary, bringing together
people from the government, academia, and the public. We structure our
research in ways that not only advances areas of knowledge, but also
directly serves the needs of the intelligence community, and ultimately
the nation.
Some examples of our work in 2006 included:
- Arabic short course evaluation that led to improved Arabic language training for Marines about to be deployed to Iraq.
- A user tool and reference guide that increases the government's capability for identifying Arabic dialects.
- A prototype that helps identify people who can excel to high levels of language learning.
- BRIDGE: a software tool to digitize paper-based critical language dictionaries. To learn more about our projects, go to our Annual Report.
Our researchers come from many disciplines and from across the country
We could not accomplish our ambitious research goals without the people who drive CASL's work every day. With over fifty researchers strong and growing, CASL draws from the best scholars and experts to accomplish its research.
Our Culture
CASL can be described as innovative, family-oriented and collaborative, to name a few.
Learn more about what it is like to work at CASL by visiting Employment.
The History of CASL
In the wake of September 11, 2001, the government quickly needed to mobilize language capability in areas of the world that were unfamiliar and not well studied.
In the spring of 2003, CASL was founded at the University of Maryland. CASL seeks to answer four broad-based questions:
- How can we improve upon the acquisition of language and cultural knowledge?
- How much can we learn about acquiring and mastering language skills?
- How can we enhance on-the-job language performance?
- How can our research inform language public policy and programs now and in the future?
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