Education
Ph.D. Linguistics, Yale University, 2019 – 2025
Dissertation: Phonology & Semantics of O’odham Reduplication
Dissertation Chair: Claire Bowern, Ph.D.
M.A. Linguistics, University of Arizona, 2019
Thesis: Oig Tt O Mai G Et-Neo’oki: An Introduction to Ak-Chin O’odham
Thesis Advisor: Ofelia Zepeda, Ph.D.
M.Ed. Educational Technology, Arizona State University, 2018
Capstone: Tohono O’odham Virtual Conversational Course
M.S. American Indian Studies, Arizona State University, 2016
Thesis: O’odham Language Planning and Policy in the Ak-Chin Indian Community
Thesis Advisors: Mary Eunice Romero-Little, Ph.D. & David Martinez, Ph.D.
B.A. Linguistics/Spanish, University of Hawai’i – Manoa, 2011
Grants & Fellowships
- Dean’s Emerging Scholars Fellowship, Yale University 2019
- Graduate Fellow, Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity and Transnational Migration, 2019-2020
Publications
- Sanker, C., Babinski, S., Burns, R., Evans, M., Johns, J., Kim, J., Smith, S., Weber, N. & Bowern, C. (2021). “(Don’t) try this at home! The effects of recording devices and software on phonetic analysis.” Language, 97(4), 360-382.
- Lopez, V., Peters, L., Vincent, F., & Johns, J. (2023). Akĭ-Ciñ ’O’odham Ñeo’okĭ ’O’ohon/Ak-Chin O’odham Dictionary. Ak-Chin Indian Community
Conferences
- Johns, J. (2019). “A Handbook of O’odham Verbs.” Poster, Symposium for American Indian Languages, University of Arizona.
- Johns, J. (2021). “Reduplication and Revitalization: An Analysis of O’odham Reduplicative Morphology.” Paper, NCAIS Graduate Student Conference.
- Johns, J. (2023). “The semantics of the O’odham determiner g.” Poster, Workshop on (In)definiteness & Genericity, Yale University.
- Johns, J., et al. (2023). “Semantic Theory and Language Revitalization.” Panel, Semantics and Linguistic Theory, Equity and Diversity, Yale University.
- Johns, J. (2025). “Community Linguistics.” Paper, Symposium for American Indian Languages, University of Arizona.
- Johns, J. (2025). “Centering Heritage Learners in O'odham Language Revitalization: Challenges, Support, and Community Planning.” Culture Teacher Gathering, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
- Johns, J. (2025). “Culturally Responsive Language Goals: Reimagining Assessment and Pedagogy for Indigenous Revitalization.” 21st Annual Gila River Indian Community Reservation-Wide Teacher In-Service.
- Johns, J. (2025). “Bridging Generations: Addressing Sociological Challenges and Policy Considerations for Heritage Learners in Revitalization Contexts.” Arizona Linguistics Circle 18, University of Arizona.
Employment History
O’odham Language Technician, 2011-2012
Ak-Chin Ñeok Ki, Ak-Chin Indian Community
Duties included language documentation, research, and pedagogical materials development.
Museum Technician, 2015-2018
Him-Dak EcoMuseum, Ak-Chin Indian Community
Duties included historical research, exhibit design, and cultural preservation activities.
Adjunct Instructor, 2017-Present
Tohono O’odham Community College
- THO 101 Elementary Tohono O’odham I (Fall/Spring/Summer) – Introduction to the Tohono O’odham language including listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural traditions. [Online, asynchronous]
- THO 102 Elementary Tohono O’odham II (Fall/Spring) – Structure and grammar practice with improved comprehension and usage. [Online, asynchronous]
- THO 201 Intermediate Tohono O’odham (Fall) – Increased proficiency in listening, reading, writing, and speaking; creation of simple sentences; text comprehension. [Online, asynchronous]
- THO 202 Advanced Tohono O’odham (Spring) – Advanced proficiency including paragraph composition and conversation in O’odham. [Online, asynchronous]
O’odham Language Instructor, 2018
Tucson Indian Center – Beginner O’odham Language Course, introduction to conversational O’odham with emphasis on speaking, listening, reading, and writing. [In-person]
Teaching Fellow, 2021-Present
Yale University – Courses taught:
- LING 110 Introduction to Linguistics (Fall 2021) – Principles of human language, speech sounds, word formation, meaning computation, computational linguistics, and linguistic diversity. [In-person]
- LING 107/ER&M 207 Linguistic Diversity & Endangerment (Spring 2022) – Historical and geographical survey of the world’s languages. [In-person]
- LING 220 Phonetics (Fall 2022) – Tools for describing speech sounds worldwide. [In-person]
- LING 112 Historical Linguistics (Spring 2023) – Language change, sound change, syntax/semantic change, lexical borrowing, and comparative method. [In-person]
- LING 107 Language Endangerment and Revitalization (Fall 2024) – Theories and practices for revitalizing endangered languages. [In-person]
- LING 219 Introduction to Linguistic Phylogenetics (Spring 2025) – History of phylogenetic methodology and computational approaches for linguistic change. [In-person]
- LING 597: Descriptive Linguistics for Native American Languages (Fall 2025/Spring 2026)
- LING 322: Can I Have a Word with You? A Linguistic Introduction to English Words (Spring 2026)
Assistant Professor, 2025-Present
University of Arizona – Courses taught:
- LING/AIS 497/597 Descriptive Linguistics for Native American Languages (Fall 2025) – Workshop covering phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and associated methods for language description. [In-person]
Language Resources & Projects
- Virtual O’odham Language Course Design, Tohono O’odham Community College, 2017
Designed and developed the first virtual language courses for Tohono O’odham Community College. - Ak-Chin Language Exhibition, Ak-Chin Him-Dak Eco-Museum, 2018
Supervised the design, research, and construction of a year-long museum exhibit detailing language use, attrition, and revitalization in the Ak-Chin Indian Community. - Community Outreach Video Series, Yale University, 2022
Served as part of a working group to develop outreach videos aimed at providing communities interested in language revitalization with resources. - Ak-Chin O’odham Documentation Project, Ak-Chin Indian Community, 2023
Supervised the documentation of a 2,000-word O’odham lexicon developed into a learner’s dictionary for community distribution.