DrMaria Harissi

Dr. Maria Harissi is a Lecturer in Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies whose work focuses primarily on applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and language education. Her research explores language as linguistic praxis and examines the emergence of translingual identity experiences through performative language use.

Before taking up her current position at the University of Sydney, she worked as a language teacher with the Greek Ministry of Education and in 2017 she was seconded to serve as a Greek language educator in Sydney. During her appointment in Sydney, she acted (2018-2020) as Greek Language Adviser with the NSW Department of Education and taught Greek at all levels of education including at the University of Sydney, Macquarie University, NSW Department of Education primary and secondary schools, and community language schools. Since 2020, she has been the Greek Language Expert at the Sydney Institute for Community Languages Education (SICLE, the University of Sydney). For several years, beginning in 2003, she has also held roles as Coordinator and Language Examiner for the Examinations for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek, administered by the Centre for the Greek Language (CGL, Thessaloniki, Greece) in alignment with the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). 

Maria was awarded a prestigious scholarship by the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (IKY, Athens) to complete her doctoral studies.