Li Qi's hometown: Ottawa, Ontario

From growing up multilingual to researching language learning and technology, Li Qi Tong's curiosity about languages has shaped both her academic path and future goals.

For Li Qi Tong, learning languages was never just a hobby. It became the starting point for her academic journey. Her curiosity for language began as a child and continued through her undergraduate studies in Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at Queen’s University, and through her completion of the Master of Library & Information Science program in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS) at Western.

"I’ve always really enjoyed the process of learning languages—it’s something that just came naturally to me,” she says.

Li Qi grew up multilingual, speaking Mandarin Chinese and English at home. Born in Zhuhai, China, her family later moved to Ottawa, and she enrolled in a French immersion elementary school, bringing her language count to three.

Her natural talent for linguistics let her pick up new languages as easily as she discovered them. She learned Japanese and Spanish in high school and pushed herself to learn German and Latin during her undergraduate studies. But she doesn’t plan to stop there. Even now, while completing her PhD, she still hopes to begin learning Korean.

By the time she arrived at Western as a Master of Library and Information Science student in 2024, she spoke seven languages. Her doctoral research looks at language interactions, how to improve language-learning tools, and explores human-computer interaction and second-language acquisition.

Li Qi finds value in the cultural discoveries that come with learning a new language. “I encourage people to learn new languages if they can, because it really opens them up to a new world,” she says.

As her passion for linguistics evolved into an academic pursuit, she sought a space where she could explore both research and create community—leading her to FIMS.

FIMS has allowed Li Qi to flourish during her time in graduate school. When talking about her experience at FIMS, she returns to the feeling of community created within the faculty. “Everybody’s really open with sharing; at no point have I felt like anyone was dismissing me,” she says.

She describes the culture within FIMS as an open and transparent community that creates true connection between peers and colleagues.

"Once I figured how just how friendly everyone at FIMS was, I knew it was the right fit." - Li Qi Tong

The supportive environment shaped Li Qi not only as a student but also as a researcher. She is interested in how people learn languages in digital spaces and how technology can be designed to better support that learning process. By exploring this relationship, Li Qi hopes to contribute to more accessible and engaging language-learning tools.

At her core, Li Qi is a lifelong learner and someone who is always excited to pick up a new skill or hobby. As she continues her journey at FIMS and into a career, she hopes to carry forward the same sense of community that has helped her grow and create spaces for others to feel supported, encouraged, and curious to learn as well.

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Profiles are written by students in the Master of Media in Journalism & Communication (MMJC) program, who are enrolled in MMJC 9604 - Corporate Communications