Dr. Nilma Dominique is Lecturer II in Portuguese and Language Coordinator in Global Languages. Since 2010, she designed and has directed the Portuguese Program, shaping innovative curriculum and diverse teaching approaches that include instruction for heritage speakers. She has also taught Portuguese and Spanish at Harvard University and in the Middlebury Language Schools’ summer immersion program, bringing a practical, intercultural perspective to language learning.

Dominique has received multiple honors for her teaching and leadership, including the James A. and Ruth Levitan Teaching Award (2012, 2023), the MIT Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award (2022), the Massachusetts Black Excellence on the Hill Award (2024), a statewide honor recognizing outstanding Black and Latino community leaders, and, in 2025, Professor of the Year from the American Organization of Teachers of Portuguese (AOTP).

Her research spans sociolinguistics, nonverbal communication, intercultural competence, and second language pedagogy. Her summa cum laude doctoral dissertation at the University of Alcalá (Spain) established her as an expert in comparative studies of Spanish and Brazilian gestural emblems. She is the author of La comunicación sin palabras, co-editor of Microgeopolítica da língua portuguesa, and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles. Her scholarship has been presented widely at national and international conferences.

Beyond teaching and research, Dominique serves as Co-Director of Test Development for the National Portuguese Examinations and has held leadership roles in professional organizations advancing Portuguese language education. She has developed international immersion programs and cultural initiatives that connect students with Portuguese-speaking communities worldwide.

Education:
PhD Universidad de Alcalá, Spain (summa cum laude)
MA Associação Baiana de Educação e Cultura, Brazil
BA Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil