Vanja Vekic Chen, MA Student

Interests

Systemic-functional linguistics; pragmatics; stylistics; multimodality; conceptual metaphor theory

Focus of research

Currently, Vanja's research focuses on the book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson as well as its film adaptation. She aims to uncover the characteristics of gonzo journalism, for which Thompson is renowned, and to explore potential elements of a "successful" adaptation using methods from systemic-functional linguistics, pragmatics, stylistics, multimodality, and conceptual metaphor theory. 

Education

2022    University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Philology: Bachelor of Arts, English Language and Literature, Teaching

About

Vanja Vekić Chen is an MA Student at SFU Linguistics. She is from a town called Gradiška on the Sava River in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Vanja is an avid reader of fiction with a love for travelling, poetry, and movies. Her passion is mastering the craft of creative writing. 

Vanja works as a freelance English Tutor. She volunteers as an ESL instructor at the Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society. Vanja also volunteers at the SFU Surrey–TD Community Engagement Centre as an online media taskforce ambassador. Additionally, she is a volunteer facilitator of English Conversation Groups for S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Vancouver on West Pender Street.

Publications and presentations

April 17, 2024: Watch finalist Vanja Vekic present her Three-Minute Thesis, SFU Linguistics News and Events.