My Ngoc (Bella) Tran is a fully funded DPhil candidate in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford, supported by the Oxford–Linacre Pioneer Graduate Scholarship. Under the supervision of Professor Heath Rose and Dr Sara Ratner, her doctoral research explores the integration of emotional artificial intelligence (AI) into English language education, particularly its potential to enhance students’ speaking and listening proficiency, emotional experiences, and self-regulated learning. Her broader research interests centre on emerging educational technologies, AI-enhanced language learning, social and emotional learning (SEL), and K–12 education.
Bella holds a BA in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and an MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition from the University of Oxford, where her research focused on the use of virtual reality in language learning. Following her Master’s degree, she returned to Vietnam and spent five years as a researcher at the Vietnam Education Strategy and Policy Institute, under the Ministry of Education and Training, contributing to national educational research, policy development, and academic publishing.
Her work included contributing to the Vietnam Education Sector Analysis 2010–2020, leading the development of the National Report on Language Learning and Teaching, and participating in research teams developing National AI Competency Frameworks for teachers and students, alongside guidelines for integrating AI into teaching and learning. Beyond policy research, Bella has advised leading K–12 education groups in Vietnam on curriculum development, educational innovation, and teacher professional development. She also served as the youngest member of the national council responsible for reviewing and authorising primary English textbooks for publication.
Bella’s academic journey and contributions to education have been featured on Vietnamese national television and newspapers. Drawing on her experience across educational research, national policymaking, and school-level practice, she is particularly interested in bridging the gap between research, policy, and practice to support the responsible and equitable adoption of emerging technologies in education. Through her doctoral research, she hopes to contribute to evidence-informed educational innovation and strengthen research collaborations between Oxford, Vietnam, and the wider international education community.
Supervisors