Thursday, Apr 30, 2026
Dr. Maria Villalobos-Buehner brings expertise to government project in Peru
by Adam Grybowski
Following her second selection as an English Language Specialist by the U.S. Department of State, Dr. Maria Villalobos-Buehner traveled to Peru in March to assist senior government officials in their efforts to leverage digital technology for economic and social gains.
English Language Specialists are premier experts in the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), selected by the State Department to lead intensive English language projects globally.
A professor in Rider University’s Department of Languages, Literatures and Culture, Villalobos-Buehner designed a curriculum to strengthen the English-language skills of officials overseeing the country's digital transformation initiative. The initiative was created to help citizens gain economic advantage through technology and increase civic participation while also bolstering the government's ability to deploy technology securely and efficiently.
Villalobos-Buehner says her insights were tailored to help the participants overcome a gap in their proficiency in English that prevented fuller participation in international business and other global initiatives.
"My role was basically to create an English learning experience for them that was built around the kinds of communications they need in their work, such as their ability to participate in technical-level conferences," says Villalobos-Buehner. "My goal was to make English become a practical tool for them, rather than just something they studied in isolation. The possibility to create something from nothing for them, it was a challenge, but I love challenges, and this was one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences I’ve ever had."
Villalobos-Buehner built her lessons around interconnected themes like artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data and cybersecurity, with a particular emphasis on making her teaching as practical as possible. She was pleased when participants reported back that they were using their newfound lessons immediately, such as during conversations with policymakers.
"This language that they were building through our time together was meant to empower them in a way that would allow them to make connections at work," she says.
The State Department selected Villalobos-Buehner because of her expertise in language teaching and her research on technology in education. Despite her experience studying technology, she was still surprised by how much Peru's digital transformation initiative hinged on the human element.
"Digital transformation is not only at the technical level; it depends on people and not just systems," she says. "And for me, that was encouraging. The humanities are still relevant, and we need to emphasize that more."
Designing a curriculum from scratch in Peru also allowed her to begin reimagining the classes she teaches at Rider. "Ultimately I want my students to see the learning of a language as directly relevant to their lives," she says. "That's what I would like to do more at Rider. The power of learning, it's everything to me."
Villalobos-Buehner was first selected as English Language Specialist in 2024, when she appeared as a keynote speaker and workshop presenter at two of the largest international conferences in Asia. She also participated in the gathering for the Nepal English Language Teachers' Association (NELTA) in Nepal and the TESOL conference in Bangladesh, as well as other workshops that took place at several universities in each country.
"These opportunities are so unique," she says. "My philosophy has always been to be ready for opportunities when they come, and to be selected for something so prestigious, I don't see myself skipping out on any more that might come in the future.