In this episode, we are joined by Prof. Monika S. Schmid from the University of Essex. Monika obtained her PhD in English Linguistics in 2000 from the Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf. The topic of her thesis was First Language Attrition, Use and Maintenance: the case of German Jews in Anglophone Countries – and currently Monika’s work focuses on various aspects of first language attrition, language change from learning new languages. Previously, she has held positions at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. In September 2013, she became a Professor of Linguistics at the University of Essex, where in 2018 she became the Head of Department of Language and Linguistics. At Essex, Monika is a member of the Centre for Research in Language Development throughout the Lifespan (LaDeLi) and the Bilingualism Matters branch @EastofEngland. Monika has published two monographs and edited several collected volumes and special issues of journals on attrition, most recently the Oxford Handbook of Language Attrition (2019). Her website, Language Attrition, collects information on language attrition and provides tips on how to study it for non-specialists and researchers alike. She regularly also writes for The Conversation about related topics and, to date, has had over half a million reads!