Brian Stubbs' initial interests in math and physics later gave way to a greater interest in languages. After taking Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic, Egyptian, Navajo, and German during a BA at BYU, he earned an MA in linguistics at the University of Utah and completed the coursework and comprehensive exams toward a PhD(ABD) in Semitic languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic) also at the U of U. Though not completing an official dissertation, he spent 30 years compiling and finally publishing three massive reference books and several articles totaling about four dissertations. After studying dozens of Amerindian languages, his research interests focused on Uto-Aztecan while at the U of U with Wick Miller, Ray Freeze, Mauricio Mixco, and David Iannucci.

The three reference works are:

1. Uto-Aztecan: A Comparative Vocabulary (2011, 2nd edition 2020)
2. White Mesa Ute Dictionary and Lessons (2012)
3. Exploring the Explanatory Power of Semitic and Egyptian in Uto-Aztecan (2015, 2nd ed 2023)

Brian and his wife Silvia have 5 children and 14 grandchildren.