Job Announcement: Postdoctoral position in psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic aspects of lexical processing

Postdoctoral position in psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic aspects of lexical processing

Supervisors:

Roberto G. de Almeida, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
Gary Libben, Departments of Applied Linguistics and Psychology, Brock University, St. Catherines, Ontario

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on projects investigating the comprehension of words, focusing on morphological processes, using behavioral and/or neuropsychological methods (e.g., aphasia testing). Current projects in our labs employ diverse behavioural, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging techniques as well as computational modeling. Ideally, the candidate will have a theoretical background in cognitive science with emphasis on linguistic levels such as morphology or lexical-semantics and with training in experimental work and aphasia. Experience with brain-imaging/recording (fMRI, ERP) techniques will be an asset. Aphasia research will be conducted in clinical settings affiliated with the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR), at the Psycholinguistics Lab (Libben) and the Psycholinguistics and Cognition Lab (de Almeida). The postdoc will be working with a dynamic group of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, clinicians, and graduate students across two universities, and spanning diverse research settings. 

For more information, please check 

https://brocku.ca/social-sciences/applied-linguistics/people/gary-libben/
https://mypage.concordia.ca/alcor/coglab/

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

• PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, Linguistics or other Cognitive Science related field.

• Preference will be given to candidates with experience in psycholinguistic/neurolinguistic methods and analysis tools.

TIMELINE:

• Applications will be reviewed starting November 15, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled; starting date is flexible, preferably early Winter 2024.

SUBMISSION PROCESS:

• All documents must be submitted to Gary Libben (gary.libben@brocku.ca) and Roberto G. de Almeida (roberto.dealmeida@concordia.ca); subject line: “postdoctoral application (1023)”.

• Please include the reference number with your application.

APPLICATION CHECKLIST:

• One to three (1-3) page research statement demonstrating fit with the research area as well as describing research interests and skills.

• Curriculum vitae

• Two letters of reference from academic supervisors or current employers to be sent via e-mail directly to both, Gary Libben (gary.libben@brocku.ca) and Roberto G. de Almeida (roberto.dealmeida@concordia.ca); subject line: postdoctoral application (1023) reference letter

SALARY:

This one-year position (renewable) is funded by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Words in the World 2023 open for submissions

We are delighted to announce that we will be hosting the 2023 edition of the Words in the World Conference (WOW2023) later this year, from December 1 – 2, 2023! The conference is fully online there is no fee to attend. Submissions are open until October 1, 2023.

We welcome research on the representation & processing of language in the mind/brain from multiple perspectives, including psycholinguistic, neurolinguistic, & computational. Visit our conference website to learn more: https://wordsintheworld.ca/wow-conference/

New Podcast: The Words in the World Café

We’re delighted to announce our new podcast series, The Words in the World Café! In this series, we will discuss linguistic and language topics with friends and colleagues of the Words in the World. In our first episode, our host for this episode, Dr. Laura Teddiman, talks to Dr. Gary Libben about the nature of the Mental Lexicon.

Visit our YouTube channel to learn more: https://youtu.be/UZanfrpCN64

Call for Proposals: ARiEAL International Scholar Award Program

The Centre for Advanced Research in Experimental and Applied Linguistics (ARiEAL) at McMaster
University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, invites applications from highly qualified and outstanding
international graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, early career and/or established researchers working in the field of cognitive science of language. The goal of this award is to provide support for international researchers and students whose research activities align with that at ARiEAL. While this opportunity is open to any international scholar, preference will be given to graduate students and early career researchers from underserved countries, especially to students and researchers from Brazil, Cuba, Ghana, Jamaica, and Nigeria, and war-zone countries.

ARiEAL will fund up to four international scholars to be in-residence at ARiEAL for up to 120 days in the
Fall 2023/Winter 2024 terms (roughly between September 1 and April 30). The applicants may indicate
the preferred dates of their stay. Each fellowship is valued at roughly $12,000CAD and includes airfare,
lodging, some funding for meals, University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), and other incidental fees.
Research and research collaboration are key foci of this program and selected scholars are expected to
contribute to our extensive research activities. Selected scholars will also have the chance to showcase their research at one of our workshops or speaker events and to attend classes.

To learn more, and to view the submission requirements, visit ARiEAL here: https://arieal.mcmaster.ca/news/international-scholar-award-program

or view the call as a pdf:

CFP: TWELFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE MENTAL LEXICON

Update: Deadline for abstract submission is extended until April 30, 2022

We have missed you and we are very happy to announce that the 12th Mental Lexicon
conference will be held in person, beginning on the evening of October 11 and
concluding in the afternoon of October 14, 2022 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario,
Canada.

The conference will bring together psycholinguistic, neurolinguistic, and computational
research on the representation and processing of words in the mind/brain. The
conference encourages a variety of perspectives on lexical representation and
processing.

More than just a conference. Almost 25 years ago, the International Conference on the
Mental Lexicon was created with the goal of establishing a collegial and supportive
environment for the reporting and development of cutting-edge research on lexical
representation and processing. The planning of the Twelfth International Conference on
the Mental Lexicon is built upon that tradition, particularly now that we emerge
nationally and internationally from a period in which it has been very difficult to hold in-
person meetings and to interact with colleagues.

The conference will be fully in-person. As in the past, there will be no parallel sessions,
so that we can maximize interaction among all attendees. Special sessions will be
designed to advance the careers of students and post-doctoral fellows, and the
conference will include planning sessions for new collaborative international initiatives.

A conference setting in Canadian Wine Country. This is the second time this conference
will be held in the Niagara region in Canada, and it is our hope that the natural beauty
and history of this wine-making region and the comfort of the Georgian-style hotel
venue will add to your enjoyment of the event.

Airport Access from Canada and the USA. Niagara-on-the-Lake is near the Canada-USA
border. It is about 20 kilometers from Niagara Falls, 60 kilometers from Buffalo, New
York, and 120 kilometers from Toronto, Canada. It is served by two large airports:
Toronto and Buffalo, as well as by Hamilton Airport.

Abstract deadline is April 30, 2022. As in previous meetings, the conference will
include both 15-minute platform presentations and poster sessions each day. The
deadline for receipt of abstracts is April 30, 2022. The abstract submission page is
already open. Please consult the Abstract Submission Guidelines on the conference
website and submit your abstract at https://mentallexicon.artsrn.ualberta.ca/

Up-to-date information can be found at the conference website
https://mentallexicon.artsrn.ualberta.ca/ or you can contact us by email at
mentallexicon2022@gmail.com

We are hoping to see you in Niagara-on-the-Lake in October!

Organizers: Lori Buchanan, Victor Kuperman, Gary Libben

SOME LINKS TO THE VENUE:
Here is a link to the Conference Venue (Queen’s Landing Hotel)
http://www.vintage-hotels.com/queenslanding/


Here is a link to a Niagara-on-the-Lake tourism website
http://www.niagarafallstourism.com/about/niagara-on-the-lake/

Here is a link to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Shaw theatre festival
http://www.shawfest.com/

Two postdoctoral positions: cognitive neuroscience of language and concepts (Concordia University, Montreal)

Two postdoctoral positions are sought for the Psycholinguistics and Cognition Lab, in the Department of Psychology at Concordia University in Montreal. Position one is open to a variety of topics and techniques fitting the research themes of the lab. Position two is funded by a Horizontal Postdoctoral Fellowship and is tied to a particular topic within the semantics/pragmatics interface. Please see below for full descriptions.

POSITION 1

Research program title: The mapping between linguistic and conceptual representations

Reference number:  32022

Supervisor:  Roberto G. de Almeida, Department of Psychology, Concordia University

Program description:

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on projects investigating the mapping between linguistic and conceptual representations, employing a variety of experimental techniques. Projects include the representation of verb meaning, visual word recognition, category-specific semantic deficits, and the mapping between words and objects, as well as between sentences and events/dynamic scenes. Candidates should have a strong background in cognitive science and expertise in behavioral and/or neuroimaging techniques employed in psycholinguistics and cognitive neuroscience. Candidates with experience conducting research with clinical populations (e.g., aphasia, agnosia) are also encouraged to apply.

For ongoing projects in the lab please see https://psycholinguistics.weebly.com

This position is supported by grants from SSHRC and NSERC. The position is for one year with the possibility of renewal. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Review of applications will begin on February 15, 2022. Starting date: flexible but no later than August 31, 2022.

Requirements and instructions for applying are provided below and are similar for both positions. Candidates should make sure to include the reference number in the application materials and provide the application number to referees.

POSITION 2

Research program title: The neurocognitive bases of semantic and pragmatic composition

Reference number: 10002b

Supervisor: Roberto G. de Almeida, Department of Psychology, Concordia University

Program description:

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to work on projects investigating the comprehension of sentences that are either ‘indeterminate’ or are deemed ‘figurative’, and thus may require contextual enrichment. The projects employ diverse behavioural and neuro-imaging techniques as well as computational modelling. Ideally the candidate will have theoretical background in cognitive science with emphasis on semantics/pragmatics and with experimental work in brain-imaging/recording (fMRI, ERP) techniques.

Experience with computational modeling involving Recurrent  Neural Networks (RNN) is an asset. Other resources (e.g., clinical populations, MEG, eye-tracking) are also available at Concordia or other institutions in the Montreal area.

Academic qualifications required:

PhD in Psychology, Neuroscience, or other Cognitive Science related field.

Horizon Postdoctoral Fellow Eligibility requirements:

  • Applicants must not currently hold a postdoctoral appointment at Concordia
  • Priority will be given to postdoctoral fellows who have obtained their PhD from another university although in exceptional cases Concordia graduates may be considered
  • Applicants must adhere to the postdoctoral fellow eligibility criteria outlined in Concordia University’s Postdoctoral Policy

Timeline:

Applications will be reviewed starting February 15 and will continue until the position is filled; starting date is flexible, preferably in the Spring or early Summer 2022; however, following the fellowship rules, the Horizon Postdoctoral Fellow must start their appointment by August 31, 2022.

Value: The prestigious two-year Horizon Postdoctoral Fellowships are valued at $50,000 per year plus benefits and full access to Concordia’s services, including GradProSkills.

https://www.concordia.ca/sgs/postdoctoral-fellows/funding/horizon/descriptions/10002.html

Submission process for both positions:  

All documents must be submitted to Roberto G. de Almeida (roberto.dealmeida@concordia.ca); subject line: postdoctoral application (10002b) or (32022).

Please include the reference number with your application.

Application checklist for both positions:

  • One to three (1-3) page research statement demonstrating fit with one of the programs described above
  • Current curriculum vitae demonstrating research excellence and a capacity for leadership in the domain (maximum 5 pages)
  • Two letters of reference from academic supervisors or current employers to be sent via e-mail directly to: Roberto G. de Almeida (roberto.dealmeida@concordia.ca); subject line: postdoctoral application reference ((32022) or (10002b))

Concordia University is a vibrant research and teaching environment, with state-of-the-art research facilities and many research centers. Concordia is located in Montreal, Canada, a diverse and creative city, often ranked as offering one of the best quality of living experiences in North America. Concordia University is committed to Employment Equity and encourages applications from women, Aboriginal Peoples, visible minorities, ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Registration open for WOW2021 Conference

Registration for the Words in the World 2021 conference is now open! The conference will take place online November 26-27, 2021, and will use Zoom for presentations and gather.town for poster sessions. All are welcome to attend and registration is free. The schedule will be posted in early November, and will be announced on this website.

Fill out the registration form to join: https://forms.gle/C8y5fxQ9YnH8Gnz48

PhD Positions (2): Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Dr. Fritz Günther is looking for PhD students to join the DFG-funded research group “What’s in a name?” at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin in the Department of Psychology.

The aim of this project is to examine why individuals pick certain names instead of others when naming (new) objects or concepts are the subsequent consequences of those choices. This will be investigated from a computational as well as cognitive perspective, combining methods and approaches from computational linguistics/NLP, cognitive science, and experimental (social) psychology.

Successful applicants will have a strong background in computational linguistics/NLP and genuine interest in cognitive science, or a strong background in cognitive science/psychology and solid base of computational skills. Ideal candidates have a degree in a relevant scientific field, such as computer science, computational linguistics, NLP, cognitive modelling, cognitive science, experimental psychology, or social psychology. Coding experience (for example, in R, MATLAB, Python, or C++) is expected.

For more information about how to apply, view the announcement here: https://www.personalabteilung.hu-berlin.de/de/stellenausschreibungen/research-fellow-m-f-d-with-part-time-employment-75-e-13-tv-l-hu-thirdparty-funding-fixed-term-until-30-11-2024

and the full call for PhD students here (pdf): https://www.lingexp.uni-tuebingen.de/z2/Call_PhD%20students_v3.pdf

Applications are due by November 3, 2021.

CfP: 20th International Morphology Meeting

The 20th International Morphology Meeting will take place from 1 September to 4 September 2022 in Budapest, organised by the Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics.

The meeting will serve as an event commemorating the late Prof. Ferenc Kiefer, one of the ‘founding fathers’ of the IMM series, who passed away in December 2020.

Workshops
As a tradition of IMMs, there will be two or three accompanying workshops adjoined to the main session of the conference, for which we are expecting proposals from prospective conveners. Thematic proposals for these workshops are welcome by September 30, 2021.

Abstracts
2-page abstracts for 20-minute presentations (plus 10 minutes for discussion) or a poster should be submitted via the meeting’s online services in EasyChair. Submission is limited to one individual and one joint authorship abstract (or two joint authorship ones) per person.

For more information on submissions, check the official website: http://www.nytud.hu/imm20/

Deadline for submission of abstracts: January 15, 2022

Notification of acceptance of abstracts: May 31, 2022

CfP: Morphology in Production and perception: Phonetics, phonology and spelling of complex words

Conference: Morphology in production and perception: Phonetics, phonology and spelling of complex words

Date: February 7-9, 2022

Organizer: Ingo Plag, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany

Aims and Scope

Recent research on the production and comprehension of morphologically complex words in speech and writing has shown that morphological structure may influence their phonology, articulation, acoustics and spelling. So far, the range of investigated phenomena and languages is still small. Nevertheless, the results obtained so far pose serious challenges for current theories of phonology-morphology interaction, of the mental lexicon and of language production, perception and comprehension. The following questions are at the center of the debate:

  •  How does morphological structure affect the articulatory, acoustic, orthographic and phonological properties of complex words?
  • Seen from the reverse angle, what do the phonological, phonetic and orthographic properties of complex words reveal about morphological structure?
  • What are the implications of the answers to the above questions for theories and models in these domains?
  • We invite contributions on the articulation, acoustics, phonology and spelling of complex words that address the above-mentioned questions.

Plenary speakers

Sonja Kandel
Janet Pierrehumbert
Patrycja Strycharczuk

Presentations and Abstracts

There will be 30-minute slots for oral presentations (20-minute talk + 10-minute Q&A) and two poster sessions.

Please submit anonymized abstracts electronically in PDF format through the EasyChair system by November 1, 2021:

https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=mpp2022

Abstracts should be at most one page long, plus references on the second page, on A4 paper with 1-inch margins on all sides, and must be set in Times New Roman font of at least 11 points. In the submission form, please indicate whether you want your abstract considered for a talk, poster, or both.

Important dates
Abstract submission: November 1, 2021
Notification of acceptance: November 15, 2021

The conference is planned as an off-line event, with participants being physically present. This may be subject to change, depending on the COVID-19 situation.

In the case of an off-line event, the conference organizers will cover the hotel costs of the participants who present a paper (up to four nights, at the HK Hotel, www.hk-hotels-duesseldorf.de)

Conference website: https://mpp2022.phil.hhu.de/

This conference is partially funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG Research Unit FOR2373 ‘Spoken Morphology’