Seven postdoctoral positions in the Dutch research consortium "Language in
Interaction"
We are looking for highly motivated postdoctoral researchers to enrich a
unique consortium of researchers that aims to unravel the neurocognitive
mechanisms of language at multiple levels. The goal is to understand both
the universality and the variability of the human language faculty from
genes to behaviour.
The Netherlands has an outstanding track record in the language sciences.
This research consortium sponsored by a large grant from the Netherlands
Organization for Scientific research (NWO) brings together many of the
excellent research groups in the Netherlands with a research programme on
the foundations of language. Our consortium counts four Spinoza Prize
winners (van Benthem, Muysken, Cutler, Hagoort; the Spinoza Prize is the
highest science prize in the Netherlands), three ERC Advanced Grant winners
(Muysken, Levinson, Fernández), 17 VICI/Pioneer grant holders (these are
the most prestigious personal grants that the Netherlands Organization for
Scientific Research provides; grant holders are: Bod, Ernestus, Majid,
Desain, Van den Bosch, van Lambalgen, Roelofs, Bekkering, Fernández,
Jensen, Medendorp, Toni, van Opstal, Murre, Ramsey, Schiller, Formisano),
and numerous VIDIs and ERC starting grants. The proposal has
representatives from eight universities and one research institute within
the Netherlands. These are Radboud University Nijmegen (RUN), University of
Amsterdam (UvA), University of Maastricht (UM), Leiden University (LU),
Utrecht University (UU), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), University of
Twente (UT), Tilburg University (TiU), and the Max Planck Institute for
Psycholinguistics (MPI). The applicant and co-applicants are
internationally highly visible scientists in their respective fields.
Moreover they are from institutes which are highly ranked internationally,
such as the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, the Institute for
Logic, Language and Computation (University of Amsterdam), the Centre for
Language Studies (Radboud University Nijmegen) and the Donders Institute
for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour (Radboud University Nijmegen). In
addition, the consortium provides state-of-the-art research facilities.
Together, this consortium realizes both quality and critical mass for
studying human language at a scale not easily found anywhere else in the
world. In addition to the excellence in the domain of language and related
relevant fields of cognition, the research team consists of researchers
with excellence in the complex research methods that will be invoked to
address the scientific questions at the highest level of methodological
sophistication. These include methods from genetics, neuroimaging,
computational modelling, and patient-related research. Moreover, experts in
utilization of knowledge acquired in the relevant fields are part of our
team as well. Next to the applicant and the co-applicants, our research
team consists of 36 Principal Investigators. These Principal Investigators
are distributed over seven so-called Work Packages (WPs).
Each of the 7 WPs hereby advertised one postdoctoral position. This
postdoctoral position will be for three years in the first instance, with a
possible extension for two more years. Duties will include coordination of
Work Package activities (together with the WP leaders) and development of
an independent research programme within the framework of the WP, and may
include supervision of PhD students. The position provides the opportunity
for doing world-class research as a key member of an interdisciplinary
team, and for acquiring experience in the management of a research group.
Requirements for the postdoctoral positions are:
- a PhD in any relevant field
- excellent scientific track record
- excellent organizational and communicative skills
- strong motivation
- excellent skills in written and spoken English
Each WP postdoctoral position has its own requirements and profile, which
are specified below. The appointment will be in one of the home
institutions of the consortium, depending on the research profile of the
postdoctoral researcher. In all participating institutions the research is
conducted in an international environment by researchers from a large
number of countries.
WP 1: Speech perception and production in interaction.
We seek a postdoctoral fellow with an established research profile that
fits the main goals of WP1. These goals are (i) to understand the
interplay between perceptual and motor processes in speech through
innovative linkage of neural, psychological and linguistic levels of
analysis and (ii) to specify the balance between what is language universal
and what is language specific in speech processing. Key questions include
(a) Are our auditory and motor cortices speech ready? (b) How does feedback
support processing in speaking and in listening? (c) How do perception and
production interact?
WP1 will bring together expertise in the neurobiological foundations of
perceptual and motor processes with psycholinguistic expertise in the
perception and production of speech. The postdoctoral fellow would ideally
have prior experience in bridging across these domains and should certainly
be willing and able to engage in and stimulate interdisciplinary
integration. The candidate should have as many as possible of the
following: training in speech science, psycholinguistics and/or cognitive
neuroscience; expertise in behavioural, computational and/or
neuroscientific methods; and interests in linking speech perception to
speech production.
Contact information: Prof. James McQueen, james.mcqueen(a)mpi.nl
WP2: Semantic and conceptual basis of language
Memory structures underlie semantic content and conceptual knowledge of
language users. The language system builds on existing memory structures,
which co-determine the organization of linguistic knowledge. This work
package plans to investigate interactions between the linguistic and
mnemonic domains, with a special emphasis on the development of memory in
its entanglement with linguistic behaviour. We are looking for an
outgoing, interdisciplinary postdoctoral researcher who can bridge the gap
between semantic modelling, computational paradigms for cognition, and
functional neuroimaging. Knowledge of cross-linguistic differences in
semantic systems or behavioural studies of language users would be an
advantage. The ideal candidate has expertise in applying state of the art
semantic and/or computational models to functional neuroimaging data.
Working with our group of logical semanticists, cognitive psychologists,
and neuroscientists, he/she will investigate and develop state of the art
semantic-computational models with a view to neurobiological plausibility,
which will generate predictions that can be used to analyse neuroimaging
data.
Contact information: Prof. Guillén Fernández,
guillen.fernandez(a)donders.ru.nl
WP 3: Compositionality and contextuality
One of the major challenges in understanding the language system is to
unify abstract computational level descriptions and neurobiologically
plausible network implementations of the combinatorial aspects of language
processing. The postdoctoral researcher in this workpackage is expected to
bridge the gap between computational modelling and experimental
neuroscience. We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher in formal and
computational modelling at the level of sentence processing (and beyond)
who has also experimental skills and neurobiological expertise. You will
develop and investigate computational models with neurobiological
plausibility (e.g., spiking recurrent networks), which are used to generate
specific predictions about the processing steps involved in sentence
processing and about their neurobiological instantiation in the brain. The
successful candidate will connect formal analysis and computational
accounts with empirical studies on binding in the language domain. Current
computational approaches (e.g., data-oriented parsing, logic programming or
unification-based models) will have to be translated into accounts with a
stronger connection to the brain and should be unified with current
theories on neural processing.
Contact information: Prof. Rens Bod, rens.bod(a)gmail.com
WP4: Language in action
Language interacts with other cognitive functions such as perception,
action, and cognitive control. Moreover, language is situated in a highly
dynamic context provided by multimodal sources of information. The
objective of this WP is to understand language processing and its
variability during social interactions in its multimodal settings. We aim
to achieve a better understanding of the cognitive and neural
infrastructures involved in language use in social context, which requires
establishing common ground and action coordination. We look for a
postdoctoral researcher whose main interests and expertise include topics
such as multi-modal integration, simulations of action and goals and/or
cognitive control. Methodological expertise should include computational,
experimental, observational, neurobiological and/or developmental
approaches preferably within the language and/or action domain.
Contact information: Prof. Asli Ozyurek, asli.ozyurek(a)mpi.nl
WP5: Language evolution and diversity
The goal of this WP is to contribute to a better understanding of the
biological underpinnings of linguistic universality as well as diversity,
both at the population level (between languages and between species) and at
the individual level (within a language). We are looking for a postdoctoral
researcher in this area. The preferred area of specialization is
evolutionary modelling of language with respect to diversity in
communication. Other possible areas of expertise may include language
diversity, individual differences in language abilities, animal
communication, and genetic influences on speech and language.
Contact information: Prof. Pieter Muysken, p.muysken(a)let.ru.nl
WP6: Toolkit
We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher with a strong technical
background, ideally in developing Neuroimaging Analysis Methods for
integrating genetics with brain imaging approaches (e.g. MRI, fMRI, and
MEG). The main task of the post-doctoral position is to develop and apply
innovative analysis methods for linking complex genome-wide association
data and neuroimaging data within a statistical framework. The successful
candidate will have experience in relevant research areas, a track record
of high-quality reviewed journal publications, strong experience in
programming, ability to work in a team, and in sharing technical know-how
and ideas. It would be desirable if the candidate has experience in Medical
Imaging (e.g. NeuroImaging) technical research, in computational modelling
of the brain, in machine learning and/or statistical methods.
Contact information: Prof. Jan Buitelaar, j.buitelaar(a)psy.umc.nl
WP7: Utilization
We seek an enthusiastic, multi-disciplinary researcher with a keen interest
to help translate scientific discoveries into practical applications and to
generate different kinds of value for society. Within the university
environment you will help to build ICT and other services needed to speed
and ease this process. You are required to help build awareness, translate
ideas into demos and apps, therapies or services. The job entails project
management of developers and coaching and advising of fellow scientists.
Preferably you have experience with public-private co-operations, national
and European grant schemes, clinical applications of neuroscience, and
hopefully you bring a network of industry contacts. Next to managing the
wide range of utilization activities in the project, there is a possibility
to actively take part in a few of the developments, preferably around
mobile applications (Apps) or web services. The candidate has a backgound
in computer science, e-science, artificial intelligence, computational
linguistics, computational modelling, or experience in programming
languages and practices for mobile platforms and/or web.
Contact information: Prof. Peter Desain, p.desain(a)donders.ru.nl
What we offer:
- full-time postdoctoral research positions
- salary dependent on experience, gross salary between €
3.227 and € 4.778
- starting date preferably September 2013
- the primary workplace will be determined in agreement
with your profile
Applications should include:
- a cover letter specifying the specific WP to which you apply,
your motivation, research experience, interests and plans.
- a curriculum vitae
- a list of publications
- the names of two persons who can provide references
The deadline for applications:
May 15, 2013
Applications should be sent electronically to:
Prof. Peter Hagoort
Radboud University Nijmegen
vacatures(a)dpo.ru.nl
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Karolina JANACSEK
Assistant Professor
Department of Clinical Psychology and Addiction, Eötvös Loránd University
Address: H-1064 Budapest, Izabella street 46. Office 417.
Email: janacsekkarolina(a)gmail.com
Phone: +3614614500/5687
Web:
www.memory-and-language.com,
https://sites.google.com/site/karolinajanacsek/home<https://sites.google…