TopOfNewsletterOctober 2013

 



 

 

ArticleOneUpcoming Events

 

SNL 2013 is only two weeks away! The meeting is an exciting opportunity to meet and reconnect with colleagues from around the globe. This year's venue is the Westin San Diego, located in the heart of the city and is home to more than 200 restaurants, coffeehouses and nightclubs.

 

The meeting officially begins at 1:00 pm with Opening Remarks from Past President Marta Kutas, followed by the Elizabeth Bates Memorial Lecture given by Janet F. Werker, University of British Columbia. Dr. Werker's Keynote "Initial biases and experiential influences on infant speech perception development" will begin at 1:30 pm in the Crystal Ballroom. See Scientific Program.

 

Registration

Online registration is now closed. Onsite registration will open on Wednesday, November 6 at 11:00 am in the Ballroom foyer of the Westin San Diego.

 

SNL Board of Directors Election

The Society of the Neurobiology of Language (SNL) Board of Directors Election is open. You must be a current 2013 member of SNL to vote. To cast your vote, log In to your SNL account. Current members will see an Election section on your account home page. Candidate profiles can be found here.

 

The Election closes on October 28, 2013. Please help shape the future of SNL with your vote!

 

Airport Transfers

The Westin San Diego provides complimentary shuttle service to/from the San Diego International Airport and The Westin San Diego between 6am and 11pm, 7 days a week. Once you have collected your luggage, please contact the hotel at (619) 239-4500 and the hotel will give you directions to the pick-up area and an estimated time of arrival as to when the driver will be there to pick you up.

Important Dates 

 

Board of Director Elections Closes
October 28, 2013

Onsite Registration Opens 11:00 am, November 6, 2013

 

SNL 2013

 November 6-8, 2013

San Diego, CA, USA

 

 

In This Issue  

  

  Upcoming Events

 

 

 Job Postings & Announcements 

 If you have a job posting, general announcement, conference or workshop posting that you would like to include in the SNL newsletter, please send it to

 

 

 

 

 

 

City of San Diego

 

JobPostingsJob Postings and Announcements

 

ScientificMeetingsScientific Meetings & Calls for Papers

 

ISGS 6 in San Diego

The International Society for Gesture Studies (ISGS) is pleased to announce the Sixth Conference of the Society for Gesture Studies: Gesture in Interaction. It will be held on the campus of the University of California, San Diego, July 8-11, 2014. Devoted to the study of multimodality in communication, the ISGS is an interdisciplinary group of researchers including anthropologists, cognitive scientists, computer scientists, linguists, neuroscientists, psychologists, and semioticians. The Society convenes for a major international conference every two years, and the 2014 meeting will be the 6th.

 

We invite abstracts that address any aspect of the study of gesture and multimodality, including but not limited to: the relationship between sign and gesture; the cognitive and neural underpinnings of gesture; the contribution of gesture to language production and comprehension; the role of gesture in situated language use; and how gesture mediates interaction in the social, cultural, and technological world. We welcome papers on any aspect of bodily communication and are open to all theoretical and disciplinary perspectives.

 

Plenary Speakers:

Herbert Clark, Stanford University

Susan Wagner Cook, University of Iowa

Marjorie H. Goodwin, UCLA

Marianne Gullberg, Lund University

Asli Özyürek, MPI Nijmegen and Radboud University

Andy Wilson, Microsoft Research

 

Abstract Submission: We invite abstracts of no more than 500 words. Abstracts must report previously unpublished work. Three kinds of presentation are available:

 

Paper presentations: Paper presentations will be 25 minutes, with 20 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for discussion.

 

Thematic Panels: Papers that address a common theme may be submitted as a Thematic Panel. Panels should consist of four talks, which must be submitted individually as Paper Presentations. Each individual abstract should indicate the name of the proposed Thematic Panel.

 

Poster presentation: Poster presentations are an opportunity for more extended interaction. Posters will be displayed during poster sessions, with ample opportunity for discussion.

Abstract Submission opens on September 1, 2013, after which you will be able to submit your abstracts at the following site:  http://linguistlist.org/easyabs/ISGS2014  

 

Important Dates:

September 1, 2013: Submission Opens

November 15, 2013: Submission Deadline

December 15, 2013: Notification of Acceptance

January 15, 2014: Registration Opens

July 8 - 11, 2014: Conference

 

Conference Language: The conference language will be English. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters will be available.


Organization and Coordination Committee:

Carol Padden, Department of Communication, UC San Diego Seana Coulson, Department of Cognitive Science, UC San Diego John Haviland, Department of Anthropology, UC San Diego

Tyler Marghetis, Department of Cognitive Science, UC San Diego Sharon Seegers, Center for Research in Language, UC San Diego

Autumn School--Methods For Studying Sentence Comprehension, Nov 14-17, Trento, Italy

Methods in language comprehension: New methods for studying sentence comprehension in Cognitive Science, Behavioral Science and Neuroscience.  Rovereto, Italy, November 14-17, 2013. University of Trento

 

Applications are now open for a four-day autumn school that will cover new methods of data analysis in sentence comprehension and expose participants to cutting-edge methods for analyzing language data collected with behavioral and neuroscientific methods.  The school's instructors are experts in corpus based analysis, EEG, ERP and fMRI methods as applied to complex language inputs.  Each will present a theoretical module and either supervise data analysis sessions or discuss data analysis issues.  The target audience is graduate students and post-docs involved in studying language comprehension using corpus-based tools, electrophysiology, fMRI or combinations of these techniques. 

 

Extended information on the program, costs, application procedures and deadlines is available on the school's website:

http://www.unitn.it/ateneo/evento/30237/autumn-school-methods-in-language-comprehension 

 

Instructors:

1.  Marcel Bastiaansen (Breda University & Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics)

2.  Stefan Frank  (Radboud University & University College London)

3.  Gina Kuperberg (Tufts University & Massachusetts General Hospital)

4.  Jeremy Skipper (Hamilton College & University College London)

 

Organizing Committee (from the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences and the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences: CIMeC of the University of Trento): Giovanna Egidi, Uri Hasson, Remo Job, Francesco Vespignani, and Roberto Zamparelli.

 

International Conference on Multilingualism:  Linguistic Challenges and Neurocognitive Mechanisms 

24-25 October 2013 (Thursday and Friday)

Hosted by McGill University in Montreal, Canada

Conference Website:  http://multilingualism.conference.mcgill.ca 

 

The conference examines recent advances in our understanding of multilingualism, including simultaneous bilingualism, language learning mechanisms, sign language, transfer effects, brain plasticity and critical periods, providing a critical overview of current developments in this field. Another important goal of this conference is to facilitate and inspire the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas among researchers and students from different backgrounds, and to promote collaborative research projects in the future. 

  

Invited Speakers:

Manuel Carreiras (BCBL, Spain)

Harald Clahsen (University of Potsdam)

Holger Hopp (University of Mannheim)

Sonja Kotz (University of Manchester + MPI)

Rachel Mayberry (University of California, San Diego)

Silvina Montrul (University of Illinois)

Eric Pakulak (University of Oregon)

Elin Thordardottir (McGill University)

 

The conference is also part of a number of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders (SCSD) at McGill. You will have opportunities to visit the research facilities of the School as well as the interdisciplinary Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music that brings together top scientists from all four universities in Montreal.

 

Last but not least - Montreal is one of the most vibrant multilingual cities in the world !   You may wish to stay an extra day or two to experience 'applied multilingualism', Montreal's famous cuisine, and the city's multi-faceted cultural life.

 

For further information please visit our Conference Website:  http://multilingualism.conference.mcgill.ca 

 

FacultyPositions

Faculty Positions

 

Clinical Neuroscience (Assistant/Associate):

The Department of Psychology at San Diego State University invites applications for a tenure-track position in the field of Clinical Neuroscience, with focus on novel technologies. Candidates must hold a PhD in a domain of Psychology or allied discipline, and would be expected to teach graduate and undergraduate courses, mentor Master's and Doctoral-level graduate students, and engage in department, college, and university-level service activities.

 

We seek an individual who studies one or more brain-based clinical, psychiatric, acquired, or

lifespan developmental disorders and has expertise in the use of state-of-the-art technologies

(e.g., transcranial magnetic stimulation, magnetoencephalography, optical imaging). The

candidate should have a strong record of research productivity, extramural funding, and teaching

effectiveness. The position is offered in the context of a newly approved Area of Excellence in

Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience at San Diego State University, which is designed to enhance

existing research strength through cluster hires. This new program currently involves the

Department of Psychology and the School of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (SLHS);

the home department for this position will be in Psychology.

 

The Psychology Department has an APA-accredited doctoral program in Clinical Psychology

offered jointly with the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San

Diego, and its faculty are affiliated with a range of doctoral programs throughout the university,

including programs in Public Health, Language and Communicative Disorders, and

Computational Sciences. The Psychology Department also has a large and diverse population of

undergraduate majors as well as an MA program with emphases including behavioral and

cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, learning and cognition, and physical and/or

mental health research. Additional information about SDSU and the Psychology Department can

be found at www.sdsu.edu and www.psychology.sdsu.edu.

 

Applicants should submit a letter of interest to include a description of research program and

relevant reprints; evidence of teaching excellence; a current vita; and 3 letters of recommendation

to: psychfacultysearches@mail.sdsu.edu. Alternatively, hard copies may be sent to Search

Committee, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San

Diego CA 92182-4611.

 

Review of applications will begin on October 15, 2013 and will continue until the position is filled.

Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. SDSU is an equal

opportunity employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion,

national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, age,

disability, pregnancy, medical condition, or covered veteran status. The person holding this

position is considered a "mandated reporter" under the California Child Abuse and Neglect

Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order

1083 as a condition of employment.

 

Faculty Openings: SLHS at SDSU for Fall 2014

We are writing to let you know of two tenure/tenure-track positions for Fall 2014 that we are currently conducting in the School of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at San Diego State University. 

 

Speech Science, Open rank (Dr. Ignatius Nip, Search Chair)

We are seeking a person with skills in voice, fluency, or resonance disorders. Additional areas of expertise or focus may include speech perception, the cognitive neuroscience of speech, neurogenic speech and swallowing disorders, and augmentative and alternative communication.

 

Evidence-based treatment, Assistant/Associate (Dr. Tracy Love, Search Chair)

We are seeking a person with expertise in treatment research with language impaired child and/or adult populations. Additional areas of expertise or focus may include cognitive neuroscience of language, neurogenic language and cognitive disorders, developmental language disorders.

 

Details for both positions can be found on our website (http://slhs.sdsu.edu/open-positions/)

 

Assistant Professor Position in Cognitive Neuroscience

The Department of Psychology at Florida International University (FIU) is searching for a candidate for an Assistant Professor tenure-track position in Cognitive Neuroscience. The successful candidate must have a solid track record of scholarship in refereed journals, a strong potential for extramural funding, and proficiency in cutting-edge methodologies for research in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology (e.g., advanced neuroimaging). Ideally, the applicant's area of research interest should complement the existing faculty in Developmental Science and/or Clinical Science in Child and Adolescent Psychology programs, although all areas of Cognitive Neuroscience will be considered. Faculty in these programs research typical development and developmental psychopathology or treatment outcome with a focus on ADHD, executive function, language, autism, substance abuse, depression and anxiety, memory, and multisensory processing. The department has 32 tenure track faculty (and 10 instructors) with tenure track faculty spread across four doctoral specialty areas (i.e., Developmental, Clinical Science, Legal, and I/O) and is adding a Cognitive Neuroscience area. Currently department faculty hold over $35 million in grants from federal agencies (e.g., NIMH, NICHD, NIDA, NIAAA, IES, NSF). The Cognitive Neuroscience area within the Department of Psychology is part of a broader campus-wide initiative to develop further Cognitive Neuroscience research and education, involving faculty in six Departments in the College of Arts and Sciences and additional Departments within the Colleges of Education, Engineering, Nursing and Health Sciences, and the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. The individual hired will join 8 existing faculty members to help shape the new Cognitive Neuroscience area within the Department of Psychology. Position is contingent upon Funding.

 

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply to Job Opening ID 506767 at careers.fiu.edu and attach a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and a research statement in a single pdf file. Please send a duplicate set of application materials and direct inquiries to Dr. Raul Gonzalez, Chair, Search Committee (raul.gonzalezjr@fiu.edu). Three letters of recommendation should also be sent to the Search and Screen Committee Chair. To receive full consideration, applications and required materials should be received by November 15, 2013. Review will continue until position is filled.

 

FIU is a member of the State University System of Florida and is an Equal Opportunity, Equal Access Affirmative Action Employer.

 
Assistant Professor Position--University of California, Irvine

The Department of Cognitive Sciences (www.cogsci.uci.edu) at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) is seeking applicants for a tenure-track assistant professor faculty position, Assistant Professor in Language. We seek candidates who combine a strong background in theoretical linguistics (including phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics) with the empirical, developmental, or computational study of language (e.g., psycholinguistic, computational and mathematical modeling, or neurolinguistic approaches).

 

The successful candidate will interact with a dynamic and growing community in cognitive, computational, neural, and developmental sciences within the Department, the Center for Language Science, and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. Individuals whose interests mesh with those of the current faculty and who will contribute to the university's active role in interdisciplinary research and teaching initiatives will be given preference.

 

Interested candidates should apply online at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF01972 with a cover letter indicating primary research and teaching interests, CV, three recent publications, and three letters of recommendation.

 

Application review will commence on November 1, 2013, and continue until the position is filled.

 

The University of California has an active career partners program, is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to excellence through diversity, and has an Advance (NSF) program for gender equity.

 

PostdoctoralPositions

Postdoctoral Positions

 

Post-Doctoral Positions Available at Duke University

Applications are invited for post-doctoral positions using cognitive behavioral and neuroimaging (fMRI) methods to study cognitive changes in people with vision loss due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  Individuals will work with Drs. Heather Whitson, David Madden, Nan-Kuei Chen, Michele Diaz, and/or Guy Potter.   Our primary research goals are to understand the cognitive processes that underlie poor verbal fluency in patients with AMD and to shed light on the reason(s) for cognitive impairment in this population.  We will obtain data from persons with AMD as well as age-matched control subjects, and we will examine the relationship between cognitive behavior and measures of resting-state functional connectivity and white matter integrity among certain regions in the brain.  State-of-the-art scanning and data analysis facilities are available and proximally located. 

This position will provide exposure to multidisciplinary, translational neuroscience and clinical research.  The ideal post-doc candidate would have a strong background in MRI data analysis and programming and/or cognitive neuroscience research (particularly involving language or visual pathways).  Candidates with experience in both MRI research as well as cognitive neuroscience are especially encouraged to apply.  The ability to communicate effectively with a multi-disciplinary team of investigators, staff, and participants is essential. Salary will be determined by the current NIH postdoctoral scale.

 

To apply, please send a statement of research interests/experience, CV, sample publications, and at least 3 references to Dr. Heather Whitson (heather.whitson@duke.edu ). Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Duke is an Equal-Opportunity/Affirmative-Action Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

 

Research

Research Positions

 

 

Research Assistantships, Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MRRI), Philadelphia/Elkins Park, PA.

The language labs at MRRI -- Language and aphasia (Dir.: Dr. Myrna Schwartz); Language and learning (Dir.: Dr. Erica Middleton) -- are recruiting for two BA/BS-level research assistant positions, for Fall 2013 or Spring 2014. Research assistants will engage in NIH-funded research on language processing in typical speakers and those with post-stroke aphasia. We seek in our research to understand how words are learned and retrieved in speech, how these processes are affected by stroke, and how word production deficits can be ameliorated by treatment. Our RAs gain valuable experience with language-impaired patients. They are trained to administer clinical measures of aphasia and to design, run, and analyze experiments with patients as participants. Learning opportunities also include state-of-the art lesion analysis and applications of computational modeling.

 

Applicants should have strong academic backgrounds in psychology, neuroscience or linguistics, with coursework in statistics and research methods. Preference will be given to applicants with prior research experience, particularly in cognitive psychology or neuroscience, speech and hearing sciences, or linguistics. MRRI and MossRehab are part of the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network. The position offers competitive salary and benefits (medical, dental, vision, tuition reimbursement). Send cover letter, C.V. (which includes a list of relevant coursework) and contact information for three references to Dr. Erica Middleton: email: middleer@einstein.edu; fax: 215-663-6783; mail: Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, 60 Township Line Rd., Elkins Park, PA, 19027.

 

Research staff position at the MPI for Psycholinguistics Department Neurobiology of Language

 

The Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics (Nijmegen, the Netherlands) is offering a research staff position in the field of Neurobiology of Language.

 

Research at our institute is done in a very inspiring research environment, without teaching obligations; furthermore, considerable technical support is available, as well as access to state of the art research and neuroimaging facilities (www.donders.ru.nl) including MRI at 1.5, 3 and 7 Tesla, a whole-head MEG system, three ERP labs, a TMS lab, a Virtual Reality Lab, and multiple behavioural labs. The positions will be available early 2014. Dependent on the level of experience of the candidate, the term of appointment is 3 or 5 years.

 

We are looking for an experimental scientist with a background in ERPs and sentence processing. A solid experimental background and hands-on expertise in recording and analysing ERPs is required. The focus of your research should fit into the overall research portfolio of the department, as described on our website (www.mpi.nl) under the theme Unification.

 

Applications should include:

  1. a CV;
  2. a list of publications;
  3. the names of two referees who would be willing to write letters of recommendation;
  4. examples of published work;
  5. a cover letter describing research interests;

For information about the position, please contact Peter Hagoort (peter.hagoort@mpi.nl).

 

Send applications to:

     Ina Grevel (Secretary to Prof. dr. Peter Hagoort)

     Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

     Postbus 310

     6500 AH Nijmegen

     The Netherlands

 

fax:       31-24-3521213

e-mail:  ina.grevel@mpi.nl 

web:     http://www.mpi.nl/departments/neurobiology-of-language 

 

Deadline for receipt of applications: November 15, 2013.

 

NLC2012SNL 2013

San Diego, California, USA 

November 6 - 8, 2013

San Diego by Night

 

Society for the Neurobiology of Language

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