January 2017 

 

 



 

 

 

SNL 2017

 November 8-10, 2017  

Baltimore, Maryland  

 

 

In This Issue 

 

 

   

 

 

 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

 

JobPostingJob Postings and Announcements

 

BCBL

Master in Cognitive Neuroscience of Language - BCBL

Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language

 

The Master's program aims to provide specialized, comprehensive and rigorous training in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language. The Master's program includes core courses (theoretical and methodological), advanced elective courses, and a research-based project at the end of the program. Students learn from the world-class scientists at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain, and Language.

 

The Master's program is aimed at university graduates with various degrees who are interested in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language, including previous training in psychology or linguistics, as well as language-oriented training in cognitive science, computer science, or mathematics. The duration of the program is one academic year with 60 ECTS credits. Students will develop research skills through the mentorship of experts and by completing a Master's Research Project at the end of the program. The language of instruction is English. Selecting the appropriate Masters program is the best way to start a successful research career, and in fact, several of our current PhD students began their research careers in our Masters program.

 

In the six years that we have been running our Masters program, graduates have gone on to PhD programs in places such as New York University, the Donders Center at Radboud University, UC San Diego, the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Michigan State University, the University of Bielefeld, and our own PhD program at BCBL.

 

For more information about the master's program, visit http://www.bcbl.eu/2014/12/master-in-cognitive-neuroscience-of-language-2/For more information about the BCBL, visit www.bcbl.eu


Application Process

Details of application requirements can be found at: http://www.bcbl.eu/2014/12/master-in-cognitive-neuroscience-of-language-2/

Application Periods

ROUND 1:

- Application sent by mail to mastercnl@bcbl.eu by FEBRUARY 25.

- Notification of the Master's admissions board's decision: MARCH 25.

- Admitted students should confirm their intention to participate in the program by APRIL 15.

- Pre-enrollment must be submitted ONLINE along with the confirmation of participation.

ROUND 2:

- Application sent by mail to mastercnl@bcbl.eu by APRIL 15. Rolling admissions until JUNE 30 the latest. If spots are filled before no more admissions will be accepted.
- Notification of the Master's admissions board's decision: Applications received by APRIL 15 will receive notification by MAY 15.

- Admitted students should confirm their intention to participate within two weeks of being accepted into the program.

- Pre-enrollment must be submitted ONLINE along with the confirmation of participation."

 

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MRRI)

 

AVAILABLE: FACULTY-LEVEL RESEARCH POSITION IN MOVEMENT SCIENCE AND REHABILITATION

 

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MRRI) seeks a scientist to join its expanding program in movement science and motor disability and help build the next generation of translational neuroscience/neurorehabilitation research. Applicants should have a background in movement science and interest in translational research, particularly as applied to neurologic populations. Rank is open; early career investigators with postdoctoral research training and evidence of grant-writing experience, as well as mid-career and senior scientists, are welcome to apply. We offer a competitive start-up package, and ongoing salary support is available.

 

The institute scientist position at MRRI is a full-time independent research position that is comparable to a university faculty position. The primary expectation is that applicants would develop and direct an independent program of research in the movement science domain of rehabilitation. The research program may fall anywhere along the translational continuum from understanding basic mechanisms of motor performance and recovery to theory-based treatment advancement in rehabilitation.

 

MRRI is known internationally for its research in neuroscience and neurorehabilitation. Our unique resources include a large research registry of stroke and TBI research volunteers. Office and laboratory space are available in a newly renovated research building, with ready access to relevant patient populations and gait and motion laboratory facilities. MRRI is renowned for its supportive, collegial environment, peer mentoring, and collaborative ties with Philadelphia's outstanding colleges and universities. In particular, we have long-standing collaborations with the neurology and neuroimaging faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, with grant supported projects in structural and functional neuroimaging, TMS, and tDCS. Albert Einstein Healthcare Network is proud to offer our employees unparalleled career opportunities including competitive compensation, attractive benefits plan including medical/dental/vision coverage, generous vacation time, and tuition reimbursement. EOE

 

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, CV, and 3 letters of reference to:

Kevin Whelihan, Administrator

MRRI, MossRehab @ Elkins Park

50 Township Line Road

Elkins Park, PA 19027

or whelihak@einstein.edu . Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

The University of Potsdam

PhD Position Psycholinguistics/Applied statistics in Cognitive science    

The University of Potsdam, Structural Unit Cognitive Sciences is recruiting a PhD candidate, the Position is to be filled by the 1st of March 2017. The candidate will work within the newly established research group "Applied statistics in Cognitive Science".

Research in the group is primarily dedicated to understanding language production processes with a focus on experimental methods and applied statistics. The successful candidate is expected to focus her/his research on language processing or on applied statistics for (psycho)linguistic research or related fields. S(he) is further expected to contribute to advanced-level teaching activities.

We are looking for a highly motivated researcher with a background in psycholinguistics or (experimental) linguistics. Candidates with backgrounds in other fields of cognitive psychology and an interest for language are also invited to apply. A solid expertise/knowledge of the basic principles of applied statistics is required. The everyday working language will be English, and good written and oral communication skills in English are essential. Basic knowledge of German is desirable. Programming skills (e.g., Python, Matlab), as well as expertise with EEG processing/analyses are a plus.

The position is for 20 hours of work per week (50 %). The salary is determined by the collective bargaining agreement for public employees in Germany (TV -L 13 Ost). This is a temporary position limited to a term of 2 years with Section 2 sub-section 1 of the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Law (WissZeitVG).

The position will be embedded into the Structural Unit Cognitive Sciences. Within this highly interdisciplinary setting, cognitive scientists, psychologists, mathematicians, computer scientists, linguists, and sport/movement scientists work together using a wide array of experimental techniques, such as EEG, TMS, NIRS, eye tracking, motion capture, and gait analysis.

The university is located in the historical city of Potsdam, and its Golm campus, where Cognitive Science is based, is reachable by a direct and fast train connection from Berlin, a vibrant and international city that offers an unbeatable quality of life. Notice that the University of Potsdam does not charge tuition fees for PhD students beyond a nominal registration fee. We encourage PhD students to also join the Potsdam Graduate School for further education opportunities in different academic and non-academic fields, as well as the possibility for national and international networking.

Under the laws of the federal state of Brandenburg, employees under this contract are permitted to dedicate at least 33% of their contract time for their scientific qualification. The University strives for a balanced gender ratio in all occupational groups. Applicants with disabilities will be given preference in case of equal suitability. Applicants with an immigration background are specificially encouraged to apply.

Please send your application with the requisition number 159/2016 including a letter of motivation with an outline of your research interests, transcript of grades, copies of certificates, a CV and two letters of recommendation by email to buerki@uni-potsdam.de by January 31st , 2017. If necessary, you can also mail your application to University of Potsdam, Research Focus Cognitive Sciences, Dr. Audrey Bürki, Karl-Liebknecht Straße 24-25, 14476 Potsdam. In order to return your application documents, we request that you include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

The detailed Job announcement can be accessed here:

 
BCBL

La Caixa foundation has published the call for 57 PhD fellowships in the framework of the program INPhINIT: The application period is open until February 2nd, 2017. 

 
INPhINIT targets the most motivated PhD candidates by addressing the research areas in which Spain excels: Bio and Health Sciences, Technology, Physics, Engineering and Mathematics.

INPhINIT recruits per call 57 Early-Stage Researchers of any nationality, who enjoy a 3-year employment contract.

 

BCBL - Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language is a "Severo Ochoa" Centre and Host Institution in INPhINIT call, dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in research, training and knowledge transfer within the area of the Cognitive Neuroscience of Language. The projects on offer for this call are:

  • A predictive coding approach for modeling brain activity
  • Timing in audiovisual speech integration: A neurophysiological assessment for language disorders
  • Clinical applications of multilingualism
  • Tracing the algorithm of bilingual language learning
  • High-resolution atlas of the human thalamus for neuroimaging studies: application to dyslexia
  • Reading development and its disorders
  • Optimization in second language pronunciation
  • A multimodal neuroimaging investigation of cognitive impairment and behavioural abnormalities in Parkinson's disease: pathophysiology and diagnostic approach
  • Development of novel methods for studying the dynamics of functional brain connectivity with concurrent electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
  • Advanced spatio-temporal deconvolution algorithms to investigate brain function with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
  • Developmental trajectories of the neurobiological mechanisms of human consciousness
  • Brain lateralization for language

 The conditions are the following:

  • 3-years contract 
  • Incorporation date: September /October 2017. January 2018 under extraordinary circumstances. 
  • 104.400 euros (34.800 euros per year) including salary, employee social security contribution, income taxes and all compulsory employers' contributions, this is equivalent to a gross salary approx 26.000 euro - 28.000 euro per year.
  • 10.692 euros (3.564 euros per year) for research costs such as conferences and workshops attendance, short-stays, consumables and intellectual property costs, among others. 
  • PhD Award of 7.500 euros will be granted to researchers that submit their thesis within 6 months after the end of the fellowship. 
  • Complementary training programme: 
    • Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship workshops by Oxford University Innovation. 
    • Professional and Career Development sessions by Vitae. 
  • High-quality academic and industrial secondments. 
  • Participation in outreach and social events of la Caixa Foundation

 Eligibility requirements:

  • At the time of recruitment (start date of the contract with the Research Centre), candidates must be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and not yet have been awarded a doctoral degree. 
  • At the time of recruitment, candidates must comply with one of the following options: 
    • To have completed the studies that lead to an official Spanish (or from another country of the European Higher Education Area) university degree awarding 300 ECTS credits, of which at least 60 ECTS credits must correspond to master level. 
    • To have completed a degree in a non-Spanish university not adapted to the European Higher Education Area that gives access to doctoral studies. The verification of an equivalent level of studies to the ones mentioned above will be made by the university when the admission procedure starts. 
  • Mobility Rule: Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the recruitment date. Short stays such as holidays will not be taken into account. 
  • Demonstrable level of English (B2 or higher). 

For further information, please visit the following links:

 

The Basque Center on Cognition Brain and Language - BCBL- (San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain) is offering a postdoctoral position focused on neurocomputational basis of language learning and statistical learning, as part of ERC-funded research project (PI: Ram Frost).

 

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team of researchers studying the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying statistical learning and language learning from behavioural, EEG, MEG, and computational perspectives.  Work undertaken related to this position will contribute to integrating these different perspectives in an explicit neurocomputational framework.  

 

Candidates with prior training in the computational modeling of psychological and neural processes are encouraged to apply; candidates with prior training in neural network (connectionist / parallel distributed processing) are particularly encouraged to apply.  Applicants able to demonstrate such computational expertise will be considered from the cognitive sciences, broadly construed, including psychology, computational linguistics, computational neuroscience, computer science, machine learning, and cognitive science.  

 

In addition to strong computational skills, the successful candidate will demonstrate a high level of independence, and a strong publication record.  As part of a broader ERC-funded statistical learning research program, the candidate will also have the opportunity to interact with and (if desired) complete research stays at related research groups at the BCBL, the Hebrew University, and the University of Toronto, so as to better integrate the computational models with related behavioural and neural data.  

 

Deadline: February 15th, 2017.

To submit your application please follow this link: http://www.bcbl.eu/calls, applying for Computational Postdoc 2016 and upload:

 

1. A curriculum vitae.
2. A cover letter/statement describing your research interests (4000 characters max).
3. Two reference letters submitted directly by the referees through the outline system.

 

For more information about the specifics of the position, please contact Ram Frost (ram.frost@mail.huji.ac.il) and for broader information about the BCBL please contact Manuel Carreiras (info@bcbl.eu)

 

University of California, Irvine

The Department of Neurology at the University of California, Irvine, invites applications for a post-doctoral fellow position in the laboratory of Dr. S. Ahmad Sajjadi MD, PhD beginning early 2017. The appointment is for 1 year with the possibility of extension upon satisfactory performance. We are seeking a highly motivated investigator with previous experience in neuropsychological assessments and neuroimaging. Priority will be given to candidates with a recent PhD in neuroscience, psychology, or related fields and strong organizational and communication skills. The main purpose of this appointment is to establish a cohort of atypical dementia syndromes (mainly frontotemporal dementia) at the University of California, Irvine who will undergo regular clinical and neuropsychological assessments and neuroimaging. Assessment of language and spontaneous speech will be a focus of the research and therefore, background in disorder of language will be desirable as is previous experience in neuro-imaging acquisition/analysis since the project will include structural MRI and PET scans. The position requires an individual who is an effective team player, highly organized, and innovative.

Requirements:
Candidates must possess an advanced Degree (MD or PhD) by or prior to appointment start date.

Additional Information:
Applicants who have a willingness to get involved with IRB communications, prior publication (first author), and strong written and verbal communication skills are preferred.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Substantive inquiries about the positions should be directed to:
Seyed Ahmad Sajjadi, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Neurology
200 S. Manchester, Ste. 2016
Orange, CA 92868-4280

TO APPLY: Please log onto UCI's RECRUIT located by MARCH 3, 2016, at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF03828 

Applicants should complete an online application profile and upload the following application materials electronically to be considered for the position:

  1. Cover letter-Please discuss current research and future plans.
  2. Curriculum vitae
  3. Names and Contact Information of Three References
  4. Diversity Statement

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.

Pennsylvania State University's

Penn State Center for Healthy Aging T32 Training Post-doc

 

The Pennsylvania State University's Center for Healthy Aging (http://healthyaging.psu.edu/) offers postdoctoral training through the Pathways T32 Training Program. The goal of this NIA-funded program is to train the next generation of scientists in psychosocial determinants and biological pathways that underlie healthy and unhealthy aging. All fellows take part in a regular seminar and coursework; participate in professional development activities; and have the opportunity to take courses in innovative research methods. This program brings together faculty from Human Development and Family Studies, Biobehavioral Health, Kinesiology, and Psychology to create a comprehensive mentorship program. The resource-rich environment provided by the Center for Healthy Aging allows fellows to be integrated into active and ongoing interdisciplinary research projects and learn advanced methods to study biopsychosocial processes in the laboratory as well as everyday life. Eligible applicants are those with a Ph.D. in the behavioral or biological sciences, or who can reasonably be expected to complete a Ph.D. before they would start the training program. Each candidate must evidence interest and commitment to a research career focused on adulthood and aging. This program requires a commitment of 2 years with salary and benefits consistent with those for NIH postdoctoral fellows. Candidates must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the U.S. or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Appointments will begin between May and September, 2017. Applicants should consult the website for information about the program and potential Faculty Mentors (https://sites.psu.edu/healthyagingpathways/).  To apply, submit: 1) a current CV, and 2) a statement of interests that includes specification of a primary mentor and one or more potential secondary mentors outside of their area of expertise (i.e., biological or behavioral science). Additional materials may be requested from applicants, including graduate transcripts and letters of recommendation.  Apply online at https://psu.jobs/job/68519

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: For more about safety at Penn State, and to review the Annual Security Report which contains information about crime statistics and other safety and security matters, please go to  
http://www.police.psu.edu/clery/, which will also provide you with detail on how to request a hard copy of the Annual Security Report.

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

 

Postdoctoral Scholar in Age-related Differences in Language Production


The Language and Aging Lab at the Pennsylvania State University (
https://sites.psu.edu/mdiazlab/) invites applications for a postdoctoral scholar. Our lab investigates age-related differences in the neural and behavioral bases of semantic and phonological processes, with a focus on language production. Our primary goals are to further our understanding of the neural factors that contribute to age-related retention and decline seen in language; and to investigate the relationships between structural factors, functional activations, and behavior. Our lab is affiliated with the Center for Language Science (http://cls.psu.edu/), a vibrant, interdisciplinary community of language researchers with expertise in bilingualism, speech language pathology, psycholinguistics, and cognitive neuroscience. State-of-the-art scanning and data analysis facilities are available and proximally located at the Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center (http://imaging.psu.edu/).

The ideal candidate would have a background in language, aging, and cognitive neuroscience. Experience with fMRI data analysis and/or programming would be beneficial. For additional information about the position, please contact the lab director, Michele Diaz, Ph.D., at
mtd143@psu.edu. The appointment will be for one year, with a flexible start date. Applicants should upload a CV, several reprints or preprints, and a statement of research interests. Additionally, applicants should arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent separately to Michele Diaz at mtd143@psu.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.  Candidates must have completed their Ph.D. by the time of appointment.  Apply online at https://psu.jobs/job/67167

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: For more about safety at Penn State, and to review the Annual Security Report which contains information about crime statistics and other safety and security matters, please go to  
http://www.police.psu.edu/clery/, which will also provide you with detail on how to request a hard copy of the Annual Security Report.

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Université Laval

CALL FOR CANDIDATES FOR A RESEARCH CHAIR IN CHILDHOOD DISABILITY (Tenure-Track Position) 

 

The Department of Rehabilitation of the Faculty of Medicine of Université Laval and the Management Committee of the Research Chair in Cerebral Palsy call for candidates to fill the position of Holder of the Research Chair. This competition is open to researchers with an excellent research dossier who have achieved international recognition or who have demonstrated potential to become leaders in the field of cerebral palsy or other childhood disabilities including (but not restricted to) speech or oral apraxia, verbal dyspraxia, dysarthria or ataxia. 

 

Université Laval, located in Quebec City, is one of Canada's leading universities and the oldest French-speaking institution in North America. Université Laval is an institutional partner of the Kids Brain Health Network of Excellence along with 30 other universities. Non-French speaking applicants will be expected to gradually develop skills in French with the support of an institutional program. 

 

Deadline for receipt of applications:  March 31, 2017

Date of beginning: September 1, 2017 

 

For information, contact:

Hélène Moffet, Ph.D. 

Director 

Department of Rehabilitation 

 

TUF 

Treatment of Underlying Forms (TUF) was developed for use with individuals with agrammatic aphasia, a type of aphasia characterized by production of short, grammatically impoverished utterances, with frequent word-finding pauses.TUF focuses on non-canonical sentence structures and incorporates training for both sentence production and comprehension. Importantly, treatment is based on the premise that training underlying, abstract properties of language facilitates generalization to untrained structures with similar linguistic properties, especially those of lesser linguistic complexity.   



 

JobPostingSymposia, Conferences and Workshops

 

BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT IMPACT MULTILINGUALISM

A One-Day, Post Cognitive Neuroscience Society Symposium

 

Wednesday March 29th, 2017, Registration 7:30am; Talks 8am-5pm

 

Genentech Hall, Byers Auditorium, UCSF Mission Bay

600 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158

 

 

Cross-linguistic and cross-cultural studies of language and literacy are situated in a background of both language-specific and language-independent variability, the contributions of which are of interest from both a methodological perspective and in terms of understanding the relationship between biological and linguistic variability. This symposium will discuss endogenous and exogenous sources of variability relevant to cross-linguistic and cross-cultural studies of language and literacy. At the endogenous level, we will discuss the impact of cognitive model selection and hierarchical neural oscillations on language processing, and links between music and language. At the exogenous level, we will discuss how variability in language exposure and environmental factors (e.g. socioeconomic status [SES], environmental exposures). We also examine the challenges inherent in quantifying and predicting language capacity across diverse groups.

Each keynote talk will be paired with one of our cross-linguistic /multiliteracy experts who will present and lead an integrative discussion of current research directions and how these can inform future studies with the overall goal of developing an agenda for future comparative research on language and literacy development, universality and language disorders that takes these sources of variability into account.

 

KEYNOTES

Environment - Brenda Eskenazi (UC Berkeley)

Cognitive Models - Michael C. Frank (Stanford)

Music and Language - Aniruddh Patel (Tufts)

Linguistic Background - Elizabeth Peña (UT Austin)

Systems - David Poeppel (NYU/MPIAE)

 

OTHER SPEAKERS & DISCUSSANTS

Blair Armstrong (U Toronto), Manuel Carreiras (BCBL), Ram Frost (Hebrew), Ken Pugh (Haskins), Jay Rueckl (U Conn), Nandini Singh (NBRC), Denise Wu (NCU)

 

ORGANIZERS

Fumiko Hoeft (UCSF), Roeland Hancock (UCSF), and Jason Zevin (USC)

BCBL

International Conference on Interdisciplinary Advances in Statistical Learning

 

We are pleased to announce the International Conference on Interdisciplinary Advances in Statistical Learning, which will take place in Bilbao, Spain June 28-30, 2017.

The conference will discuss statistical learning and its underlying mechanisms from behaviour to neuroscience, in various domains such as language, music, vision, and audition, with data from adult participants, development, individual differences, computational modeling, and non-human species.

 

The conference will include invited speakers, regular talks, panel discussions, and poster sessions.

INVITED SPEAKERS

- Jenny Saffran, University of Wisconsin-Madison

- Sharon Thompson-Schill, University of Pennsylvania

- Simon Kirby, University of Edinburgh

- Michael C. Frank, Stanford University

For further information please visit

 

Yours sincerely,

We look forward to seeing you at the conference.

 

The Organizing Committee

Manuel Carreiras, Ram Frost, Blair Armstrong and Pello Salaburu              

 

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

-Abstract deadline:

March 3rd, 2017.

-Notification of abstract acceptance:

March 20th, 2017.

-Early registration deadline:

April 10th, 2017. (Will open soon)

-Online registration deadline:

May 14th, 2017. (Will open soon)

-Conference dates:

June 28-30, 2017.

International Morphological Processing Conference

We are pleased to inform you that the 2017 edition of the International Morphological Processing Conference will be held in Trieste, Italy, at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) on June 22-24.
 
The core highlight will be a joint effort by MoProc founders and first organisers, Ram Frost and Jonathan Grainger, on the past and future of our discipline, moderated by Kathy Rastle.
In addition to this, we'll have a number of symposia, covering the entire range of disciplines through which we're trying to tackle the mystery of morphology -- psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, neuropsychology, and computational modelling. These will be delivered by bright stars in the morphology sky such as Jon Andoni Duñabeitia, Na'ama Friedmann, Adam Albright, Jim Blevins and Petar Milin. Moreover, there will be a special methodological talk, delivered by Eric Jan Wagenmakers, dedicated to inference in experimental psychology.
 
And of course, we'll have the usual host of wonderful contributed talks, posters, and social events.
 
Abstracts submission is now open and will be until March the 15th.
 
For all relevant details and full calendar, please refer to the conference website that is now online: 
http://indico.sissa.it/e/moproc2017.
 
For any question, you can e-mail us at 
moproc2017@sissa.it
 
We look forward to meeting you in Trieste next summer!
Davide Crepaldi, Simona Amenta, Marco Marelli and the MoProc2017 team

 

THE 3RD LEARNING AND PLASTICITY MEETING, APRIL 2-5, 2017, ÄKÄSLOMPOLO, FINLAND

The Learning and Plasticity (LaP) annual meeting that will be organized for the third time in April 2017 amongst the fells of the Finnish Lapland! This cross-disciplinary meeting connects psychological and neuroscience research on the mechanisms of learning and brain plasticity.

This year our keynote speaker will be Dr. Manuel Carreiras, the Scientific Director and Ikerbasque Research Professor at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language. The special theme of the 2017 meeting will be adult language learning/bilingualism that is reflected in the congress keynote and some symposia. However, as before, most of the congress program will consist of free papers that reflect the whole spectrum of learning and plasticity research. In conjunction to the meeting, there will also be a workshop on the use of the transcranial direct current stimulation method in research, led by one of the international experts in this field, Dr. Marcus Meinzer who is an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland.

Despite of its northern location, the congress site can be reached e.g. by daily flight connections from Helsinki to the nearby airport at Kittilä. The congress program runs from afternoon to evening, enabling one to utilize the excellent possibilities for various winter sports and other outdoor activities during the long days in early April. Due to auditorium space and to keep the meeting highly interactive, the number of participants is limited to 100. Please note that you should do your travel arrangements in good time as the flights and the night trains tend to become fully booked due to the number of tourists coming to enjoy the unique Lappish Spring.

Looking forward to see you in Lapland in April, Matti Laine, PhD Head of the Organizing Committee Professor, Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

-Abstract submission by the end of Wednesday (Eastern European Time) February 1st, 2017.

-Congress registration for an early-bird fee by the end of Wednesday (Eastern European

Time) March 1st, 2017

THE CONGRESS WEBSITE:

 

Biological and Environmental Factors That Impact Multilingualism   

Wednesday March 29th, 2017, Registration 7:30am; Talks 8am-5pm

 

Genentech Hall, Byers Auditorium

UCSF Mission Bay

600 16th Street

San Francisco, CA 94158

 

Cross-linguistic and cross-cultural studies of language and literacy are situated in a background of both language-specific and language-independent variability, the contributions of which are of interest from both a methodological perspective and in terms of understanding the relationship between biological and linguistic variability. This symposium will discuss endogenous and exogenous sources of variability relevant to cross-linguistic and cross-cultural studies of language and literacy. At the endogenous level, we will discuss the impact of cognitive model selection and hierarchical neural oscillations on language processing, and links between music and language. At the exogenous level, we will discuss variability in language exposure and environmental factors (e.g. socioeconomic status [SES], environmental exposures). We also examine the challenges inherent in quantifying and predicting language capacity across diverse groups.

Each keynote talk will be paired with one of our cross-linguistic /multiliteracy experts who will present and lead an integrative discussion of current research directions and how these can inform future studies with the overall goal of developing an agenda for future comparative research on language and literacy development, universality and language disorders that takes these sources of variability into account.

KEYNOTES

Environment - Brenda Eskenazi (UC Berkeley)

Cognitive Models - Michael C. Frank (Stanford)

Music and Language - Aniruddh Patel (Tufts)

Linguistic Background - Elizabeth Peña (UT Austin)

Systems - David Poeppel (NYU/MPIAE)

OTHER SPEAKERS & DISCUSSANTS

Blair Armstrong (U Toronto), Manuel Carreiras (BCBL), Ram Frost (Hebrew), Nicole Landi (U Conn), Nicola Molinaro (BCBL), Ken Pugh (Haskins), Jay Rueckl (U Conn), Nandini Singh (NBRC), Denise Wu (NCU)

ORGANIZERS

Fumiko Hoeft (UCSF), Roeland Hancock (UCSF)  

BCBL

The Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language is pleased to announce the third biennial Workshop on Infant Language Development (WILD). The overarching goal of WILD is to bring together scientists with different perspectives and methodological approaches to the study of early language and cognitive development. The meeting will be held between June 15th and 17th, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain.

 

WILD has been created to highlight recent research on a wide range of topics within monolingual and bilingual development, including speech perception and production; word learning; the development of syntax and morphology; brain mechanisms and first language acquisition; recent advances in infant brain imaging techniques (i.e., EEG, NIRS); atypical language development; language and cognition; early bilingualism; multilingual development; the role of culture in language development; gestures and non-verbal communication in infants and toddlers.

 

INVITED SPEAKERS

- Janet Werker, The University of British Columbia

- David Lewkowicz, Northeastern University

- Takao Hensch, Harvard University

 

For further information please visit

 

The Organizing Committee

Manuel Carreiras, Arthur Samuel, Monika Molnar and Joana Acha

 

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Abstract deadline:

February 10th, 2017

 

Notification of abstract acceptance:

March 10th, 2017

 

Early registration deadline:

April 23rd, 2017. (Will open soon)

 

Online registration deadline:

May 7th 2017. (Will open soon)

 

Conference dates:

June 15-17, 2017.

 

 

JobPostingOther

 

The Bloorview Research Institute

Pursuit Award competition

The Bloorview Research Institute at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, Canada is proud to host the annual Pursuit Award competition.

The Pursuit Awards recognize PhD students from across the globe for their outstanding achievements in childhood disability research. The focus of the student/graduate's research must be in the area of applied or clinical research and linked to childhood disability. Finalists are chosen based on significance of research results, methodologic rigour, empirical content, and impact on childhood disability care. For complete details go to:

 

 

 

SNL 2017
The Society for the Neurobiology of Language