PhD position ‘An integrated semantic and cognitive model of presuppositional dependencies’ (1.0 FTE)

Functieomschrijving

We are looking for a PhD candidate in the project ‘An integrated semantic and cognitive model of presuppositional dependencies’. The project aims to build computational models of the processes that allow us to incrementally build interpretations while we read a text. These models will be hybrid in the sense that they combine linguistic factors familiar from theories of discourse semantics/ pragmatics and more generally cognitive factors. The empirical component of the project will consist of eye-tracking experiments as well as annotating an eye-tracking corpus with relevant information. The modelling component will involve simulating behavioural data connected to the processing of semantic interpretations.

The project is funded by the NWO Open Competition programme and will be conducted at the Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS, at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Principal Investigator (PI) is Rick Nouwen.

Taks for the PhD candidate will include:

• completion and defence of a PhD thesis within four years;
• regular presentation of intermediate research results at workshops and conferences;
• publication of at least two peer-reviewed articles in established international journals;
• co-organization of project workshops and conferences;
• participation in training programmes and expert meetings scheduled for the project group;
• participation in selected training programmes scheduled for the Research Institute, Graduate School and the National Research School.

Functie-eisen