Dr Helen Gittos is a Senior Lecturer and Fellow in Medieval History at Balliol College and Brasenose College, University of Oxford. She holds a PhD in early medieval history from Oxford, following an undergraduate degree in English Literature at Newcastle University. Her research focuses on medieval church history, liturgy, and the role of language in religious practices, with expertise in archaeological evidence and textual analysis. She teaches British and European medieval history at both undergraduate and graduate levels, including the MSt and MPhil programs in Medieval History. Her major publications include Liturgy, Architecture and Sacred Places in Anglo-Saxon England (2013) and co-edited volumes on medieval liturgy. Current projects explore the use of English in medieval liturgy and collaborative research on Cerne Abbas’s early medieval history with archaeologists. She leads the Oxford Centre for Early Medieval Britain and Ireland and participates in interdisciplinary initiatives like the Worked in Stone project. Dr Gittos actively supervises DPhil students in areas related to her research, with recent advisees focusing on topics like shrines, liturgical charms, and Anglo-Saxon burial practices. She is also a media commentator, appearing in BBC News and podcasts discussing Anglo-Saxon history and archaeological discoveries.
Professor Emma Moore is a leading sociolinguist at the School of English, University of Sheffield . Specializing in the social dimensions of language, her work integrates methodologies from anthropology and sociology to investigate how linguistic variation constructs identity and social affiliations. Research focus: Sociolinguistic style, dialect contact, youth language, identity negotiation, and community-based fieldwork Key projects: Adolescence and grammar (1999-), Isles of Scilly dialect (2008-), language and inequality (2014-), language perception software (2016-) Educational background : PhD in Sociolinguistics, University of Manchester Stanford University (USA) during PhD research Research trends across her 2021-2025 publications reveal interdisciplinary exploration of: Socio-syntactic variation Clinical linguistics (2025 MDS-UPDRS studies) Digital discourse post-pandemic Indexicality and cognitive representations Dialect contact in insular communities Educational policy implications Scientific recognition : British Academy Mid-Career Fellow (2019-2020) Elected Fellow, Royal Anthropological Institute (2014) AHRC/BA funded research projects (1999-2015) Research group leadership : Mentored 9 PhD students (2004-2024) and supervised 3 undergraduate SURE projects, including analyses of: Gender in rap performance Language style and workplace inequality Oral history digitization Professional contributions : Editorial Board: Language in Society (2015-), Gender and Language (2011-2017) External Examiner: Lancaster University MA in English Language (2013-2017) Collaborative software development for dialect perception testing
Lauren Hall-Lew is a Professor and Personal Chair of Sociolinguistics at the University of Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences. She holds a BA from the University of Arizona (2002) and MA/PhD from Stanford University (2009). Her research focuses on phonetics, social meaning, language change, and sociopolitical identity. She has pioneered projects like the Lothian Diary Project, studying linguistic impact of the pandemic, and analyzed Scottish political speech, tourist language attitudes, and ethnicity-linked variation in San Francisco. Teaching contributions include courses on sociophonetics and language variation/change, earning her EUSA Teaching Award (2013). She has supervised over a dozen PhD students and is involved in EDI initiatives, including founding the Staff BAME Network Mentoring Programme (2019-2021), recognized via CAHSS Award and Principal's Medal nominations. Active in grant work, she leads projects on homelessness and linguistic variation (British Academy-funded), Scottish tour guide discourse, and political identity in phonetics. Awards include teaching accolades and EDI recognition. Her publications span sociolinguistic theory, phonetic analysis, and applied linguistic methods.
Dr Ares Llop Naya serves as an Affiliated Catalan Lecturer in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese within the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics at the University of Cambridge, while holding the Batista i Roca Fellowship at Fitzwilliam College. Her academic profile bridges theoretical linguistics with practical language pedagogy, focusing on Romance language structures and their educational applications. Her research centers on microsyntactic variation in Romance languages, particularly examining negation systems and syntactic phenomena in Catalan and Pyrenean varieties through both diachronic and synchronic lenses. She actively integrates theoretical insights into language teaching methodology, specializing in Catalan and Spanish pedagogy for both native and foreign language contexts. This dual focus manifests in her publications spanning syntactic theory, dialectology, and innovative language teaching approaches that address contemporary classroom challenges. Analysis of her publication trajectory reveals consistent thematic concentration on Romance microvariation, with recent work expanding into pedagogical applications. Her scholarship demonstrates methodological diversity—combining linguistic atlas data, corpus analysis, and classroom research—while maintaining core focus on Catalan syntax and its implications for language acquisition theory. The Pyrenean linguistic corridor remains a persistent geographical anchor across her diachronic and synchronic investigations. Dr Llop Naya's scholarly contributions have been recognized through prestigious awards: Joan Solà International Prize in Catalan Philology for her monograph on Romance negation systems Her teaching portfolio encompasses advanced courses in Romance linguistics, historical syntax, and sociolinguistics, with particular emphasis on translating theoretical frameworks into practical classroom resources. While specific grant funding details aren't publicly documented, her work consistently addresses real-world language education challenges through collaborative projects like the Microvariació.cat initiative. She contributes to the Microvariació.cat project—a digital repository documenting syntactic variation across Catalan dialects—which serves as both research infrastructure and pedagogical resource. This initiative exemplifies her commitment to creating practical applications from theoretical linguistic research while preserving endangered dialectal features of the Romance continuum.
Professor Richard Dance serves as Professor of Early English in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic (ASNC) at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of English, and is a Fellow of St Catharine's College where he holds positions as Director of Studies in ASNC, Praelector, and Clerk to the Governors of the Skerne Exhibition Foundation. He joined the university in 1997 after completing his studies at Oxford and has established himself as Cambridge's principal teacher of Old English, lecturing and supervising extensively in Old English language and literature and Germanic Philology for the ASNC Tripos. His research focuses on Old and Middle English language and literature with particular emphasis on Germanic Philology, English etymology, and the profound influence of Old Norse on early English vocabulary and poetic style. His work spans critical editions of texts like 'Ancrene Wisse' and 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', extensive etymological surveys of Scandinavian loanwords, and investigations into medieval multilingualism. His publications reveal consistent engagement with historical semantics, dialectology, and the linguistic interface between Norse and English during critical transition periods. Dance's scholarly impact is evidenced by major awards including the British Academy's 2021 Sir Israel Gollancz Prize for 'The Gersum Project' and the University of Cambridge Pilkington Prize for Excellence in Teaching (2023). His editorial roles include Secretary of the Early English Text Society, Council membership in The Philological Society, and etymological consultancy for the Oxford English Dictionary. As Principal Investigator for The Gersum Project (2016-2020), he led significant research into Scandinavian influence on English vocabulary, securing substantial academic recognition. British Academy's 2021 Sir Israel Gollancz Prize University of Cambridge Pilkington Prize for Excellence in Teaching (2023) Editorial Secretary, Early English Text Society Consultant for Oxford English Dictionary (etymology) International Advisory Committee member, Dictionary of Old English Dance maintains active leadership in academic communities through roles on the British Academy/Royal Historical Society Joint Committee on Anglo-Saxon Charters and as Series Editor for Exeter Medieval Texts and Studies (2008-24). His supervisory work encompasses graduate students in Old English language and literature, while his departmental responsibilities include Director of Studies for multiple Cambridge colleges. Current projects indicate ongoing research into medieval multilingualism, with several forthcoming publications addressing etymological methodology and lexical evolution in the medieval period.
Professor Richard North (University College London, Department of English Language and Literature) is a leading expert in Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse studies. His career spans teaching and research in Old English, Middle English, and Old Icelandic literatures, with particular focus on Beowulf , medieval sensory perception , and pre-Christian Germanic religions . Affiliated with UCL since 1989, he was promoted to Reader in 1999 and Professor in 2007. Research interests include: Anglo-Saxon paganism and Christian syncretism Old Norse mythological analysis (Freyr, Loki, Baldr) Viking Age cultural exchange between England and Scandinavia Historical linguistics across Germanic languages Medieval manuscript studies His publications demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches combining literary analysis with archaeology, agronomy, and sensory studies. Recent works explore Cnut's political ideology , Old English poetic meter , and medieval animal symbolism .
Jalal Al-Tamimi is an Associate Professor (Maître de conférences) in experimental phonetics and phonology at Université Paris Cité, affiliated with the Laboratoire de Linguistique Formelle (LLF). He holds an HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) in Phonetics and Phonology and has extensive experience in teaching and research across institutions including Newcastle University, UK. His research focuses on the interface between phonetics and phonology, particularly the role of acoustic and articulatory correlates in speech production, perception, and acquisition. He specializes in Arabic dialects, using advanced quantitative methods like generalized additive mixed models and machine learning techniques. Al-Tamimi’s academic journey includes a PhD from Lyon 2 University (2007) and postdoctoral roles in the UK before joining Paris. He currently directs the Master in Language Sciences and co-leads research strands on phonetic complexity and language variation. His administrative roles include membership in the AFCP and coordination of experimental linguistics at LLF. Research interests span laboratory phonology, articulatory-acoustic mapping, and the application of automated methods in clinical diagnosis. His work explores epilarynx dynamics in Arabic gutturals and forced-alignment systems for dialectal Arabic. Awards include the Peter Ladefoged Prize (2018) and Leverhulme Fellowships. He supervises numerous PhD and MA students across computational linguistics and phonetics. Publications highlight contributions to vowel dynamics, speech processing in Alzheimer’s, and cross-linguistic phonological studies. His lab collaborations involve the MAUS team and Sorbonne’s SCAI, focusing on speech technology and pathological speech analysis.
Dr Chris Carignan serves as Programme Director for the Language Science MSc at University College London's Division of Psychology and Language Sciences within the Faculty of Brain Sciences. His research focuses on the intricate mechanisms of human speech production, particularly through cross-linguistic phonetic studies and articulatory dynamics using advanced imaging technologies. PhD in Speech Science Specializes in the intersection of language heritage and phonetic research Develops innovative methodologies for speech data collection and analysis His work spans multiple areas including nasal coarticulation , real-time MRI of vocal tract movements , and cross-linguistic phonetic analysis . He has contributed significantly to understanding how speakers produce complex speech sounds across different languages through comparative studies. Dr Carignan's research has led to the development of open-source tools for speech production analysis and pioneered new approaches for ultrasound articulography . His work on vowel nasalization and sibilant contrasts has been particularly influential in speech science. As Programme Director, he oversees a comprehensive curriculum that provides students with methodological training , statistical expertise , and hands-on research experience while allowing specialization through optional modules. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of curiosity-driven research and interdisciplinary approaches in advancing language sciences.
Dr. Mara Nicosia is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Padua (Department of Historical and Geographic Sciences and the Ancient World) under the ERC Starting Grant FragArist. Previously, she held a British Academy Newton International Fellowship at Durham University (Department of Classics and Ancient History), focusing on Syriac rhetoric's intersection with Greco-Roman and Arabic traditions. Her research explores Syriac intellectual history, Semitic languages, and the transmission of Aristotelian thought. She earned her PhD from the University of Naples 'L'Orientale' with a thesis on Syriac rhetorical vocabulary between Greek and Arabic influences. Her work integrates philological analysis with historical linguistics, emphasizing language contact between Greek, Syriac, and Arabic. Notable contributions include the edited volume Syriac Lexis and Lexica (2024) and studies on Antony of Tagrit's rhetorical treatise. Nicosia has taught courses on ancient rhetoric and co-organized conferences like 'Syriac Studies in the UK' (2024). She holds grants exceeding £114k and has been awarded the Seal of Excellence (2025) and the Gorgias Book Grant (2019).
Dr. Erin Moriarty is a Professor and Program Director for the Graduate Program in Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. She holds an honorary research fellowship at Heriot-Watt University, following a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Annelies Kusters. Her work focuses on linguistic ethnography, translanguaging, deaf mobilities, and the interplay between morality and language. She has led projects such as 'MobileDeaf: Deaf mobilities across international borders' (2017-2023) and studies deaf tourism in Bali. Her research integrates sociolinguistics, anthropology, and mobility studies to explore how deaf individuals navigate global networks, cultural boundaries, and language ideologies. She critiques rigid classifications of deaf communities and emphasizes the fluidity of linguistic practices in transnational contexts. Her projects often involve visual ethnography, such as filmmaking to document deaf tourist experiences. Moriarty’s articles highlight themes like sign language documentation in post-conflict areas, moral orientations in mobile signers, and the politics of translanguaging. She advocates for inclusive educational approaches that respect deaf students’ bilingual needs. Her work bridges academic research with practical implications for deaf communities worldwide. Key Projects: MobileDeaf (2017-2023), Deaf Tourism in Bali Affiliations: Gallaudet University (Primary), Heriot-Watt University (Honorary) Expertise: Deaf mobilities, linguistic ethnography, sign language ideologies
Professor Geoffrey Khan serves as the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge, affiliated with the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. He has held this prestigious position since 2012, following his academic progression from Lecturer in Hebrew and Aramaic (1993), to Reader in Semitic Philology (1999-2002), and Professor of Semitic Philology (2002-2012). His scholarly journey began with B.A. and Ph.D. studies in Semitic Languages at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Professor Khan's academic foundation includes a B.A. in Semitic Languages (1980) and a Ph.D. (1984) for his thesis "Extraposition and Pronominal Agreement in Semitic languages." His career at Cambridge commenced in 1983 with the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit, where he has remained a central figure in Semitic scholarship. Professor Khan's research spans three major domains within Semitic linguistics. His work on Hebrew encompasses comprehensive studies of Biblical Hebrew syntax, the Tiberian Masoretic tradition, and medieval Hebrew grammatical thought, particularly Karaite contributions. In Aramaic studies, he has conducted extensive documentation of endangered North-Eastern Neo-Aramaic dialects through fieldwork across northern Iraq, southeastern Turkey, and western Iran. His Arabic research focuses on editing medieval documentary corpora, including materials from the Cairo Genizah and early Islamic regions. He serves as editor-in-chief of the comprehensive Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics, containing approximately 1,000 articles on Hebrew language traditions. Professor Khan's publication trajectory reveals consistent scholarly productivity across multiple Semitic language traditions. His recent works demonstrate particular focus on the Tiberian pronunciation tradition of Biblical Hebrew (2020), Neo-Aramaic dialect documentation (2021-2024), and medieval Arabic documents from Nubia (2024). His scholarship bridges traditional philological approaches with contemporary linguistic theory, addressing both historical and contemporary aspects of Semitic languages. Professor Khan's scholarly distinction is reflected in numerous prestigious honors: Election as Fellow of the British Academy (1998) Election as Honorary Fellow of the Academy of the Hebrew Language (2011) Election as Fellow of Academia Europea (2014) Election as Honorary Member of the American Oriental Society (2015) Extraordinary Professor (Honorary) by University of Stellenbosch (2016) Lidzbarski Gold Medal for Semitic philology (2004) Honorary doctorates from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2017) and University of Uppsala (2018) Professor Khan actively supervises graduate research, currently guiding Lina Brüssel's work on "The Medieval Karaite Transcriptions of Hebrew into Arabic Script." His leadership extends to multiple major research initiatives including the "Documentation of North-Eastern Neo-Aramaic Dialects" project, "Arabic Documents from Fatimid Nubia," and the preparation of the "Oxford Grammar of Biblical Hebrew" for Oxford University Press. His scholarly contributions have been supported by various funding bodies enabling extensive fieldwork and publication projects across multiple continents.
Rory Turnbull is a Senior Lecturer in Phonetics and Phonology at Newcastle University’s School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics. His career spans roles as Assistant Professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and Postdoctoral Researcher at the Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique in Paris. He holds a PhD in Linguistics from Ohio State University and an MA (Hons) in Linguistics and English Language from the University of Edinburgh. Education PhD in Linguistics, Ohio State University (2015) MA (Hons) in English Language and Linguistics, University of Edinburgh (2009) Rory’s research bridges phonetics, phonology, and psycholinguistics, focusing on how frequency, predictability, and usage-based factors shape linguistic sound structures. His work emphasizes cross-linguistic studies to address limitations in single-language research, with projects on lexical organization, prosodic contrasts, and their perception-production dynamics. His recent publications highlight methodological pluralism, including experimental phonetics, computational models, and theoretical phonology. Topics span phonological networks, dialectal variation, L2 sound processing, and prosody’s interaction with cognition. Rory co-convenes Newcastle’s Cross-Faculty Phonetics and Phonology Research Group and coordinates the Language and Linguistics Seminar Series. He serves on the editorial board of Glossa Psycholinguistics and contributes to open science initiatives.
Ida Hadjivayanis is Senior Lecturer in Swahili (Education) and Departmental Director of Student Support and Experience at SOAS University of London's School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics. She holds a PhD from SOAS, MA from Middlesex University, and BA from National University of Lesotho. Her research examines Swahili language variation, identity formation in diasporic communities, and translation practices across Indian Ocean networks. She investigates how contact between languages shapes Swahili varieties and speaker identities in transnational contexts. Current projects analyze the relationship between language, migration, and cultural preservation in Swahili-speaking communities.
Dr. Patrycja Strycharczuk is Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at the University of Manchester, specializing in experimental phonetics and sociophonetics. Her award-winning research employs ultrasound imaging, acoustic analysis, and computational modeling to study speech production and perception. Research Focus: Strycharczuk's investigations address lingual articulation dynamics, vowel variation, and sound change mechanisms. Current projects examine speaker-specific articulation strategies, neural modeling of phonetic accommodation, and diphthongization patterns in English varieties. Methodologies include high-speed ultrasound, electromagnetic articulography, and machine learning approaches. Publication Trends: Recent articles (2023-2025) demonstrate increasing focus on computational modeling of speech production and perception. Earlier work established insights into dialect levelling, coda /l/ vocalization, and sociophonetic variation in UK English. Awards: Journal of Phonetics Best Early Career Scholar Article (2016).
Dr Mary Baltazani is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Phonetics at the University of Oxford's Faculty of Linguistics, Philology & Phonetics, affiliated with the Phonetics Lab and Language & Brain Lab. Her research focuses on the interface between phonetics, phonology, and pragmatics, with special attention to intonation, Greek dialects, and sociophonetics. She leads and collaborates on projects examining language contact effects on intonation (e.g., Greek in Cyprus, Cretan Greek under Venetian influence) and the compositional nature of intonational meaning. Education: PhD in Linguistics from UCLA (2002), M.A. in Linguistics (UCLA), and academic positions at institutions including UCL, University College London, and the University of Ioannina. She has organized major conferences like BAAP 2014 and contributed to the creation of educational materials on Greek dialects through projects like VOCALECT. Research Interests : Intonation and pragmatics in Greek Historical and dialectal phonetics Language contact in the Eastern Mediterranean Prosodic typology and socioprosodic variation Current/Recent Projects: Greek in Contact (ESRC-funded): Examines Turkish and Italian influences on Greek intonation. Components of Intonation (British Academy): Investigates whether intonation's meaning is holistic or compositional. Grants include ESRC, British Academy, and NSRF European Regional Development Fund awards. Publications span encyclopedic entries, journal articles, and conference proceedings on topics like Cypriot Arabic prosody, Greek dialectal vowel systems, and historical phonetic change.
