Michela Ippolito is an Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Toronto. She holds a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2002) and an MPhil from the University of Oxford (1997). Her research focuses on formal semantics and pragmatics, with expertise in modality, counterfactuals, focus, presuppositions, implicatures, tense, aspect, and Romance linguistics. She also explores crosslinguistic semantics and gestures. Education: PhD in Linguistics, MIT (2002), Dissertation: The Time of Possibilities: Truth and Felicity of Subjunctive Conditionals MPhil in General Linguistics, Oxford (1997), Thesis: The Semantics of Tense and Aspect in English and Italian BA in Philosophy, University of Milan (1994) Research interests span formal semantics, pragmatics, and crosslinguistic phenomena. Recent work includes semantic analysis of clitic pronouns and theoretical debates on embedded implicatures. Her publications address subjunctive conditionals, counterfactual presuppositions, and focus-sensitive particles. Awards 2019 Faculty Research Fellow, Jackman Humanities Institute Teaching includes courses like Semantic Theory and Introduction to Semantics . Her employment history includes roles at Boston University (2004–2006) and UCSC (2003–2004). She has also held visiting positions and research roles in Germany.
Jon Brennan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). His research focuses on neurolinguistics, computational linguistics, and psycholinguistics, particularly investigating how the brain processes language structure and meaning. He leads the Computational Neurolinguistics Lab, which develops neurocomputational models to study language comprehension mechanisms. Brennan received an NSF Grant for collaborative research with Christophe Pallier (Paris) on neurocomputational models of natural language processing. His work integrates EEG, fMRI, and MEG techniques to decode linguistic features in neural signals. Key research areas include syntax-semantics interfaces, multilingual processing, and developmental disorders like dyslexia. Notable contributions include studies on hierarchical syntactic structure, minimal pairs in language models, and neural correlates of theory of mind in children. Brennan collaborates internationally, exemplified by the US-French NSF-CRCNS grant. He has published extensively on topics like neural decoding of grammatical features, LLM internal representations, and bilingual processing mechanisms. Scientific awards include the NSF Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) Grant (2016). His research bridges computational modeling and experimental neuroscience, aiming to reveal how language mechanisms are implemented in neural systems.
Pascale Trevisiol Okamura is an Associate Professor in Language Sciences and Language Teaching at Sorbonne Nouvelle University, affiliated with the DILTEC research team (EA 2288). Her primary role includes teaching language acquisition and foreign language didactics within the UFR of Literature, Linguistics, and Didactics (LLD). She co-heads the Master 2 program in Language Teaching (FLE/FLS) and holds administrative roles in departmental councils and educational committees. Education Background: Lecturer at Sorbonne Nouvelle University since 2015 Previously taught at Université de Poitiers (2010–2015) and Université Paris 8 (2007–2010) French teaching assistant at Hokkaido University, Japan Research Focus: Specializes in third language acquisition (L3), crosslinguistic influence, and the interface between language acquisition and didactics. Key themes include: Discourse construction in L3 French Input processing and initial language exposure Development of teaching materials for FLE Plurilingual practices among language teachers Current projects involve multilingualism in primary education, Tamil-speaking learners' L3 French acquisition, and reflexive training in research. Teaching & Supervision: Co-supervises doctoral research on topics such as L3 French acquisition in Chinese contexts, translinguistic discourse influences, and plurilingual teacher practices. Teaches advanced courses on language acquisition theories and FLE methodology. Labs/Teams: Member of the Second Language Acquisition Network (ReAL2) and part of the DILTEC team, focusing on language didactics and multilingualism research.
Kay James is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and serves as Director of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience and Education and the Neurocognition of Language Lab. Their work focuses on neural mechanisms underlying language disorders, second language acquisition, and cognitive processes in schizophrenia. Key affiliations include Biobehavioral Sciences, Neuroscience and Education, Human Development, and Cognitive Science in Education. Research interests emphasize the neural basis of language processing in pathological contexts such as developmental speech disorders and schizophrenia, alongside second language acquisition in adults. Their interdisciplinary approach bridges cognitive neuroscience with clinical and educational interventions. Publications span studies on mismatch negativity in speech disorders, syntactic development in Arabic diglossia, and brain-behavior asymmetry in schizophrenia. Ongoing work explores voice-related cortical potentials and emotional face processing through electrophysiological methods. Labs and teams include the Neurocognition of Language Lab, focusing on language neurobiology and clinical applications. Grants and advising roles are not explicitly detailed in the provided materials.
D. Eric Holt is an Associate Professor of Spanish and Linguistics at the University of South Carolina, affiliated with the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and the College of Arts and Sciences. He has held academic appointments since 1994, including visiting roles at Georgetown University and lecturing positions in Ecuador and Spain. His expertise spans Hispanic linguistics, historical linguistics, second language acquisition, and phonological theory, with a focus on Optimality Theory and its applications to Spanish and Portuguese. Educated at Occidental College (BA), Georgetown University (MS, PhD), and with extensive summer programs in linguistics, Holt's research explores sound change, dialectology, and L2 pronunciation acquisition. He has supervised numerous graduate theses and dissertations, including notable works on connected speech perception and language contact phenomena. His teaching portfolio includes advanced courses on Spanish linguistics, phonetics, and historical language evolution. Holt has led international study programs in Spain, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, and contributes to academic service as an associate editor of Studies in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics and through professional organizations like Phi Beta Kappa. Holt's grants include funding for research on L2 speech perception and技术创新 in pronunciation teaching. He has presented globally at conferences such as NWAV and LSA, and his work appears in top journals like Probus and Georgetown University Round Table . His current projects include books on Optimality Theory in Spanish linguistics and debunking language myths.
John R Anderson is the Richard King Mellon University Professor of Psychology and Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), affiliated with the Department of Psychology within the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. His research focuses on understanding higher-level cognition, particularly mathematical problem-solving, through the development of the ACT-R cognitive architecture—a computational framework simulating human cognitive processes. This architecture integrates behavioral, neural, and educational data to model learning and decision-making. Anderson’s work bridges cognitive science, neuroscience, and educational technology. He investigates how brain imaging (e.g., fMRI, EEG) can reveal the temporal dynamics of cognitive processes and improve instructional methods. His research emphasizes analyzing brain activity time courses to uncover underlying mechanisms of problem-solving and skill acquisition. Key Research Themes: Cognitive architectures, neural correlates of learning, computational models of memory, and intelligent tutoring systems. Notable Contributions: Development of the ACT-R architecture, integration of neuroimaging with cognitive modeling, and studies on skill transfer and learning strategies. Anderson’s publications include seminal books like Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications and How Can the Human Mind Occur in the Physical Universe? His work has advanced understanding of associative memory, strategic decision-making, and the application of cognitive models in educational technology. His lab, the ACT-R Research Group, collaborates across disciplines to model complex cognitive tasks and their neural foundations. Current projects analyze real-time brain activity to refine educational interventions and improve human-machine interaction.
Tom Schrijvers is a Professor at the Department of Computer Science in the Faculty of Engineering Science at KU Leuven, Belgium. He leads the Programming Languages Group within the Declarative Languages and Artificial Intelligence (DTAI) research group. His research focuses on programming languages, particularly functional and logic programming, with special emphasis on Haskell, type systems, and algebraic effects. His research interests include: Functional Programming, especially Haskell Type Systems and Type Theory Algebraic Effects and Handlers Logic Programming, particularly Prolog Constraint Programming Domain-Specific Languages Programming Language Theory Prof. Schrijvers' recent research has focused on effect systems, staged programming, and language composition. His work on algebraic effect handlers has been particularly influential, providing new insights into how effects can be modularly composed and handled in functional languages. He has also made significant contributions to the understanding of type classes and their implementation in Haskell. His publications demonstrate a consistent focus on practical applications of programming language theory, with work spanning from foundational type theory to applied domain-specific languages for areas like fluorescence microscopy. His research often bridges the gap between theoretical programming language concepts and practical implementation concerns. Prof. Schrijvers has supervised numerous PhD students to completion, including Pieter Wuille, Benoit Desouter, George Karachalias, Steven Keuchel, Amr Saleh, Alexander Vandenbroucke, and Ruben Pieters. He currently supervises PhD students Klara Mardirosian, César Santos, Gert-Jan Bottu, Koen Pauwels, Birthe van den Berg, and Roger Bosman. His research group has received funding from various sources including EU projects like GRACeFUL. The Programming Languages Group at KU Leuven, which he leads, focuses on functional (Haskell) and logic (Prolog, Datalog, CLP) programming languages, as well as general programming language theory. The group has been active in numerous research projects and collaborations across Europe.
Matilde Marcolli is the Robert F. Christy Professor of Mathematics and Computing and Mathematical Sciences at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). She holds joint appointments in the Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy (PMA) and the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences (EAS). Her research spans noncommutative geometry, mathematical physics, number theory, and mathematical linguistics. She has been recognized with prestigious awards such as the Sofja Kovalevskaya Award (2001) and the Heinz Maier Leibnitz Prize (2001). Marcolli has advised numerous PhD students and contributed to over 300 publications. Her work bridges abstract mathematics with applications in cosmology, quantum field theory, and computational linguistics. Education : PhD in Mathematics, University of Chicago, 1997 M.Sc., University of Chicago, 1994 Laurea in Mathematics, University of Pavia, 1993 Research Interests : Marcolli’s research explores the intersection of geometry, number theory, and physics. Key areas include noncommutative geometry models of particle physics and cosmology, motives in quantum field theory, and algebraic models of generative linguistics. She applies advanced techniques such as Feynman integrals, spectral action principles, and Hopf algebras to interdisciplinary problems. Grants & Awards : NSF grants DMS-2104330, DMS-1707882, and others NSERC Discovery Grant RGPIN-2018-04937 FQXi grant FQXi-RFP-1804 Collaborations & Labs : Marcolli collaborates with institutions like the Perimeter Institute and Florida State University. She leads research groups on topics such as quantum statistical mechanics, holography, and neural information networks. Her work on syntax-semantics interfaces and quantum gravity models has been pivotal in interdisciplinary studies.
Gang (Gary) Tan is a Professor at the Pennsylvania State University's College of Engineering, specializing in computer security, formal methods, and programming languages. He co-directs the Institute for Networking and Security Research (INSR) and leads the Security of Software (SOS) Group, focusing on compiler, programming language, and formal method techniques to enhance computer security. Education: B.E. in Computer Science from Tsinghua University Ph.D. in Computer Science from Princeton University His research integrates formal verification with practical security applications, particularly emphasizing: Compiler-based security enforcement Side-channel mitigation in speculative execution Fairness analysis in machine learning systems Formal grammar approaches for software reliability Key article trends show: Security-focused formal methods (15% of publications) ML fairness verification (20% of recent work) Compiler-based security solutions (30% of output) Side-channel defense mechanisms (25% of research) Parser design and formal grammar synthesis (10% of contributions) Scientific achievements include: NSF CAREER Award Google Research Awards (2x) PLDI 2024 Best Paper James F. Will Career Development Professorship Outstanding Research Award at Penn State Ruth and Joel Spira Excellence in Teaching Award Dr. Tan actively contributes to academic communities through: DARPA ISAT study group membership Program committee roles (CGO 2024, ECOOP 2018, etc) Leadership in security research initiatives
Demirdache Hamida is a Full Professor of Linguistics at Nantes University and Director of the Nantes Linguistics Lab (LLING UMR 6310, CNRS). She holds a PhD from MIT (1991) and Habilitation à diriger des recherches from Nantes University (2003). Her research focuses on syntax-semantics interfaces, linguistic diversity, and formal syntactic theory with emphasis on Semitic languages and under-represented languages like Salish. She has pioneered experimental methodologies to probe logical form syntax, particularly in studies of temporal anaphora, distributivity, and quantification. Leadership roles: Founded LLING lab in 2004, elevated to CNRS status in 2016 Research grants: Coordinator of ANR-DFG projects (2022-2025), CHILL serious game initiative (2018-2021) Awards: Palmes académiques (2011), Descartes-Huygens Prize (2003), multiple PEDR/PES excellence awards Her experimental work bridges theoretical syntax and empirical child language studies, with recent focus on cross-linguistic variation in telicity and scalar implicatures. Supervised 15 PhD theses (including 3 double-doctorates) and 54 master’s theses. Active in international research networks including the Van Riemsdijk Foundation and Carnot Cognition Institute. LLING lab specializes in formal linguistics with particular expertise in: syntax-semantics interfaces, multilingualism, and experimental methods. Current projects investigate Boolean connectives (FRAL project), heritage language maintenance (AThEME EU project), and logical language acquisition through game-based learning (Cool Boole School).
Dr Isobelle Clarke is a Lecturer in Security and Protection Science at the School of Social Sciences, Lancaster University. Her work bridges corpus linguistics, forensic linguistics, and sociolinguistics with a focus on media and social media discourses. Research Overview Current projects: Leverhulme-funded investigation of anti-science discourses (anti-vaccination, climate denialism, anti-GMO) Core Methodologies: Corpus analysis, discourse analysis, authorship attribution Her recent publications explore: Climate change denialism across conspiracy platforms Vaccine conspiracy theories on social media Representation of religion in press Spoken language patterns in American English She supervises PhD student Xinran Wang and contributes to academic activities like the FACTOR Summer School and Lancashire Cyber Education Week. Her work integrates computational methods with critical discourse analysis.
Dr. He Tai-Sen is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Holding a PhD in Economics from Brown University (2013), he also earned an MA in Economics and a Bachelor of Finance from National Chengchi University, Taiwan. He was an honorary member of the Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society and recipient of the Reginald D. Archambault Award for Teaching Excellence at Brown in 2009. Education : PhD (Economics, Brown University, 2013); MA (Economics, National Chengchi University, 2003); Bachelor of Finance (National Chengchi University, 2001) Dr. He specializes in Behavioral Economics , Experimental Economics , and the intersection of Psychology , Linguistics , and Economics . His research explores how linguistic features (e.g., future tense, pronoun drop) and acoustic manipulations (e.g., vocal pitch, speech rate) influence economic decisions. He also investigates parental strategies to develop children’s pro-sociality, patience, and strategic reasoning. His publications reveal interdisciplinary trends: Language-Decision Interactions (4 papers) Temporal Discounting & Risk Preferences (5 papers) Trust & Prosocial Behavior (3 papers) Behavioral Policy Analysis (2 papers) Scientific Awards : Reginald D. Archambault Award for Teaching Excellence (Brown University, 2009) At NTU, he teaches Experimental Economics , Financial Economics , and Microeconomics Principles . He also instructs Behavioral Economics for Policy Analysis in Mandarin at the Nanyang Centre for Public Administration. Dr. He emphasizes inquiry-based teaching, fostering student creativity through conversational methods. His research involves interdisciplinary collaborations, often co-authoring papers with students. Married to a psychologist, he draws inspiration from family interactions, blending personal and academic insights into his work on behavioral economics.
JuHyun Lee is an Associate Professor of Architecture and Computational Design in the School of Built Environment at the Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture (ADA), University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, where they also hold the prestigious title of Scientia Academic. With a professional background in architecture and construction (1998-2002), they have held academic positions across Australia including a five-year post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Newcastle (2012-2017) and a senior research fellowship at the University of South Australia (2018), following earlier research and teaching roles in South Korea (2003-2011). Lee specializes in architectural design computing, design cognition, and urban complexity, integrating computational methods, cognitive science, and architectural theory to advance architectural intelligence and human-centered design. Their research spans architectural visualization, analysis and design methods, algorithm/protocol design, and data visualization with computational approaches. They have established a strong research program examining the intersection of language, culture, and design cognition, particularly focusing on cross-cultural design communication between Australia and Korea. Lee's recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated integration of computational methods with architectural design theory, particularly in the areas of shape grammar, space syntax, and machine learning applications. Their work shows consistent focus on practical applications of computational design methods to real-world architectural problems, with growing emphasis on cross-cultural collaboration and intelligent design systems. The research portfolio reveals a deepening engagement with AI and machine learning techniques applied to architectural design assessment and generation. Scientia Academic at UNSW Sydney Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA, 2020) As an educator, Lee develops cutting-edge courses in computational design and Building Information Modeling (BIM), integrating experiential learning and industry engagement. They have secured over $11 million in research funding, including multiple ARC Discovery Projects and an Australia-Korea Foundation grant. Lee co-directs the Advanced Architectural Analytics Laboratory (A 3 LAB), leading interdisciplinary research on design automation, spatial analysis, and machine learning applications in architecture, while also leading cross-cultural initiatives like the Australia-Korea Architects' Network (AKAN). Lee supervises multiple HDR students working on culturally sustainable urban design, socio-spatial patterns in public housing, and computational layout generation. Their research has significant implications for improving design communication across cultural boundaries and developing more coherent, clear, and accessible built environments through computational design approaches.
Professor Devyani Sharma is a Professor of Linguistics at Queen Mary University of London, affiliated with the Department of Linguistics within the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film. She holds a PhD from Stanford University. Her research focuses on sociolinguistics, style variation, migration, bilingualism, new varieties of English, syntax, typology, and accent bias. She has conducted extensive studies on diasporic communities, particularly Punjabi Londoners, examining dialect development and social change through projects like 'Generations of London English' and 'Accent Bias in Britain.' Her work integrates quantitative and qualitative methods, including sociolinguistic interviews, acoustic analysis, and discourse analysis. Notable contributions include studies on the role of social networks in language variation, the concept of 'lectal focusing,' and the impact of accent biases in professional contexts. She has authored/co-authored books such as From Deficit to Dialect: The Evolution of English in India and Singapore (2023) and edited volumes including English in the Indian Diaspora (2014). Professor Sharma collaborates on public engagement initiatives like Teach Real English! and Multilingual Capital , aiming to improve linguistic education and address accent bias in society. Her research has been funded by grants from the ESRC and other UK organizations, totaling over £412,000 for major projects. She serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Sociolinguistics and contributes to international conferences and workshops.
Freda Shi is an Assistant Professor at the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo, and a Faculty Member at the Vector Institute. She holds a Canada CIFAR AI Chair. Her research focuses on computational linguistics, natural language processing (NLP), and grounded language learning, with emphasis on multilingualism and spatial reasoning in vision-language systems. She earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (2024), advised by Karen Livescu and Kevin Gimpel, supported by a Google Ph.D. Fellowship. Her undergraduate degree is from Peking University (2018), with a minor in Sociology. Her academic career includes affiliations with the CompLING Lab at Waterloo and contributions to major conferences like ACL and NAACL. She has organized tutorials on NLP grounding and is actively involved in research on model robustness and cognitive insights. Awards include the Google Ph.D. Fellowship and Best Paper Nominations at ACL 2024 and EMNLP 2021, alongside her Thesis of Distinction. She teaches courses such as CS 784 (Computational Linguistics) and CS 486/686 (Artificial Intelligence), emphasizing both theoretical and applied aspects of NLP. Research trends in her articles highlight advancements in vision-language spatial reasoning, multilingualism, and model interpretability. Her work bridges cognitive science and computational methods, exploring how human language mechanisms inform the design of more trustworthy AI systems. Scientific Awards: Google Ph.D. Fellowship Best Paper Nominee (ACL 2024) Best Paper Nominee (EMNLP 2021) Thesis of Distinction (2024) Advising and Grants: As an advisor, she encourages prospective students to review her guidelines. Her grants include support from the Canada CIFAR AI Chair program and the Vector Institute. She collaborates in labs such as CompLING at Waterloo and co-organizes events at NAACL and ICLR. Labs/Teams: She leads the CompLING Lab at the University of Waterloo, affiliated with the Vector Institute. Her work integrates interdisciplinary teams focusing on grounded learning and multilingual NLP challenges.
