Thomas Rainsford is a Lecturer at the University of Stuttgart's Institute of Linguistics, Division of Romance Linguistics. His research focuses on historical Romance linguistics, particularly phonological change, morpho-syntax, and corpus development. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and has held positions at ENS de Lyon and as a British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford. Research interests center on: Diachronic evolution of French, Occitan, and Italian Prosodic changes and phonological annotation Lexical and morpho-syntactic aspects of motion events Historical corpus development with multi-layer annotation Publications demonstrate consistent focus on: Historical phonology and orthographic systems Syntactic change in medieval Gallo-Romance languages Corpus linguistics methodologies Computational approaches to historical texts Awards include the British Academy Post-Doctoral Fellowship. Current research involves leading a DFG-funded project examining motion events in French and Italian through lexical and syntactic change analysis. Developed the Old Gallo-Romance Corpus (OGR) with specialized phonological and metrical annotation layers.
Dr. Giorgos Spathas is a senior researcher and project leader at the Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft (ZAS), Berlin, leading the DFG-funded project Measures of Change in the Grammar of Verbal Predications (MeasChange) . He holds a PhD in Linguistics from the Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS (2005-2010) and has held research positions at Humboldt University Berlin, University of Stuttgart, and MIT. His research focuses on the semantics of natural language interfaces with syntax and prosody, particularly in binding theory, focus theory, and argument structure alternations. Recent work emphasizes inner aspect and integrating event-decompositional/scalar analyses of verbal predication. Key Projects: DFG Project MeasChange (since 2022) DFG Project Relative measurement and the DP Border (2018-2022) Collaborative Research Center SFB 732, Project B6 (2003-2008) Research Interests: Proportional measurement in linguistic structures Event decomposition and aspectuality Diachronic developments in verbal predication
Daniela Sammler is an Adjunct Professor at Goethe University Frankfurt and Research Group Leader of the Neurocognition of Music and Language research group at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt/Main. She has established herself as a leading researcher at the intersection of music cognition, language processing, and neuroscience, with a particular focus on prosody, syntax, and the neural mechanisms underlying both speech and musical processing. Education 2025: Adjunct Professor, Goethe University Frankfurt/M. 2022: Venia Legendi, Goethe University Frankfurt/M. 2018: Habilitation and Venia Legendi, University of Leipzig (Topic: Intonation in speech and music) 2004-2008: Dr. rer. nat. in Psychology, University of Leipzig and MPI for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig (Topic: Syntax in language and music) 1997-2004: Psychology studies at University of Leipzig and Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg (Diploma from Leipzig) Research Interests Daniela Sammler's research focuses on the neurocognitive foundations of music and language processing , with particular emphasis on how prosody, melody, and syntax are represented and processed in the brain. Her work explores the common neural mechanisms underlying speech and music, investigating how the brain processes intonation patterns in both domains. She has made significant contributions to understanding the dorsal and ventral pathways for prosody and the neuroanatomical overlap of syntax processing in music and language. Her research employs a variety of methodologies including fMRI, EEG, intracranial ERP studies, and behavioral experiments with both healthy participants and patient populations. She has conducted groundbreaking work on amusia and language disorders , prosodic structure building , and the neural bases of musical joint action . Analysis of her recent publications reveals a growing focus on interpersonal musical interaction, interbrain synchrony, and the cognitive mechanisms underlying collaborative music-making. Scientific Awards Gold Medal for outstanding achievements in the preservation of historic monuments in Europe (2012) Otto Hahn Medal of the Max Planck Society (2010) Otto Hahn Award of the Max Planck Society (2010) Poster Award, Organization of Human Brain Mapping (2010) Research Leadership and Grants Since 2020, Dr. Sammler has led the Neurocognition of Music and Language research group at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics. Prior to this, she headed the Otto Hahn Group Neural Bases of Intonation in Speech and Music at the MPI for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences from 2013-2020, which was funded through her Otto Hahn Award. Her research has been supported by prestigious grants from the Max Planck Society and other funding bodies, enabling her to establish cutting-edge research programs at the intersection of music, language, and neuroscience. She currently leads multiple research projects including "Neural Networks for Real-Time Joint Music Performance: Piano duos in the MR-scanner" and "Cognitive drivers of interbrain synchrony during musical interaction," which investigate the complex cognitive and neural processes underlying musical collaboration. Her research group has also explored how vocal tone carries information about emotional state and speaker intention through prosody. Research Environment Dr. Sammler's research group operates within the Department of Music at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt. Her lab employs state-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques including fMRI, EEG, and intracranial recordings to investigate the neural substrates of music and language processing. The research environment fosters interdisciplinary collaboration between neuroscientists, linguists, musicologists, and cognitive scientists, creating a rich intellectual space for exploring the complex relationships between music and language.
Jens Michaelis is a Professor at the Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies, Bielefeld University, specializing in Computational Linguistics, Text Technology, and Linguistic Creativity. He serves as Deputy Head of the Department of Linguistics, Clinical Linguistics, Text Technology and Computational Linguistics, and provides academic advising for Computational Linguistics programs. His office is located at UHG U5-231, with contact details including telephone +49 521 106-6915 and email jens.michaelis@uni-bielefeld.de . Maintaining active research roles, he leads project B01 'Coercion as a creative mechanism in compositional interpretation' within the SFB 1646: Linguistic Creativity in Communication. His teaching responsibilities span modules like 23-CL-BaCL2.1 Selected methodological aspects 23-CL-BaCL5 Advanced Module 23-CL-BaCL6 Project Module 23-LIN-Ma3.1 Basics of Computational Linguistics 23-MeWi-HM3a_a Mathematical-linguistic language modeling across both undergraduate and graduate programs. His scholarly work focuses on formal grammar properties, syntactic mechanisms, and computational modeling of language. As an ordinary member of the Faculty Conference and Habilitation Committee, he contributes to academic governance while maintaining an extensive publication record in mathematical linguistics, minimalist grammars, and formal language theory.
Brigitte Pientka is a Professor at McGill University's School of Computer Science , where she leads the Computation and Logic group . She earned her PhD from Carnegie Mellon University in 2003 and previously studied at the University of Edinburgh and Technical University of Darmstadt. Education PhD in Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University (2003) University of Edinburgh Technical University of Darmstadt Research Interests Her work focuses on the theoretical and practical foundations for building reliable software systems, combining logic, type theory, and verification with system-building. Key areas include: Type Theory and Dependent Types Logical Frameworks and Mechanized Metatheory Session-Typed Concurrency and Linear Logic Metaprogramming and Contextual Type Systems Theorem Proving and Formal Verification Functional Programming and Language-Based Security Professional Roles She has served as: PC Chair for ICFP'24 and CPP'24 General Chair for POPL'20 Executive Editor of Logical Methods in Computer Science Steering Committee Member for LICS, POPL, and ESOP Scientific Awards Dr. Pientka has received: Test of Time Award at PPDP'18 Humboldt Fellowship for research at MPI-SWS, Germany Labs & Teams She actively develops the Beluga programming language , a tool for mechanizing meta-theory proofs and type-driven program manipulation.
Maria Averintseva-Klisch is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of German Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, University of Tübingen. She specializes in text coherence (particularly referential coherence), semantics and pragmatics (especially demonstrative pronouns), syntax (right displacement), and linguistic applications in school education. Her research bridges linguistic theory with pedagogical practice, focusing on text grammar, literary analysis, and language education. University of Tübingen Department of German Linguistics Senior Lecturer since 2018 Her work emphasizes the integration of linguistic theory into school curricula, particularly through the Topological Model and referential coherence in texts. She has published extensively on German syntax-discourse interfaces, anaphoric demonstratives, and aesthetic reading strategies. Recent publications focus on pragmatic inferences in medieval literature, reference resolution in educational texts, and demonstrative pronouns in discourse. She actively contributes to academic conferences and collaborates with institutions like the German Society for Linguistics (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprachwissenschaft).
Helmut Weiß is a Professor at Goethe University Frankfurt, affiliated with Department 10 - Modern Philologies and the Institute of Linguistics. He is based in the IG Farben House at Norbert-Wollheim-Platz 1, Frankfurt am Main (postal code 60323). His research expertise spans: Historical Linguistics German Linguistics Old High German Historical Syntax German Philology Professor Weiß teaches multiple courses for Winter semester 2025/26 including Old High German, Historical Linguistics II, Historical syntax of German, and Historical Linguistics Colloquium, demonstrating his specialization in historical language development. His contact information includes telephone 069/798-32674, fax 069/798-32675, and office Room 2.151 in the IG Farben House. Office hours are Wednesdays from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM by appointment only.
Dr. Zekine Özertural is a researcher affiliated with the University of Bonn's Department of Central Asian Linguistics and Cultural Studies, specializing in Manichaean Studies and Old Turkic languages. Her work bridges historical linguistics, religious studies, and manuscript analysis, focusing on pre-Islamic Old Turkish texts and their cultural contexts. Research Focus: Old Turkish Uyghur Manichaeism, Dictionary of Old Uyghur, Cataloging of Oriental Manuscripts in Germany (KOHD), and Pre-Islamic Old Turkish Texts Electronic Corpus (VATEC). Scientific Activities: Collaborative projects like KOHD for manuscript preservation, editorial contributions to academic proceedings (e.g., 2011's Eastern Manichaeism ), and interdisciplinary analysis of textual evolution. Her recent publications (2002-2014) analyze Manichaean-Uyghur textual structures, phonetic/orthographic peculiarities, and cross-cultural linguistic influences, particularly between Turkic and Iranian traditions. She has co-authored works on Sogdian-Old Turkic relations and confessional texts like Xuastvanıft, contributing to understanding Central Asian religious syncretism.
Dr. Leonarda Prela is a doctoral researcher at the Chair of Language and Cognition (Alexander von Humboldt-Professorship) within the Department of English and American Studies at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). Her research investigates the interplay between cognitive abilities and linguistic performance in adult bilingual speakers of Greek and English, focusing on factors influencing first and second language acquisition. Research Focus : Relationship between L1 and L2 in bilinguals Cognitive predictors of language attainment Role of education and input quality/quantity Recent Publications Analyzed : 2024 study on age effects in heritage vs. late L2 learners 2022 investigation of aptitude-experience interactions in Greek-English bilinguals Contact: leonarda.prela@fau.de
Arnulf Deppermann is Professor of German Linguistics at the University of Mannheim and Head of the Pragmatics Department at the Leibniz Institute for German Language. He specializes in conversation analysis, multimodal interaction, and the study of spoken German. His research examines how meaning, understanding, and social action are interactively constituted through linguistic and embodied resources. Research interests focus on interactional semantics, multimodal resource coordination, and the temporal organization of social interaction. Key areas include action ascription, the relationship between grammar and interaction, and methodological advances in conversation analysis. His work spans diverse contexts from psychotherapy to theater rehearsals. Recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on: Interactional semantics and meaning negotiation Multimodal coordination in institutional settings Therapeutic communication patterns German linguistics and conversation analytic methodology Editorial roles include founding co-editor of the online journal 'Gesprächsforschung'. He organizes major conferences including the International Conference on Conversation Analysis (ICCA).
Gabriele Diewald is a Professor of German Linguistics at the Department of German and Applied Linguistics, Leibniz University Hannover. She holds a habilitation in German linguistics and has held academic positions including Vice President for Teaching and Visiting Professorships at institutions like the University of São Paulo. Her research focuses on grammaticalization, language change, pragmatics, and gender-fair language use, with significant contributions to linguistic theory and public discourse on gendered language norms. Education & Career: PhD in German Linguistics (1990), University of Erlangen-Nuremberg Habilitation (1998), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg Visiting Scholar at Stanford University (1996–1997) Professorships at University of Hamburg (2000–2001) and Leibniz University Hannover (since 2001) Vice President for Teaching, Leibniz University Hannover (2007–2012) Research Interests: Diewald’s work bridges theoretical linguistics and societal applications, particularly in gender-fair language. She analyzes grammaticalization processes, pragmatic functions of language, and the sociopolitical dimensions of linguistic change. Her studies address how language reflects and shapes gender norms, with critiques of traditional linguistic assumptions and advocacy for inclusive language practices. Publications & Impact: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles and books, including co-authored Duden guides on gender-fair language (e.g., Handbuch geschlechtergerechte Sprache ). Her research appears in journals like Linguistische Berichte and Constructions & Frames , addressing topics from modal particles to evidentiality in German. She also engages public debates via media interviews (e.g., NZZ , Tagesspiegel ) and policy consultations on gender-sensitive language in education and governance. Contributions: Editor of volumes on grammaticalization, construction grammar, and gender linguistics. Active in interdisciplinary initiatives like the Leibniz Institute for the German Language’s Empirical Gender Linguistics project. Her work emphasizes the societal role of linguistics, advocating for linguists to address cultural and political challenges.
Prof. Roland Kießling is a Professor of African Studies at the University of Hamburg's Faculty of Humanities, affiliated with the Asia-Africa Institute's Department of African and Ethiopian Studies. He has held visiting professorships at the Universities of Bayreuth and Cologne, and served as a DFG Heisenberg Fellow (2001–2006). His research focuses on African languages, particularly Southern Cushitic, Nilotic, Niger-Congo, and Khoisan languages, emphasizing documentation, phonetics, morphosemantics, and language change. Academic Career: Studied at University of Hamburg (African Studies, Phonetics), M.A. 1988, Ph.D. 1993, Habilitation 2000 1990–1993: Research Associate in the DFG 'Iraqw Texts' project 1993–1999: Research Assistant at Hamburg's Institute for African and Ethiopian Studies Recipient of the Kurt-Hartwig-Siemers Prize (1995) Since 2006: Full Professor at University of Hamburg Research Interests: Documentation of endangered African languages, phonetic transcription, morphosemantics, language contact, and historical linguistics. Specializes in Cushitic (Southern), Nilotic (Southern), Niger-Congo (South Bantoid), and Khoisan languages including !Xoon. Key Projects (selection): Cluster of Excellence 'Understanding Written Artefacts' (2019–2025) DFG SFB 950 'Manuscript Cultures' (2011–2020), leading subproject C07 on Arabo-Swahili manuscripts DoBeS-funded documentation projects for Bezen (2011–2015) and Datooga motion lexico-grammar (2018–2022) Publications: Over 59 publications including monographs on Isu (West Ring Bantu), edited volumes on African linguistics, and articles in Journal of African Languages and Linguistics , Afrika und Übersee , and others. Recent work explores numeral classifiers, hybrid youth discourse, and tonogenesis. Awards: Kurt-Hartwig-Siemers Prize (1995), Heisenberg Fellowship (2001–2006), and contributions to major linguistic reference works like The Oxford Handbook of African Languages .
Dr. Johannes Twiefel is a Researcher at the Knowledge Technology Research Group within the Department of Informatics at the University of Hamburg. His work focuses on speech recognition, language understanding, and brain-inspired models using echo state networks. He leads the LemonSpeech project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, which aims to develop German automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems for local hardware deployment. His research spans noise robustness in ASR, robotic interaction, and multimodal learning. Education: Doctor rerum naturalium (Dr. rer. nat.) in Computer Science, University of Hamburg (2020) Master's degree in Computer Science, University of Hamburg (2014) Research Interests: Reservoir Computing and Echo State Networks Machine Learning and Neural Networks Speech Recognition and Language Understanding Human-Robot Interaction Robotics and Multimodal Systems Grants and Projects: EXIST Scholarship (2021–present) for LemonSpeech DOCKS Project (post-processing ASR hypotheses) Labs/Teams: Active in the Knowledge Technology Research Group, collaborating on neuro-inspired architectures and ASR systems.
Dr. Katharina Haude is a Chargée de Recherche HDR (Research Fellow) at the Laboratoire Structure et Dynamique des Langues (SeDyL - CNRS UMR8202) in Villejuif, France, and maintains an active affiliation with the Department of Linguistics at the University of Cologne, Germany. Her research focuses on the documentation and theoretical analysis of endangered languages, particularly the Movima language isolate spoken in Bolivia. Her academic background includes: Habilitation (HDR) from Université de Paris (2020) PhD in Linguistics from Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen (2006) Magister Artium (MA) in Linguistics from the University of Cologne (2001) Dr. Haude's research centers on syntax and information structure in under-documented languages, with Movima serving as her primary case study. Her work examines alignment systems, voice constructions, nominal tense, and clause structure, revealing how syntactic phenomena interact with discourse-pragmatic factors. She has made significant contributions to understanding inverse systems, ergativity patterns, and referential hierarchies across language families, particularly through her co-edited volumes on information structure and alignment. Her methodological approach combines rigorous fieldwork with cross-linguistic typological analysis, often focusing on how lesser-described languages challenge established theoretical frameworks. As a member of SeDyL laboratory, she contributes to collaborative projects documenting linguistic diversity, including the DoBeS archive of Movima multimedia documentation (2006-2012). Her editorial work includes special issues on information structure in lesser-described languages (2018) and referential hierarchies (2016), advancing methodological approaches for studying prosody-syntax interfaces in endangered languages. She has developed pedagogical materials for the Movima community, including grammars, dictionaries, and orthographic guides, demonstrating commitment to both theoretical linguistics and language preservation.
Professor I Wayan Arka is a leading academic at the School of Culture, History & Language, Australian National University (ANU), with a focus on Austronesian and Papuan languages. He has held leadership roles including Head of Linguistics Program (2014-2021, 2024-present) and Convenor of the Indonesian Language Program (2021-2023). His career spans theoretical linguistics, typology, and language documentation, supported by funding from the ARC, ELDP, and UK AHRC grants. PhD and MPhil in Linguistics (University of Sydney) MA in Applied Linguistics (University of Sydney) His research integrates Lexical-Functional Grammar (LFG) with fieldwork on Indonesia's diverse languages, emphasizing community collaboration and digital archiving. Recent projects include the Barrier Islands Project (2023-2027) and Enggano language studies (2019-2024). Key publication themes include: Corpus-based typology and syntactic analysis Computational grammar implementation Orthography development for endangered languages Scientific recognitions: Elected Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (2021) Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (2022) He supervises research students and contributes to interdisciplinary linguistics teaching, covering syntax, morphology, and Austronesian languages.
