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Dr. Stefanie Jannedy is a senior researcher at the Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft (ZAS) in Berlin, where she has been employed since 2008. She is a Principal Investigator of the DFG project C02 "Variation in Situated Interaction" within the Collaborative Research Center 1412 (CRC 1412) on "Register: Language-Users' Knowledge of Situational-Functional Variation." As a member of the Laboratory Phonology Group, her work focuses on sociophonetic aspects of language variation. Dr. Jannedy's research centers on language register, phonetic variation, and sociolinguistic patterns in speech. Her work particularly examines how situational contexts influence phonetic detail in speech production, with a focus on intra-individual variation. She has developed innovative experimental methods, including smartphone applications like "Plapper" for self-recording speech data in controlled conditions. Her research spans formal and informal speech contexts, examining speech rate, vowel dispersion, filler particles, and other phonetic features that vary systematically across different communicative situations. Analysis of her publication record shows a strong focus on register variation, particularly how speakers systematically adjust their speech across different social contexts. Her work combines experimental methods with corpus-based approaches to investigate fine phonetic detail in relation to situational factors. Recent publications demonstrate increasing interdisciplinary connections between phonetics, sociolinguistics, and cognitive science in understanding register knowledge. Dr. Jannedy has advised several students including Schüppenhauer, Gediminas, Witt, Johannes, and Hong, Nhung-Le. Her research is primarily supported through the CRC 1412 framework, which represents a major collaborative effort in register studies. Her laboratory work involves experimental setups that simulate tele-conference interactions to systematically manipulate social contexts while measuring subtle phonetic differences. This methodological innovation allows for controlled examination of register variation that would be difficult to capture in naturalistic settings.

• Sociophonetics
• Language Register
• Phonetic Variation
• +4 more

Prof. Robert Fuchs holds the Frommann Professorship of Applied English Linguistics at the University of Bonn, leading the Chair of Bonn Applied English Linguistics (BAEL) within the Department of English, American and Celtic Studies. His research focuses on World Englishes, corpus linguistics, sociolinguistics, and the impact of artificial intelligence on linguistic analysis. He actively supervises PhD students in topics aligned with his research group's interests, emphasizing empirical work and data science. Recent research explores language change in varieties like Hong Kong English, Trinidadian prosody, and intensifier usage across cultures. Fuchs frequently presents at international conferences, including ISLE, ICAME, and Sociolinguistics Symposium, and publishes extensively in journals like World Englishes and Language and Speech . His teaching includes advanced courses on corpus linguistics and language in culture, with a focus on climate change discourse analysis. He maintains an active academic presence through ResearchGate, Academia.edu, and LinkedIn. Research Interests: Fuchs investigates sociolinguistic variation, AI applications in linguistics, and the structural features of postcolonial Englishes. His work addresses topics such as vowel mergers in Hong Kong English, lexical stress perception in Indian English, and the role of gender in language use. He also explores diachronic changes in aspects like stative progressives and the perfect-past alternation across Asian Englishes. Advising & Grants: Fuchs oversees PhD student recruitment through research associate positions and self-funded scholarships, prioritizing applicants with strong empirical and analytical skills. His funded projects include studies on pandemic discourse (DisCOVIndUK) and linguistic trends in Caribbean English. His lab, BAEL, collaborates internationally, with ongoing work on Trinidadian prosody and Northeast Indian linguistic ecology. Labs/Teams: The Bonn Applied English Linguistics (BAEL) group, part of the University of Bonn's IAAK institute, focuses on cutting-edge research in global Englishes and computational linguistics, hosting international workshops and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

• World Englishes
• Corpus Linguistics
• Gender and Language
• +7 more

Felicitas Kleber is Professor of Speech Science in the Department of Language Science and Technology at Saarland University (Universität des Saarlandes). Her research profile demonstrates extensive expertise in experimental phonetics and laboratory phonology with a particular focus on German dialects and sound change phenomena. She maintains active research collaborations, most notably with J. Harrington and Ulrich Reubold, resulting in numerous high-impact publications in leading linguistics and phonetics journals. Her research interests span experimental phonetics and laboratory phonology with specific expertise in speech production and perception , sound change processes, German dialectology , phonological acquisition , and prosody and intonation analysis. Her work frequently examines the acoustic, perceptual, and articulatory dimensions of speech, particularly focusing on vowel and consonant quantity phenomena in German varieties. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent methodological rigor with emphasis on acoustic analysis, perception experiments, and longitudinal studies. Her research often investigates sound changes in progress, particularly examining vowel fronting phenomena in both German and English varieties, and the relationship between speech production and perception mechanisms. Much of her work employs apparent-time analyses to track diachronic changes through synchronic variation across age groups. Professor Kleber serves as an Associate editor for the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, reflecting her standing in the field. She has secured significant research funding including the DFG-funded project "Typology of vowel and consonant quantity in South German varieties: acoustic, auditory, and articulatory analyses of adult and child speakers" (2016-2024) and the DAAD-supported "Form and function of prosodic structure in Hungarian and German" (2015-2016). Her research methodology typically combines acoustic analysis with perception experiments and sometimes articulatory measurements to provide comprehensive insights into phonetic phenomena.

• experimental phonetics
• laboratory phonology
• speech production and perception
• +7 more

Felicitas Kleber is a Professor of Speech Science at the Department of Language Science and Technology, Saarland University. Her research focuses on experimental phonetics and laboratory phonology, emphasizing the interplay between speech production and perception in sound change processes. Research Areas : experimental phonetics, laboratory phonology, coarticulation dynamics, prosody and intonation, diachronic sound change, German dialects. Projects : Directed DFG-funded research on vowel/consonant quantity typology in Southern German varieties (2016–2024); DAAD-funded study on prosodic structure in Hungarian and German (2015–2016). Collaborations : Key partnerships with Jonathan Harrington (phonetics), Ulrich Reubold (acoustic analysis), and interdisciplinary teams in computational linguistics and sociophonetics. She serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America , integrating cognitive and social dimensions into sound change models.

• Experimental Phonetics
• Laboratory Phonology
• Speech Production and Perception
• +4 more

Prof. Dr. Angelika Braun is a full Professor of Phonetics at the University of Trier since October 2009, with a career spanning forensic phonetics, sociophonetics, and cross-cultural speech analysis. She previously held roles at the Bundeskriminalamt (Wiesbaden/Düsseldorf) and Philipps-Universität Marburg, where she habilitated in Phonetics and Speech Processing (2000). Her work bridges academic research with forensic practice. Research Focus: Her Sociophonetics (language and emotions, gender-specific speech) Forensic Phonetics (speaker identification, voice analysis) Contrastive and Hawaiian Phonetics Speech prosody and toxin effects (smoking, alcohol) Intercultural dubbing studies Academic Contributions: Over 15 recent articles explore voice quality, emotional speech, forensic age estimation, and cross-cultural dubbing effects. Key conferences include Interspeech, International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, and ISCA. Her work appears in journals like Forensic Linguistics and The Phonetician . Scientific Honors: Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Founder Member and former Chairperson of the International Association for Forensic Phonetics (IAFP) Life-Member of the International Phonetic Association (IPA) Leadership roles in ISPhS and GAL Practical Impact: Developed the Almeida-Braun Transcription System for dialect analysis and contributed to forensic audio enhancement protocols (e.g., Rodney King case). Serves as reviewer for Language and Speech , Forensic Linguistics , and JIPA . Collaborates on longitudinal studies of vocal aging and speaker identification.

• Sociophonetics
• Forensic Phonetics
• Contrastive Phonetics
• +6 more

Dr. Billian Otundo is a postdoctoral researcher at the Cluster of Excellence Africa Multiple and habilitation candidate at the Department of English Linguistics, University of Bayreuth (Germany). She investigates multilingual African learning spaces through translanguaging frameworks, focusing on the intersection of language, identity, and digital innovations in Kenya. Her research integrates quantitative and qualitative methodologies with tools like SPSS, R, Praat, and MAXQDA. Co-convener of Postdoctoral Working Groups at Africa Multiple Collaborating with University of Cologne’s Phonetic Laboratory on Kenyan English and Kiswahili intonation Research Interests: Sociolinguistics, World Englishes, Translanguaging, Code-switching, Sociophonetics, Decolonisation of Linguistics Curriculum, and Educational Linguistics. She examines language attitudes, variation in intonation, and inclusion policies in African education systems. Scientific Awards: DFG Postdoctoral Grant (2022) TWAS-DFG Cooperation Grant (2021) NWO-WOTRO Funding (2018) BIGSAS Doctoral Fellowship (2011-2015) Dr. Otundo actively contributes to academic service as an editorial board member of the Journal of Linguistics, Literary and Communication Studies and the Africa Multiple publication series. She founded the Philippines-Kenya Education Network and consults on inclusive policy design for Kenya’s Bungoma County Government.

• Sociolinguistics
• Multilingualism
• Translanguaging
• +16 more

Ulrike Altendorf serves as Associate Professor of Contemporary English Language at Leibniz University Hannover's Faculty of Philosophy, where she holds multiple leadership positions including Head of the English Linguistics Department and Managing Director of the English Department (since 2021, and previously from 2012-2014). Her extensive administrative roles include Deputy Chair of the Audit Committee, Examination Officer for German and English Linguistics, and representation on the Doctoral Committee of the Faculty of Philosophy. Altendorf's research expertise centers on English language variation with particular focus on Estuary English, which has formed the cornerstone of her academic career since her 2001 doctoral dissertation at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Her scholarly approach bridges traditional dialectology with cognitive sociolinguistics, developing innovative frameworks like the perceptual prototype approach to language variation. She examines how ideology and social perception shape linguistic categorization, particularly in the contested case of Estuary English as a legitimate dialect category. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent focus on language variation, with particular attention to British English dialects, accent studies, and the sociocultural dimensions of linguistic change. Her work demonstrates evolution from descriptive documentation of Estuary English features to theoretical contributions examining the cognitive and ideological processes behind dialect formation and recognition. Recent publications increasingly incorporate cognitive sociolinguistic perspectives while maintaining empirical grounding in phonetic and phonological analysis. Altendorf leads active research projects including 'Estuary English Revisited' and 'S Retraction,' examining sound changes in Southeastern England. Her scholarly influence extends through editorial work, including co-editing 'Cultural Issues in the Matrix of Applied Linguistics' (2020) and 'Australien Verstehen – Facetten eines Kontinents' (2010), demonstrating her commitment to interdisciplinary approaches in linguistic research.

• English Linguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Language Variation
• +7 more

Dana Serditova is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the English Department at the University of Freiburg under the Chair of Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Bernd Kortmann, with additional affiliation as a Guest Researcher at the Department of English and American Studies at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU). Her doctoral research on "Salience in New Orleans English" established expertise in regional dialect features including PIN~PEN merger, /l/-vocalization, and /aɪ/-monophthongization. Current work bridges sociolinguistics and speech technology through investigations of user speech adaptation when interacting with dialect-sensitive versus neutral automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems. Research spans dialectology across North America, England, and Australia, with critical examinations of bias in speech recognition algorithms and human-AI interaction dynamics. Her HHU-based SLAM LAB collaborations with Prof. Dr. Kevin Tang and international partners (Hochschule Düsseldorf, Newcastle University) explore AI-induced language change through experimental human-machine interaction studies. Active in interdisciplinary research at the linguistics-technology interface, she solicits collaborations in sociophonetics, ASR system design, and computational sociolinguistics.

• sociolinguistics
• dialectology
• sociophonetics
• +7 more

Beke Hansen is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer in English Linguistics at Kiel University since 2021, following her role as Assistant Professor at the University of Freiburg (2018-2021) and multiple research/teaching positions at Kiel University from 2012-2018. Her educational background includes: PhD in Linguistics from Kiel University (2013-2017), awarded Faculty Prize of the Faculty of Arts Master of Education with Teaching Certificate for Gymnasia (English & Latin) in 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Teaching (English/North American Studies & Latin Philology) in 2010 Studies at University of Bristol (2011-2012) in English Linguistics and Classical Studies Dr. Hansen specializes in sociolinguistics with research foci on language variation/change, sociophonetics, World Englishes, and Indigenous Englishes—particularly First Nations Englishes in British Columbia. Her current postdoctoral project documents historical First Nations Englishes, examining negation and discourse features through sociolinguistic frameworks. She investigates modality, language contact, and discourse-pragmatic variation across global English varieties using corpus methodologies. Her publications (2017-2024) reveal consistent corpus-based analysis of World Englishes, emphasizing modal systems, quotative structures, and gender-related variation. Key contributions include her 2018 monograph on variation in modal systems and survey chapters in Year's Work in English Studies, demonstrating methodological innovation through ICE corpus applications and interdisciplinary approaches to sociolinguistic change. Her scientific recognition includes: Faculty Prize of the Faculty of Arts, University of Kiel DAAD Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship Short-term Research Fellowship from Foundation for Canadian Studies Scholarship from German Academic Scholarship Foundation As Deputy Academic Advisor, she provides student counseling while securing competitive research funding including Kiel University's habilitation grant for female researchers, DAAD Post-Doc support, and Digital Humanities funding for the Linguistic Data Café project co-organized with Dr. Robert Daugs. She is affiliated with the Hermann Paul School of Linguistics, actively participates in the 'New Englishes, New Methods' research network, and contributes to R Ladies Freiburg. Her departmental role includes managing equipment rental for linguistic data analysis and teaching courses spanning Acoustic Phonetics to World Englishes.

• Sociolinguistics
• Language variation and change
• Sociophonetics
• +4 more

Felix Bergmann is a research associate at the Institute of Communication Science, Faculty of Humanities, University of Duisburg-Essen. He is part of the research group on Multimodal Communication, Social Interaction & Technology led by Prof. Dr. Karola Pitsch and affiliated with the Center for Assistive Technologies Rhein-Ruhr. He is currently pursuing his PhD and contributes to a DFG-funded project on multimodal person reference. His research centers on the empirical analysis of face-to-face interaction, focusing on how language and nonverbal behavior are coordinated in real-world contexts. Key areas include medical simulations, role-playing games, queer identity in public spaces, and linguistic landscapes. His methodological approach is grounded in conversation analysis and multimodal interaction analysis. The recent publications reflect a strong interdisciplinary focus bridging communication science, linguistics, and technology. Themes include the rhythm of gameplay in tabletop role-playing, patient agency in emergency triage simulations, and the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods in multimodal research. His work often examines how identity, technology, and social structure are co-constructed through interaction. Felix is actively involved in teaching, including courses like ‘Ökokommunikation’ at the bachelor’s level. He participates in academic conferences such as the GAL annual meeting and the Applied Conversation Research workshop. His collaborative work with Prof. Pitsch and other team members highlights a strong research network within the department.

• Conversation Analysis
• Multimodal Communication
• Social Interaction
• +7 more

Stefanie Rottschäfer is a researcher at the Applied Linguistics and ELT chair of the Faculty of Cultural Studies at the Technische Universität Dortmund . Her work focuses on English as a lingua franca (ELF) , multilingualism , language attitudes , and language identity , particularly within family contexts and educational settings. Education : B.A. in Language and Communication (Universität Siegen, Université Paris XII), M.A. in Sprachlehrforschung (Universität Hamburg) Her research explores how families across Europe navigate multilingual communication using ELF, as seen in her 2024 publication on multilingual repertoires at dinner tables. She also investigates the phonetic and sociocognitive aspects of learner varieties of English, including accent perception and identity construction among German and French university students. Recent publications and presentations highlight her work on family language policies, ownership of English among pre-service teachers, and cross-cultural meaning-making. Notably, she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2024 to conduct research at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Key Contributions : Developed the FamiLingo project on ELF in multilingual families Created the first corpus of ELF interactions in domestic settings Advances discourse on language ideologies and global citizenship in family contexts Rottschäfer’s teaching spans topics like identity in language learning, sociophonetics, and bilingual education. Her methodological expertise includes narrative analysis, sociolinguistic fieldwork, and corpus compilation.

• English as a lingua franca
• Multilingualism
• Language attitudes
• +6 more

Dr. Thorsten Brato is a Lecturer (Lehrkraft für besondere Aufgaben) in the Department of English and American Studies, Faculty of Languages, Literature, and Cultures at Universität Regensburg. He holds a PhD in English Linguistics from Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (2012) and a teaching degree from Universität Duisburg-Essen (2005). His academic appointments include positions at Universität Regensburg (current, part-time), Universität Bayreuth, and TU Chemnitz. His research focuses on: Structural nativization in postcolonial Englishes (especially Ghanaian English) Sociophonetic variation in African and Scottish Englishes Diachronic corpus analysis of World Englishes Phonological acquisition in second-language contexts (Cameroon) Development of computational methods for phonetic analysis Brato's publications demonstrate strong emphasis on acoustic phonetics, corpus linguistics, and diachronic change in African Englishes. His recent works explore vowel systems, speech rhythm, and lexical expansion using corpus-based and computational approaches. He maintains active contributions to research on Ghanaian and Cameroonian English. He has taught extensively in linguistics, offering courses including: Acoustic Phonetics Corpus Linguistics World Englishes Sociolinguistics Phonemic Transcription with teaching experience across multiple German universities.

• World Englishes
• Sociophonetics
• Corpus Linguistics
• +5 more

Dr. Ilshat Sharafutdinov serves as a Lecturer in the Department of English and American Studies within the Faculty of Languages, Literature, and Cultures at the University of Regensburg. His academic profile integrates teaching responsibilities with research in sociolinguistics, linguistic landscapes, language policy, and English language pedagogy. He maintains active membership in the International Society for the Linguistics of English and collaborates with the university's Research Center for World Englishes. His research centers on multilingual urban environments, examining how English functions within linguistic landscapes and public signage systems. This work intersects with sociophonetic analysis of non-native accents, second-language acquisition processes, and language policy implementation. His scholarship, exemplified by the 2018 Kazan linguistic landscape study, reveals patterns of English dominance in post-Soviet contexts while documenting complex language hierarchies in multilingual societies. For Winter Semester 2024/2025, Dr. Sharafutdinov teaches nine courses spanning core linguistics domains: Academic Writing B.A., Phonemic Transcription, Introduction to Statistics for Linguists, Sociophonetics, Syntax, Russian English, Research Methods for Variation in English, Text Analysis, and Linguistics Paper Writing Tutorium. This diverse portfolio demonstrates expertise across theoretical linguistics, sociolinguistic methods, and language teaching applications. He maintains regular office hours in room PT 3.2.79 during academic terms and collaborates with the Research Center for World Englishes, which investigates English language variation across global contexts through comparative and empirical approaches.

• Sociolinguistics
• Linguistic Landscapes
• Language Policy
• +5 more

Mary Stevens is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Phonetics and Speech Processing (IPS) at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Her work focuses on sound change, the phonetics-phonology interface, and experimental phonetics. She holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne (2007), following degrees from the Australian National University (B.A., 2000) and the University of Melbourne (B.A. (Hons), 2001). Stevens has been affiliated with the IPS since 2010, initially as a Humboldt Foundation-funded postdoctoral researcher and later as a full research fellow. Her research investigates how phonetic variation leads to permanent sound changes, particularly focusing on /s/-to-/sh/ retraction in languages like English and Italian. Current projects include a DFG-funded study (2018–2025) modeling the actuation of sound change through agent-based simulations. Key interests include computational modeling, sociophonetics, and linguistic typology. Publications span experimental phonetics, sound change dynamics, and computational linguistics. She collaborates internationally, notably with John Harrington and Frank Kleber, on projects exploring agent-based modeling and phonetic variation. Stevens also engages in interdisciplinary work, such as applying phonetic analysis to clinical communication training in medicine. Grants and Funding: DFG project (2018–2025) on modeling sound change actuation. Labs/Teams: Active member of the IPS research group, contributing to the Bavarian Archive for Speech Signals (BAS) and the MAMPF database for speech processing.

• Sound Change
• Phonetics-Phonology Interface
• Experimental Phonetics
• +3 more

Adrian P. Simpson is a full Professor of Speech Science at the Department of German Linguistics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, where he has held a professorship since 2003. He is a leading researcher in phonetics, with a focus on gender, spontaneous speech, and nonpulmonary sound production. He is affiliated with the International Phonetic Association (Council member), Acoustical Society of America, and other key academic organizations. Friedrich Schiller University Jena – Professor of Speech Science (2003–present) University of Kiel – Habilitation (1998), Scientific Assistant (1992–2001) University of York – DPhil (1992), BA Hons (1981–1985) Saarland University – Visiting Representative (1999) His research centers on the phonetic expression of gender , acoustic and articulatory analysis of speech , and nonpulmonary sound production such as ejectives in German and English. He investigates how social identity, sexual orientation, and developmental factors influence voice. His recent work emphasizes children's voices, parental speech adaptation, and cross-linguistic phonetics. His 15 most recent publications (2024–2019) reveal a consistent focus on sociophonetics, gender perception, and articulatory mechanisms. Themes include hormonal effects on voice, acoustic cues to gender and sexual orientation, and longitudinal studies of child speech. He frequently collaborates with Melanie Weirich, Riccarda Funk, and Sven Kachel. World's Top 2% Scientists 2021 (Scopus Stanford list) Simpson leads multiple funded projects on gender in children’s voices, ejective production, and infant-directed speech. He advises PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, and his lab at Jena is active in experimental phonetics and open data initiatives. He has contributed to major reference works and promotes open science in phonetics. He is involved in several research groups and collaborates internationally. His lab focuses on articulatory and acoustic analysis using ultrasound, acoustic modeling, and perception experiments. He advocates for open data policies and reproducibility in phonetic research.

• Speech Science
• Phonetics
• Phonology
• +7 more