Christian Zimmer is a Professor of German Linguistics at Technische Universität Dortmund, specializing in variational linguistics with a focus on multilingual contexts. His academic journey includes a Habilitation (2021) and PhD (2016) from Freie Universität Berlin, and a state examination in German Studies, Philosophy, and Sport Science (2012) from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. He has held substitute professorships at TU Dortmund (2019-2020) and Freie Universität Berlin (2022-2023) and led DFG projects on German in multilingual Southern Africa (2020-2022) and Namibia (2016-2019). His research explores German within multilingual environments, language change, corpus linguistics, and gender linguistics. Key projects include analyzing Namibian German (Namdeutsch) and the dynamics of German in African contexts. He uses corpus-based methods to study morphosyntactic variation, case systems, and sociolinguistic factors influencing language structure. Zimmer’s publications address topics such as genitive case reduction, loanword integration, and gender correlations in phonology. His work bridges theoretical linguistics and applied sociolinguistics, contributing to understanding language vitality and contact dynamics in minority speech communities.
Susagna Tubau Muntaña is an Associate Professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Department of English Philology and German Studies. She is part of the Center for Theoretical Linguistics and the Theoretical Linguistics Research Group funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya. Her academic roles include tenures as Associate Professor (2020–2023), Interim Associate Professor (2015–2020), and various teaching/research positions at UAB and other institutions since 2001. Education: PhD in English Philology (UAB, 2008) MA in Linguistics (University College London, 2004) MA in English Philology (UAB, 2003) Bachelor's in English Philology (UAB, 2001) Research Focus: Main interest: Theoretical linguistics, syntax, and negation phenomena (simple/double negation, negative agreement, negative quantifiers) Secondary areas: First/second language acquisition, the that-trace effect in English, gender expression in translated texts Key contributions: Studies on Catalan and English negative concord, experimental syntax, and language typology Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator (IP) of a funded project, plus member of 6 other projects and 2 thematic networks Active in projects like La interpretación de las categorías funcionales (2018–2021) and EXPLETIVITAD Y SIGNIFICADO EXPRESIVO (2024–2027) Awards & Recognition: Positive evaluations from CNEAI (National Commission for Research Activity) and AQU (Catalonia's Quality Agency) Speaker at 40+ linguistics conferences Reviewer for journals, La Caixa-British Council grants, and U.S. National Research Foundation projects Lab/Team Affiliation: Member of the consolidated Theoretical Linguistics Group funded by the Catalan government
Martin Hinterberger is Professor of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at the University of Cyprus since 2002. He holds MA and PhD degrees from the University of Vienna and served as research fellow at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (1995-2001). He has taught at the University of Vienna, Freie Universitaet Berlin, and EHESS Paris. Specializes in emotions in Byzantine literature Expert in Byzantine hagiography and theoretical approaches Focus on language analysis (learned vs vernacular) Collaborator on the bibliography of the Byzantinische Zeitschrift His recent publications explore the synthetic perfect tense in Byzantine Greek, hagiographic metaphrasis, and emotional expressions in literature. He co-edited volumes on Byzantine-Latin intellectual history and serves as a leading voice in Byzantine philology.
Dr Paul Sidwell is an Honorary Associate in the Department of Linguistics at The University of Sydney. His research focuses on Austroasiatic languages, particularly their classification, historical development, and syntactic structures. He has authored and edited numerous works including A Grammar of May: An Austroasiatic Language of Vietnam (2021) and contributed to major volumes like The Languages and Linguistics of Mainland Southeast Asia: A Comprehensive Guide (2021). His work spans comparative linguistics, epigraphy, and the prehistory of Southeast Asian languages. Recent publications include studies on Nicobarese language classification (2022), Austroasiatic syntax (2020), and Tai-Kadai language history (2021). His research integrates phylogenetic analysis, historical reconstruction, and areal linguistics to explore language relationships across Mainland Southeast Asia. Notable contributions include foundational works on Palaungic languages (2015), Old Khmer (2014), and the Munda Maritime Hypothesis (2019). His scholarship combines rigorous linguistic fieldwork with theoretical insights, advancing understanding of Austroasiatic linguistic diversity.
Piet Desmet is a full professor at KU Leuven's Faculty of Arts, serving as vice rector of KU Leuven, Kulak Kortrijk Campus, and academic director of the Office of the Academic Director, Bruges Campus. He leads multiple research divisions including itec and its Language and Technology subdivision, and is a member of Leuven.AI - KU Leuven Institute for Artificial Intelligence. As general coordinator of itec and academic director of the imec smart education research program, he oversees significant research initiatives spanning multiple campuses. Desmet's research focuses on the intersection of language learning and technology, with particular expertise in Second Language Acquisition and Technology, Computer-assisted Language Learning (including AI-based chatbots), Learning Analytics, and Language Technology and Corpus Linguistics. His work explores intelligent feedback systems, linguistic complexity prediction, adaptive testing, and natural language processing applications for educational contexts. His research spans theoretical linguistic frameworks to practical educational implementations, with a strong emphasis on empirical validation of technological interventions in language learning. Analysis of Desmet's recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward integrating artificial intelligence with language education, particularly through conversational AI and learning analytics. His work increasingly focuses on chatbot-assisted language learning, adaptive assessment systems powered by large language models, and the application of computational linguistics to educational problems. The publications demonstrate a consistent methodological approach combining theoretical linguistics with empirical educational research, often employing eye-tracking, ERP studies, and learning analytics to evaluate effectiveness. Desmet actively supervises numerous PhD students and leads multiple major research projects including Smart Education at Schools (2025-2026), Enhancing EFL Learners' Speaking Ability through Chatbot-Assisted Dynamic Assessment Powered by LLMs (2024-2028), and the Flanders Ed Tech Hub (2022-2025). His research portfolio demonstrates significant funding success across multiple national and international initiatives focused on educational technology and language learning. As head of itec (an imec research team at KU Leuven), Desmet leads a substantial research ecosystem focused on smart education technologies. The itec team collaborates extensively with Leuven.AI and the KU Leuven Educational Research Institute (LIVO), creating a multidisciplinary environment that bridges computational linguistics, educational psychology, and artificial intelligence. Recent initiatives include the 'AI in Education' online training course and the network for Edtech and Learntech in Flanders.
Gordon Samuels Martin Krygier is the Gordon Samuels Professor of Law and Social Theory at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), specifically within the School of Global & Public Law. His academic career spans several decades with a consistent focus on legal theory, social theory, and the rule of law. Professor Krygier's research interests center on the rule of law, constitutional theory, and social theory, with particular expertise in post-communist legal systems and the relationship between democracy and legal institutions. His work demonstrates an interdisciplinary approach that bridges law, political science, and sociology, examining how legal institutions function within democratic societies and during transitional periods. His publications reveal a consistent focus on the theoretical foundations of the rule of law, with recent work increasingly addressing contemporary challenges to democratic institutions, particularly the rise of populism and illiberal constitutionalism. Krygier's scholarship often examines the tension between legal ideals and political realities, with a distinctive emphasis on historical and comparative perspectives. As a prolific scholar, Krygier has authored numerous books, including 'Philip Selznick: Ideals in the World' (2012) and 'Between Fear and Hope: Hybrid Thoughts on Public Values' (1997), along with over 100 book chapters and journal articles spanning from the 1980s to the present day. His work frequently engages with the legacy of Philip Selznick and other legal theorists who emphasize the social embeddedness of law. Professor Krygier has been actively involved in academic discourse through numerous webinar recordings and collaborative projects, particularly focusing on populism, constitutional democracy, and the rule of law in contemporary political contexts. His recent work demonstrates continued engagement with pressing issues in global constitutionalism and democratic governance.
Morten H. Christiansen is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Psychology at Cornell University and holds a concurrent position as Professor of Cognitive Science at Aarhus University's School of Communication and Culture and the Interacting Minds Centre. His research focuses on the interplay between biological and environmental factors in language evolution, acquisition, and processing. Key methodologies include computational modeling, neuroimaging, and experimental psychology. He is an elected member of Denmark’s and Norway’s Royal Academies of Sciences and a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and Cognitive Science Society. His work spans over 250 papers and four edited volumes, with his monograph The Language Game (2022) proposing a novel theory of language emergence through improvisation. Research interests emphasize multiword chunking, statistical learning, and individual differences in language processing. Current projects explore Danish language challenges, computational models of cultural evolution, and the impact of large language models (LLMs) on human cognition. Christiansen directs the Cognitive Science of Language Lab, teaches undergraduate and graduate courses (e.g., PSYCH 2150: Psychology of Language), and collaborates internationally on projects like the Danish Gigaword Corpus. His recent work highlights language as an emergent system shaped by interactive and ecological pressures.
Diogo Almeida is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Global Network Associate Professor of Psychology at New York University Abu Dhabi. His research focuses on neurolinguistics and language processing, employing methodologies such as MEG/EEG, fMRI, and cross-linguistic studies. He holds an MSc in Cognitive Science from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales and an PhD in Linguistics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Prior to NYU Abu Dhabi, he held positions at the University of California, Irvine, and Michigan State University. Almeida’s research explores perceptual processes underlying language understanding, including syntactic structure processing, agreement phenomena, and the neural bases of lexical access. His work integrates behavioral experiments with neuroimaging techniques to investigate how linguistic structures are represented in the brain. Key areas include sentence processing selectivity in Broca’s area, cross-linguistic differences in agreement encoding, and the role of phonological and morphological features in real-time language comprehension. His publications span topics like masked priming effects, sociolinguistic influences on speech perception, and the reliability of experimental syntax methods. He leads the Language, Mind and Brain research group at NYU Abu Dhabi, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to language cognition. Almeida has contributed to debates on empirical rigor in syntax, advocating for robust experimental designs and large-scale data collection to validate theoretical claims.
Dr. Christopher Lucas is a Senior Lecturer in Arabic Linguistics at SOAS University of London, affiliated with the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics. He holds a BA in Arabic from SOAS and an MPhil and PhD in Linguistics from the University of Cambridge. Prior to his current role, he served as a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge and a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at SOAS. His research focuses on linguistic variation and change, particularly in Arabic and Maltese, examining topics like negation, definiteness, and contact-induced grammatical change. He actively supervises PhD students in Arabic/Maltese linguistics and grammatical change. Key publications include works on negation typology, Maltese phonology, and historical linguistics. Dr. Lucas has authored/co-authored books such as *The History of Negation in the Languages of Europe and the Mediterranean* and edited volumes on contact-induced change. His work bridges theoretical linguistics with empirical analysis, contributing to understanding language evolution through contact and historical processes. He is reachable at cl39@soas.ac.uk and office 447, Russell Square campus. Current research includes LADO applications in Arabic and Maltese language dynamics.
Dr. Theresa Biberauer is a Principal Research Associate at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, specializing in theoretical, comparative, and historical syntax. Her work focuses on clause structure in Germanic languages, particularly Afrikaans, and encompasses acquisition, contact, and diachronic linguistics. Education & Affiliations: Holds an honorary Associate Professorship at Stellenbosch University (South Africa). Affiliated with Churchill College, Cambridge. Research Projects: ERC-funded 'Reconsidering Comparative Syntax' (2011–2016) with Ian Roberts, Michelle Sheehan, and Jenneke van der Wal. AHRC-funded projects on 'Null subjects and parametric theory' (2002–2007) and 'Structure and Linearization in Disharmonic Word Orders' (2007–2011). Key Contributions: Research spans Afrikaans variation/change, English diachrony, and syntax–prosody interfaces. Active in comparative syntax frameworks and historical syntax.
Sam Griffiths is an Associate Professor in Spatial Cultures at University College London's Bartlett School of Architecture, where he has been a key member of the Space Syntax Laboratory since 2002. He holds a PhD from UCL (2008), preceded by studies in History at Sheffield (1994), International Relations at LSE (1996) with ESRC scholarship, and postgraduate work at Oxford (1997-8). His academic progression includes Research Fellow (2006), Teaching Fellow (2008), Lecturer (2009), and Associate Professor (2018). Dr. Griffiths' research focuses on the intersection of space syntax methodology and urban social history, particularly examining how spatial configurations shaped nineteenth and twentieth-century urban life. His scholarly interests include the socio-economic organization of industrial cities, processional culture, high street development as social spaces, spatial morphology as everyday heritage, and Bakhtin's chronotope of encounter. He has published extensively on these topics, with recent work exploring spatial heritage in post-socialist Tirana, high street longevity, and the spatial dimensions of literary narratives. His publications reveal a consistent scholarly trajectory examining spatial configurations across historical periods and geographical contexts, with increasing attention to interdisciplinary applications of space syntax methods. Recent works demonstrate sophisticated integration of spatial analysis with cultural, historical, and social dimensions of urban environments. ESRC scholarship for International Relations studies EPSRC-sponsored PhD research EPSRC Inclusions award (2012) for ethnographic research on suburban walking tours As an educator, Griffiths leads core modules on the MSc Space Syntax: Architecture and Cities programme, including Investigations in Spatial Morphology and Spatial Cultures. He previously served as Course Director (2009-2014) and edited Urban Design International (2011-2013). Currently, he serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Urban Morphology and continues to supervise doctoral students researching urban spatial cultures and spatial-morphological heritage.
Kaius Sinnemäki is a Professor of Quantitative and Comparative Linguistics at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Department of Languages under the Faculty of Arts. Since 2025, he has directed the strategic profiling action Diversity in Society and Life (DIVSOL) , funded by the Research Council of Finland, and previously led the ERC Starting Grant project Linguistic Adaptation (2019-2024). His research focuses on large-scale comparative linguistics, integrating language typology with sociolinguistics. Key areas include core argument marking, statistical methods in typology, linguistic complexity, language contact, and the interplay between language and religion. He teaches courses spanning language typology, evolution, sociolinguistics, and quantitative methods. Recent publications address replication in linguistic research, adaptation in contact ecologies, and complexity measures across phonological, morphosyntactic, and syntactic domains. His work often bridges theoretical linguistics with empirical data analysis, utilizing open datasets and computational tools. Scientific Awards: Prize for the Humanities (2021) He actively supervises academic theses, serves on editorial boards (e.g., Linguistic Typology ), and participates in international collaborations, peer reviews, and media engagements on linguistic diversity and secularism.
Dr. Kim Potowski is a Professor of Spanish Linguistics at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), specializing in heritage language development, Spanish in the U.S., language and identity, and dual immersion education. She directs UIC's Spanish Heritage Language Program and the summer study abroad program in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her research emphasizes sociolinguistic aspects of Spanish in the U.S., including dialect contact, language maintenance/shift, and bilingual education advocacy. She earned her PhD in Linguistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her notable honors include a 2016 CUNY Advanced Research Collaborative Fellowship, a 2013-2014 UIC Institute for the Humanities Fellowship, and a 2011-2012 Fulbright Research Fellowship in Oaxaca. She has authored/edited over 12 books, including El español de los Estados Unidos and Heritage Language Teaching: Research and Practice . Her TEDx talk No Child Left Monolingual advocates for multilingual education equity. She has held editorial roles at Spanish in Context and Heritage Language Journal , and her work bridges sociolinguistic research with pedagogical practice in bilingual settings.
Dr Marieke Meelen is an Associate Professor in Historical Linguistics at the University of Cambridge, affiliated with the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics. She serves as a Fellow, Tutor, and Director of Studies at Trinity Hall. Research Interests: Historical Linguistics, Comparative Syntax, Information Structure, Grammaticalisation & Pragmaticalisation, NLP for low-resource languages, Celtic & Tibeto-Burman languages Projects: PI for ELDP-funded endangered language documentation in Nepal; collaborator on ERC-funded 'PaganTibet' and AHRC-funded 'Emergence of Egophoricity' Key Contributions: Development of ASR and HTR models for Tibeto-Burman languages; historical treebank of Welsh; computational approaches to Celtic and Tibeto-Burman syntax Publications & Grants focus on syntactic reconstruction, corpus creation, and NLP for endangered languages. She mentors PhD students working on Celtic or Tibeto-Burman languages and consults for computational linguistics projects.
Johanna Mattissen is a Research Fellow in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Cologne, specializing in European Legal Linguistics. Her office is located at Bernhard-Feilchenfeld-Str. 11, 50969 Köln, with postal address Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Köln. Contact is available by appointment via telephone (+49-221-470-3012) or email. Her research spans: Linguistic typology with focus on polysynthesis, morphological complexity, and endangered languages (Nivkh, Japanese, Laz, Greenlandic, Basque) Legal linguistics analyzing multilingual EU legislation, coordination phenomena, and terminology in European law Cross-linguistic analysis of discourse markers, modality, and reference-tracking in legal texts Machine translation challenges in human vs neural approaches for specialized domains Her recent publications (2021-2023) predominantly examine linguistic structures in EU legal instruments, investigating coordination ambiguity, terminological precision, and multilingual equivalence in binding texts. Earlier works establish foundations in polysynthesis typology and morphological theory.
