University or Organization: University of Surrey
Department: Surrey Morphology Group
Job Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Web Address: https://www.smg.surrey.ac.uk/
Job Title: Postdoc in phonology and morphology
Job Rank: Post Doc

Specialty Areas: Morphology; Phonology

Description:

Prof Erich Round is seeking qualified applicants for a fully-funded two-year postdoctoral project on “REVOLUPHON: Rational Evolutionary Phonology". This postdoctoral project contributes to the core formal-theoretic and cognitive modelling components in the ERC-selected, UKRI-funded project "Rational Evolutionary Phonology", 2024–2029.

The position is based at the Surrey Morphology Group at the University of Surrey, and provides the opportunity to work in the vibrant and highly collegial research environment for which SMG is renowned.

Background

REVOLUPHON is an ambitious project in computational cognitive science, cultural evolution and phonology theory, which seeks deeper explanations for human phonology. Though phonological theories are diverse, they contain recurrent axioms and atoms: segments, features, prosodic units, et cetera. We hypothesise that these units of representation are explicable in terms of the interaction of phonetics with resource limitations on human cognition (resource rationality). Separately, recent decades show that phonologies can be reasonably well modelled as optimisation problems, with optimisation imputed to the mind. We hypothesise that apparent optimisation, and its exceptions, arise because phonologies undergo cultural evolution, an optimising process. REVOLUPHON tests these hypotheses through computational modelling of cognition and cultural evolution, to develop new foundations for phonological theory.

Responsibilities

The candidate will be a core member of a research team focused on achieving the REVOLUPHON project aims, and will participate in the broader activities both of the REVOLUPHON group and of the Surrey Morphology Group (SMG). The candidate will have opportunities at SMG to develop their research leadership profile while interacting with world-class researchers.

Key responsibilities:
- Research and develop a declarative formalism of phonological alternations within word-and-paradigm morphology, which interfaces with the project’s cognitive models of phonological acquisition. This research will be at times independent and in close collaboration with other project researchers.
- Contribute to the formal operationalisation of project objectives in the computational modelling of phonological cognition and cultural evolution.
- Contribute to the design and development of linguistically sophisticated synthetic datasets, and take a lead role in their delivery.
- Analyse and scientifically interpret research results; present outcomes at scientific conferences; and prepare co-authored research publications.
- Collaborate with other team members in an ambitious and multidisciplinary project, and participate in the vibrant, collegial activities of SMG.

Essential criteria:
- A PhD in linguistics, with a focus on phonology and morphology.
- Track record of published and/or doctoral research in (1) formal, declarative phonology, and (2) word-and-paradigm morphology.
- Track record of both independent and team-based research.
- Basic competence in at least one of python and R, and a willingness to develop those skills further.
- Excellent written and spoken English.

Desirable criteria:
- Proficiency in Articulatory Phonology and/or related Task-Dynamic theories.
- Advanced competence in one or more scientific software languages.
- Familiarity with Bayesian concepts and methods in computational cognitive science

Suitable candidates trained in phonology and morphology are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline: 09-Dec-2024
Mailing Address for Applications:

Web Address for Applications: http://jobs.surrey.ac.uk/054524
Contact Information:
Erich Round
Email: [email protected]