21 March: fyi -- phd funding, Groningen

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Determinants of Dialectal Variation

The Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO) will fund a project
involving two graduate student positions. The positions should begin
in Sept. 2003 and last four years each. The goal of the project is to
research the determinants of dialectal variation using a quantitative
methodology. One position involves work on German pronunciation at The
University of Groningen, Netherlands, and the second foresees
employment at the Meertens Institute in Amsterdam.

1. German Pronunciation

This position in Groningen involves applying existing software for the
measurement of pronunciation difference to German dialectal data, the
Phonetischer Atlas von Deutschland, and second that you explore the
geographical and social determinants of the distribution of linguistic
variation. It will require that you be familiar with German Phonology
and Dialectology and that become proficient in the application of
existing software to dialectological modeling. We expect to employ
simple statistical models for the latter, but also models derived from
Geographical Information Systems.

2. Dutch Syntax

This position at the Meertens Institute, involves applying existing
software and perhaps developing software further, for the measurement
of syntactic differences in Dutch dialectal data, the Syntactische
Atlas van Nederlandse Dialecten, and second that you explore the
mutual association of different syntactic variables. It will require
that you be familiar with Dutch Syntax (as researched from a
generative paradigm) and Dialectology and that you become proficient
in the application of existing software to dialectological
modeling. We expect to employ simple statistical models for the
latter, but also explorative techniques from Machine Learning.


Your profile:

* university degree in a field that prepares for computational
linguistics research
* excellent record of undergraduate study
* ability to work independently
* relevant research experience
* willingness to learn Dutch

The graduate research projects at the University of Groningen or the
Meertens Institue include a gross salary beginning at EUR 1.501 per
month (before taxes) in the first year and rising to EUR 2,143 in the
fourth (last) year. You will have a contract for one year extendible
for three further years subject to evaluation after one. The research
project has to lead to a Ph.D. dissertation.


Further information:

See www.let.rug.nl/clcg/ ''Positions''

John Nerbonne (nerbonne@let.rug.nl) principal investigator, Hermann
Niebaum, (H.W.H.Niebaum@let.rug.nl) leader of the German pronunciation
project, and Sjef Barbiers, (Sjef.Barbiers@meertens.knaw.nl), leader
of the syntax project, will be pleased to answer inquiries.


Procedure:

Please send with your application letter your curriculum vitae, a copy
of your diploma together with a list of grades, a list of publications
(if any), the names and addresses of two people who would be willing
to write letters of reference, and optionally a sketch of how you
would approach the projects in question. You may write in English,
Dutch or German.

Send your application by May 1, 2003 to:
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Afdeling Personele Zaken
Postbus 72
9700 AB Groningen

OR Email vmp@bureau.rug.nl Identify ''Vacaturenummer AT203093'' on the
envelope and in your letter.



Address for Applications:

Attn: John Nerbonne
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Afdeling Personele Zaken, Postbus 72
Groningen, 9700 AB
Netherlands

Applications are due by 01-May-2003


Contact Information:
John Nerbonne.
Email: nerbonne@let.rug.nl
Tel: +31 50 363 58 15
Fax: +31 50 363 68 55
Website: http://www.let.rug.nl/clcg/

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