22 June: fyi -- postgraduate funding (x2), The Netherlands

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announces two Ubbo Emmius Graduate Fellowships, pending final (financial)
approval. These positions are open only to foreign applicants. Dutch
citizens are not eligible due to tax restrictions.

1. Determinants of Dialectal Variation

This Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO) project involves two graduate
student positions and a postdoc. One position investigating variation in
Dutch syntax has already begun at the Meertens Institute. The position
advertized here, the postdoc, has already begun, also in Groningen. The goal
is to research the determinants of dialectal variation using a quantitative
methodology. The position described here continues work on applying
computational techniques to pronunciation variation already underway at
Groningen. We will collaborate with the Meertens institute subproject
extensively. Examples of areas which could develop into a focus for this
project include the following:

- Modeling the influence of geography and/or social contact as a factor
influencing linguistic variation;
- Developing techniques for extracting linguistic factors from large-scale
comparions; or
- Developing and applying dialectometric techniques to morphology (beyond a
categorical level).

2. Measuring Linguistic Unity and Diversity
This Volkswagen Foundation (VW Stiftung)project involves one graduate
student position in Groningen who will cooperate with colleagues at the
Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft in Tübingen and at the Bulgarian Academy of
Science. The goal of the Groningen subproject is to investigate the
applicability dialectometric techniques in assaying the degree of diversity
in Bulgarian dialects. The work will involve the use of computational
techniques to pronunciation variation developed at Groningen. Examples of
areas which could develop into a focus for this project include the following:

- Examining the applicability of dialectometric techniques for assaying the
influence of contact languages (and developing these techniques further in
this direction); or
- Developing techniques for extracting linguistic factors from large-scale
comparisons; or
- Developing and applying alternative computational techniques to assay the
influence of contact languages

Your profile:
- a MA degree in Linguistics or Computational Linguistics or a related
field with substantial work on language, etc.
- preferably research experience in the relevant field
- able to work independently
- interest in interdisciplinary research
- excellent record of undergraduate and Master's level study
- willing to learn Dutch

For more information, including the application material needed, please see:

www.let.rug.nl/~nerbonne/clcg/dialectometry2005-09.html

The positions should begin as soon as possible, no later than Jan. 1, 2006
and normally last four years. They all require residence in Groningen, 38
hours/week research, and the fellowships must result in a PhD dissertation.
Ubbo Emmius fellows receive stipends of gross Euro 1370 per month,
normally with slight cost-of-living increases in later years. Graduate
student fellows receive a contract for one year extendible for three
further years subject to evaluation after the first year.

Address for Applications:

Ms Daan de Kuyper
CLCG (Positions)
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Groningen 9700 AS
Netherlands

Application Deadline: 15-Sep-2005

Contact Information:

Prof. John Nerbonne
Email: j.nerbonne@rug.nl
Phone: +31 50 363 58 15
Fax: +31 50 363 68 55

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