NetWordS

Cross-disciplinary approaches to understanding word structure in the languages of Europe

NetWordS is a European Science Foundation Research Networking Programme

By bringing together experts of various research fields (from brain sciences and computing to cognition and linguistics) and of different theoretical inclinations, NetWordS aims at advancing the current awareness of theoretical, typological, psycholinguistic, computational and neurophysiological evidence on the structure and processing of words, with a view to promoting novel methods of research and assessment for grammar architecture and language physiology. The programme is pursued through knowledge networking, dissemination and transfer organised over a four year period, from May 2011 to April 2015.

At present, NetWordS gathers 16 European countries and more than 40 research institutions. Thanks to its highly interdisciplinary profile, the programme promotes training of young scientists through short visits and exchange grants, encourages the novel integration of existing methodologies, sets common research priorities, and fosters virtual cross-disciplinary laboratories, partnerships and research infrastructures.

Collaboration, training and networking in NetWordS unfold through the following activities:

Scientific Meetings

Yearly workshops are organised on interdisciplinary issues in word structure, open to scholars from non-participating countries as well. The usual time frame is between September and early December. A major conference is planned to take place in 2015.

Scientific Partnership

NetWordS promotes development of interdisciplinary transnational scientific partnerships through short-visit grants, that are assigned yearly on the basis of open calls for short-term project proposals. Mature results are also expected to be disseminated and published through existing major international conferences, journals and edited books. Short-visit grants are also geared towards planning focused collaborative work, with a view to catalyzing credible large-scale proposals within more application-oriented European projects and initiatives.

Training

NetWordS promotes training of young scientists through two instruments: exchange grants and Summer schools. Exchange grants are meant to cover long stays (up to 6 months) of promising junior researchers at leading hosting labs. Grants are assigned on the basis of open calls. Two Summer Schools, planned to take place in 2012 and 2014, aim at bringing up a new generation of PhD students and young researchers with a truly interdisciplinary background, and shaping new ways of thinking that are conducive to cross-disciplinary breakthroughs