Research

The project aims to develop DIT's potential for excellence through the identification of a high-level research topic that encourages collaboration between its different lines of research and approaches. Staff members have collectively identified the concept of linguistic and cultural fluidity , applied to linguistic competence and to texts and speech, as its shared high-level research topic. At the same time, the project aims to broaden well-established, leading research areas in two directions: on the one hand by extending topics and methods to include cognitive approaches to the study of speech production, mediation and reception, and on the other by enhancing research at the interface between linguistics and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

The project goals were translated into actions as described below.

Fostering research in the Department through the consolidation of a shared line of research on linguistic and cultural fluidity. Actions:

1. Organisation of research meetings entitled "Food for thought", held on a voluntary basis by DIT members during the lunch break, to share research interests.
2. Organisation of dedicated doctoral training courses
3. Allocation of at least 1 PhD scholarship to topics related to the concept of linguistic and cultural fluidity, co-supervised with international experts
4. Allocation of at least 1 postdoc to topics related to the concept of linguistic and cultural fluidity
5. Organisation of an international conference on multiculturalism and linguistic and cultural fluidity

Extend the Department research interests through the development of skills and infrastructure for the study of the cognitive processes underlying language learning and written/oral translation. Actions:

1. Recruitment of a translation scholar specialising in cognitive approaches
2. Allocation of at least 1 PhD scholarship to topics related to the study of translation, interpreting or language learning processes, co-supervised with international experts
3. Allocation of at least 1 postdoc position to topics related to the study of translation, interpreting or language learning processes
4. Organisation of a series of seminars on the methods of process research for staff members, both junior and senior
5. Setting up of a first seminar series for cognitive linguistic and translation research
6. Organisation of an international conference on Translation and Interpreting, Corpora and Cognition
7. Organisation of a BootCamp on cognitive research and language technologies

Increase research and project capacity, particularly in the interface area between ICT and language and intercultural studies. Actions:

1. Recruitment of a computational linguist expert in machine learning and/or machine translation
2. Allocation of at least 1 PhD scholarship on topics related to ICT and linguistic and intercultural studies, co-supervised with national and international experts
3. Allocation of at least 1 postdoc position to topics related to ICT and linguistic and intercultural studies
4. Promotion of/participation in interdisciplinary meetings and events within the University of Bologna
5. Hiring of a junior member of staff who would act as a reference for European projects, supporting the DIT Research Commission to manage contacts with external partners and strengthen research competences relevant to H2020 and future EU framework programmes
6. Recruitment of a Research Manager for programming, management and reporting of competitive projects and for research dissemination
7. Recruitment of a junior researcher with experience/potential in grant writing and fund attraction