1 PhD Candidate to Study the Lexical Interface in the Human Brain in Netherlands | Radboud University

This project will examine a central but unresolved issue in language science: whether there is a lexical interface that mediates between conceptual and phonological stages in spoken-language processing. In a prominent theory, lemma representations form this interface and are also considered critical for access to syntactic information in language comprehension and production; they are located, according to this account, in the middle of the left middle temporal gyrus. This project examines this theory using multiple methods and tasks that aim to provide converging evidence on lemmas. The methods are functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The tasks involve language production, comprehension, and word learning. The project’s overarching goal is to test whether lemmas are necessary, where they are located neurally, and whether they support both listening and speaking.

Requirements

You have a Master's degree in Cognitive Neuroscience or a related field, and excellent analytic and quantitative skills (e.g. experience with Matlab). Experience in running fMRI experiments is required, and it would be an advantage if you have experience with TMS. You should have excellent communication skills in spoken and written English.

Conditions of employment

• you will be appointed as a PhD candidate for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years
• you will be classified as a PhD candidate (promovendus) in the Dutch university job-ranking system (UFO).
• starting salary is €2,174 per month and will increase to €2,779 per month in the fourth year (P scale);
• You will be part of the Donders Graduate School for Cognitive Neuroscience.