'Open-washing' generative AI: how Meta, Google and others feign openness
The past year has seen a steep rise in generative AI systems that claim to be open. But how open are they really? New research shows there’s widespread practice of ‘open-washing’ by companies like Meta and Google.
XR (eXtended Reality) Lab in Erasmus Building opened
The brand-new XR Lab in the basement of Radboud University's Erasmus Building was opened on 6 June 2024. This lab, dedicated to Extended Reality (XR), offers researchers opportunities to explore the boundaries of science and technology.
Better aphasia rehabilitation through attention to language variation
Language recovery in people with aphasia varies from person to person. Marina Ruiter, together with an interdisciplinary team, is researching language variation in aphasia. The aim is to better measure individual differences and understand them.
Floris Cos, Wieke Metzlar and Marije van Lankveld receive funding from the PhDs in the Humanities programme
Floris Cos, Wieke Metzlar en Marije van Lankveld receive funding from the PhDs in the Humanities programme.
Investigating turntaking in conversations with Parkinson's and hearing impairment
We have conversations with each other all day long, but not everyone takes this for granted. Linguist Esther Janse is researching turn-taking in conversations with people with Parkinson's disease and hearing impairment.
NWO SSH Open Competitie XS grant for Jeroen Dera and Marieke Hoetjes
Literature scholar Jeroen Dera and linguist Marieke Hoetjes each receive an SGW-XS grant. With this grant, they will conduct research on reader representations in TV series and on the effect of hand gestures in conversations.
Grey's Anatomy or Me Before You helps in coping with death
People actively engaging with death, for instance by reading about it, and then watching a film where that subject is central, learn to deal with death better. This is shown by research by Enny Das and Anneke de Graaf from Radboud University.
Improve your French listening skills with Learning Casual French
Many people learning a second language find it difficult to keep up with native speakers. That is why language scientists are launching the "Learning Casual French" website to improve the French listening skills of second-language learners.
Bilingual child cannot ‘turn off’ their language knowledge
Worldwide, there are more children who grow up learning multiple languages than children learning only one. Research by linguist Elly Koutamanis shows that the two languages of a bilingual child are always active in their brain.
Het Mondeling, the podcast: scholars of Dutch Language and Culture analyse Dutch oral exams
Every year, thousands of HAVO and VWO pupils take a literature oral exam to complete their reading list. For many, this is a memorable experience from their school days.
Linguist Susanne Brouwer develops inquiry-based acitivities for primary schools
In 2023, Dr Susanne Brouwer received a Radboud Science Award for her research on Gewetensvolle taal (Conscientious Language), where she developed inquiry-based activities for primary schools in cooperation with the Science Hub.
Building blocks to create your own language: from Esperanto to Dothraki
David en Jessie Peterson have created over 50 ‘constructed languages’, including for Game of Thrones, Dune and Doctor Strange. On 15 March, they will give a lecture on how to make your own language as part of the InScience academic film festival.
Faculty of Arts broadly represented at InScience Film Festival
This year, 'language' is the theme of InScience Film Festival and that means a lot of researchers and students from the Faculty of Arts are on the programme. We list all the contributions so you don't have to miss any highlights!
Vici grant for Mark Dingemanse (CLS) for research on the futures of language
Mark Dingemanse, linguist at the Centre for Language Studies, receives a €1.5 million Vici research grant from NWO that will allow him to set up a new line of research to investigate the relationship between language and technology.
Lack of visual imagery does not lead to less pleasure in reading
Cognitive scientist Laura Speed and her colleagues found in an initial study of reading in people with so-called aphantasia that they do not enjoy reading less, but they do become less engaged with a story.
Stemmen van Afrika wins LOT Popularisation Prize 2024
In February, it was announced that the project Stemmen van Afrika won the LOT Popularisation Prize 2024.
Deepen your empathy by reading more and reading more often!
Reading stories regularly strengthens social-cognitive skills – such as empathy – in both children and adults. And this, in turn, ensures that we can empathise with characters more effectively and more quickly when we are reading.
2023 Hermesdorf Awards go to Platform Diversity in Sex and Gender and to Paul Reef
This year, the Hermesdorf Award and the Hermesdorf Talent Award go to the Platform Diversity in Sex and Gender Platform and to Paul Reef.
Wyke Stommel appointed professor of Language and interaction in Digital Contexts
From 1 December 2023, Wyke Stommel will be appointed Professor of Language and Interaction in Digital Contexts at the Radboud University Faculty of Arts.
Linguistics lessons for newly arrived children: Kletskoppen receives NWA funding for 'Language on Tour'
Thanks to the NWA funding, Kletskoppen can develop a teaching programme that is specifically intended to introduce newly arrived children to science and linguistics in order to make them more confident and self-aware.
