MEDAL-2025: MEDAL Conference: New challenges, novel approaches University of Tartu Tartu, Estonia, October 9-10, 2025

MEDAL Conference: New challenges, novel approaches

We invite abstract submissions for the ‘Methodological Excellence in Data-Driven Approaches to Linguistics: New challenges, novel approaches’ (MEDAL) Conference, to take place on 9-10 October 2025 at the University of Tartu, Estonia. Abstracts should highlight the challenges, innovative combinations or comparisons of methods used in data-based approaches to language use. This conference marks the culmination of MEDAL, a three-year international consortium project focused on methodological and linguistic diversity and innovation in empirical linguistics and on enhancing the methodological skills of early-career language researchers. The scientific committee will prefer research based on multiple methods and submissions by early-career researchers. We also encourage submissions of replications and research using Open Science, cross-linguistic research and the inclusion of less-researched languages.

Motivation for both the MEDAL project and this conference stems from the enormous advances made in linguistics through becoming a more empirically based discipline. This has been made possible by developing increasingly sophisticated methods, improved accessibility of resources and shared findings. Research using corpus linguistics, experimental linguistics, and computational modelling has furthered our understanding of language use, acquisition and processing. A combined approach drawing insights from more than one method, including less studied languages, improves the robustness of findings. See the conference webpage for more details. 

Abstract Submission

Abstracts should be anonymous and may be up to 1 page in length, excluding references and figures, which can be added using one additional page. Abstracts should all be submitted via EasyChair. Talks will be 20 minutes, plus time for questions. Submissions are welcome from all fields of linguistics. If an early-career researcher (Master’s student, PhD candidate or researcher up to 7 years after PhD defense) will be presenting the talk, please add "ECR" as a keyword in the abstract submission form.

Invited speakers

• Balthasar Bickel (University of Zürich)
• Jennifer Culbertson (University of Edinburgh)
• Piia Taremaa (University of Tartu)

Venue

• The University of Tartu, Estonia

Timeline

• Abstract submission open: 15 January – 28 February 2025
• Decisions on abstracts: 15 April 2025
• Registration open: 15 April - 8 September 2025
• Conference: 9-10 October 2025

Organised by the Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics at the University of Tartu with the MEDAL Consortium

The MEDAL consortium is funded by the European Union & UKRI (both project number 101079429), led by the University of Tartu (Estonia) in collaboration with Radboud University and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics (the Netherlands) and the University of Birmingham (the United Kingdom).