Mind

Research awards and grants

Overview

Awards are granted to high-quality research or PhD theses that support our current research interests, namely:

1) Theoretical analysis of the meanings of words in terms of mental operations;

2) Empirical research based on the semantic analyses performed by Operational Semantics (see Giulio Benedetti, An Enigma in Language. The Meaning of the Fundamental Linguistic Elements. A Possible Explanation in Terms of Cognitive Functions: Operational Semantics, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY., 2011) and Attentional Semantics (see Giorgio Marchetti, Consciousness, Attention and Meaning, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY., 2010);

3) Empirical research based on the theory of consciousness put forward by Marchetti (see Giorgio Marchetti, Consciousness, Attention and Meaning, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY., 2010).

Grants can range from €500 – 1000 per work.

The maximum number of awards that can be granted per year is two.

Eligibility Restrictions

Awards are granted only for:

a) Empirical research whose results have been published in peer-reviewed articles in a scientific journal or edited book;

b) Theoretical studies which have been published in peer-reviewed articles in a scientific journal or edited book;

c) PhD theses specifically devoted to our research interests (funds are released only after the PhD degree is obtained).

Awards are not granted to institutes, public or private companies, or societies, but only to private citizens.

How to apply

a) Letter of inquiry stage. All research grants begin with a letter of inquiry. A letter of inquiry functions as a mini-proposal. It should include:

- A curriculum vitae, where the applicants also describe their scientific interests, aspirations, how they came to know our work, and why they are interested in our theories and research;

- A short paper (max. 2000 words) where applicants summarize what they have understood about our theories and research. We also welcome critiques and improvements of our work;

- A draft of the research project where applicants describe a clearly-defined thesis, its novelty and a specific plan for demonstrating that thesis.

The letter of inquiry will be reviewed by us. If we determine that it fits our research interests, we will invite a full proposal.

All documentation should be sent to: info@mind-consciousness-language.com

b) Full proposal stage. A full proposal should include a detailed description of:

- The aim of the research;

- The state-of-the-art;

- The novelty of the research;

- The method, design, and analysis plan;

- Expected results;

- The study’s limits;

- Schedule of the work;

- Bibliography.

The full proposal will be reviewed using a rigorous, scientific, peer review process involving two or more reviewers.

Reviewers will look for applications that specifically meet the following criteria:

- Research questions and/or hypotheses are consistent with our research interests;

- Project complements and extends prior and concurrent efforts and theories;

- Project reflects high standards of evidence and rigorous methods, commensurate with the proposal’s goals.

Applicants who receive generally positive reviews are given an opportunity to provide written responses to the reviewers’ comments and critiques. We do not necessarily look for applicants to agree with the reviewers’ concern. Instead, applicants should show serious consideration of the reviewers’ critiques and offer a frank and thorough response.

The full proposals, reviews, and applicants’ responses to the reviews receive further appraisal from our research team, which makes the final decision.

Funding for approved awards is allocated soon after the research team makes its decision. Funds will be released only after the research or study has been published in a peer-reviewed article in a scientific journal or edited book, or after the PhD degree is obtained.

Applicants who are granted the award will be formally notified.

During the realization phase of their project, applicants are encouraged to share with our research team the progress of the research, problems experienced, theoretical and methodological doubts, etc.

Discrimination Policy

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or national origin.

Granted Awards

2012 - Dr. Ahlam Mohammad Alharbi, Social Representations of ‘IAM’ in two Australian Newspapers before and after 9/11: A Tri-Semantic Framework, A Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Linguistics in the Department of Cultures, Languages, and Linguistics at Monash University, Faculty of Arts, Supervised by Prof. Farzad Sharifian (Main Supervisor) and Dr. Marisa Cordella (Associate Supervisors). Link to Prof. Farzad Sharifian's website

http://profiles.arts.monash.edu.au/farzad-sharifian/ Précis of Social Representations of ‘IAM’ in two Australian Newspapers before and after 9/11: A Tri-Semantic Framework

Send your contributions, proposals for collaboration and research projects - in English, possibly in a doc, rtf or pdf file format - to Giorgio Marchetti at info@mind-consciousness-language.com