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. Talks will be 20 minutes, and submissions are welcome from all fields of linguistics. This conference marks the culmination of the three-year international consortium project – MEDAL. Our focus is on methodological and linguistic diversity and innovation in empirical linguistics and on enhancing early-career language researchers' skills and international connectedness.
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 through the development of 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.
The MEDAL consortium is funded by the European Union & UKRI (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 UK). The final conference will showcase the diversity of research that has benefitted from the training and mentoring opportunities in MEDAL and bring together researchers from beyond the consortium interested in advancing discussion about methods and results in data-driven linguistics. The scientific committee will give preference to research based on multiple methods and submissions by early-career researchers. We also encourage submissions of replications and research making use of Open Science, cross-linguistic research and the inclusion of less-researched languages.
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
Scientific Committee
- Asli Özyürek, Radboud University
- Caroline Rowland, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Dagmar Divjak, University of Birmingham
- Eva-Liina Asu-Garcia, University of Tartu
- Hatice Zora, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Izabela Jordanoska, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Joshua Wilbur, University of Tartu
- Judith Holler, Radboud University
- Justyna Mackiewicz, University of Birmingham
- Kaidi Lõo, University of Tartu
- Liina Lindström, University of Tartu
- Maarja-Liisa Pilvik, University of Tartu
- Mari Aigro, University of Tartu
- Petar Milin, University of Birmingham
- Piia Taremaa, University of Tartu
- Pärtel Lippus, University of Tartu
- Sevilay Sengül, Radboud University
- Taavi Vanaveski, University of Tartu
- Virve-Anneli Vihman, University of Tartu
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).
Abstract submission
Submission link | https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=medal2025 |
Submission deadline | February 28, 2025 |
Decisions on abstracts | April 15, 2025 |
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.
How to get to Tartu
The easiest way to get to Tartu from abroad is via Tallinn. To reach Tartu from the Tallinn airport, you can take a bus (Lux Express; buy beforehand) directly from the airport or a train (Elron; can be bought on the train) from Ülemiste station (a 10-minute walk from the airport). Both are excellent options. Riga is also an option, but there is only minimal bus and train connection to/from Tartu (Lux Express; buy beforehand or try Baltic train connection).
Arriving late at Tallinn airport or leaving early from Tallinn airport typically requires spending a night in Tallinn, so make sure to check the bus/train schedules and find a place to stay in Tallinn, if necessary (the Mercure hotel is a five-minute walk from the airport). Rooms are ~90 EUR and can be shared.
Tartu is small enough that you can walk everywhere within 30 minutes. For other options, see:
city bus network (can be bought from the bus driver for 2 EUR or by getting "Ühiskaart"). You can also pay by bank card automatically with tap payment (1.5 EUR/h)
"smart bike" rental system (requires the "Ühiskaart" transport card)
taxi app (get the app)
taxi company elektritakso 1918 (get the app)
Dorpat Hotel breakfast included, ~90 EUR / night per person and rooms can also be shared via direct booking at info@dorpat.ee. We have also pre-booked rooms. You can use the code "MEDAL conference" to book those.
Tartu student hostel (shared kitchen, ~40 EUR / night; direct booking at info@campus.ee to get this price)
Other options include affordable Tamme or EMÜ hostels.
More exclusive options include Lydia, VSpa (with spa), and SOHO hotels. We have also pre-booked rooms in Lydia Hotel. You can use the code "MEDAL conference" to book those.
You can check out the city tourism website for other ideas.
Food
Tartu has a lot of good quality, relatively affordable restaurants and bars. To get an impression, check out the city tourism website. Weekday lunch specials ("päevapraad") are listed here.
Venue location
IEGL can be found in the Humanities building at Jakobi 2 next to the University of Tartu main building, Ülikooli 18 (you can write "ulikooli" in search).