Center News

[Academic Conference] Presentation List for SICOL 2026

Publication Date: July 15, 2026

Researchers from our institute will present their recent work on infant language development, speech and language processing, and AI-driven data science at The 2026 Seoul International Conference on Linguistics (SICOL 2026).

SICOL 2026, under the theme "Theory Returns: Linguistics in the Age of AI," will be held on August 10–11, 2026, at Sungshin Women's University in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Researchers from our institute will present a number of studies reflecting interdisciplinary approaches to language science and artificial intelligence.

SICOL 2026 Presentation List

AutoHPP: An Automated System for Head-turn Preference Procedure Using a Deep-Learning-Based Infant Head-turn Classifier

Authors: Dongjin Lee, Michael C. Frank, Jae-Hun Jung, Eon-Suk Ko

Lexical and Semantic Evaluation of Whisper-Based Automatic Transcription of Korean Child-Directed Speech

Authors: Ioana Buhnila, Jiho Lee, Sung Hyu Chon, Jae-Hun Jung, Eon-Suk Ko

Human-Speech Detection in Naturalistic Child-Centered Audio Using an Interpretable Open-Source Ensemble Voice Activity Detection Approach

Authors: Jun Ho Chai & Eon-Suk Ko

The Role of Input Quantity vs. Language Background in Word Learning among Korean Infants

Authors: Joo Kyeong Kim & Eon-Suk Ko

Shape Bias in Korean Noun Learning: Evidence from Property Ratings and Corpus Analysis in a Classifier Language

Authors: Jongmin Jung & Eon-Suk Ko

The ManyBabies-AtHome Looking-While-Listening Project: A Remote Cross-Linguistic Investigation of Familiar Word Recognition in Infants across Various Ages

Authors: Rajalakshmi Madhavan, Katie Von Holzen, Silvia Benavides-Varela, Naomi Havron, Julien Mayor, Barbara Pomiechowska, Martin Zettersten, Eon-Suk Ko

[Academic Conference] Presentation List for ICIS 2026

Publication Date: July 2, 2026

Our researchers participated in ICIS 2026, where they presented a variety of interdisciplinary research on infant language development and data science.

The list of our research team's presentations and posters is provided below.

ICIS 2026 – Panama City Presentation List

From Iconicity to Arbitrariness: Developmental Changes in Sound-Symbolic Word Learning in Korean Infants

Authors: Eon-Suk Ko, Jun Ho Chai, Margarethe McDonald, Jinyoung Jo

Capturing Early Vocabulary Across Contexts: What Parents Report vs. What Infants Show

Authors: Jun Ho Chai, Margarethe McDonald, Eon-Suk Ko

Looking-While-Listening in Context: Design, Implementation, and Convergence of Word Recognition Paradigms across Languages and Modalities (Workshop)

Authors: Rajalakshmi Madhavan, Katie Von Holzen, Eon-Suk Ko

Evaluating and Adapting iCatcher+ with Korean Infant Data: A Transfer Learning Approach

Authors: Jiho Lee, Eon-Suk Ko, Jae-Hun Jung

Investigating Familiar Word Recognition in Infants across Ages and Languages in a Remote Online Study: The ManyBabies-AtHome Looking-While-Listening Project

Authors: Rajalakshmi Madhavan on behalf of the ManyBabies-AtHome Consortium

Automating the Head-turn Preference Procedure: Deep Learning for Real-Time Infant Head-turn Classification [POSTER]

Authors: Dongjin Lee, Michael C. Frank, Jae-Hun Jung, Eon-Suk Ko

A Simulation Testbed for the Head-turn Preference Procedure [POSTER]

Authors: Dongjin Lee, Jae-Hun Jung, Eon-Suk Ko

Countability, Solidity, and Shape in Early Korean Vocabulary, a Classifier Language [POSTER]

Authors: Jongmin Jung, Eon-Suk Ko

Automated Classification of Child-Directed Speech and Shared Book Reading from LENA Recordings in Korean [POSTER]

Authors: Sukhwan Jung, Jun Ho Chai, Ioana Buhnila, Eon-Suk Ko

[International Internship] Introducing Participants of the 2026 Summer Research Internship Program

Posted on: July 10, 2026

The Center for Data Science in Humanities and the Chosun Baby Lab are conducting various interdisciplinary research projects in collaboration with students from overseas universities through the 2026 Summer Research Internship Program.

This year's program includes Subin Kim, a Ph.D. student at the University of Chicago, and Hadiya Cabdi, an undergraduate student at Smith College.

Subin Kim (Ph.D. Student, University of Chicago)

Subin Kim is conducting a research project entitled "Children's Social Relationship Inference Based on Korean Honorific Speech."

This study aims to investigate how children understand and infer social hierarchy and interpersonal closeness through the Korean honorific system. Furthermore, the project explores how children's use and understanding of honorific speech are associated with social cognition and behavior, thereby examining the role of Korean-specific sociolinguistic features in child development.

Hadiya Cabdi (Undergraduate Student, Smith College)

Hadiya Cabdi is participating in a comparative research project examining naturalistic multimodal communication in Korean and U.S. mother-child interactions.

During the internship, she is engaged in multimodal behavioral coding using ELAN, speech transcription and analysis, dataset management, and quantitative analyses to investigate cross-cultural differences and developmental characteristics in early communication.

Through this summer research internship program, the Center for Data Science in Humanities and the Chosun Baby Lab aim to expand international academic collaboration, provide interdisciplinary research experiences integrating linguistics, developmental science, and data science, and further strengthen global research networks.

[Event Participation] Participation in the 2026 HOW FUN Festival

Publication Date: May 13, 2026

Event Dates: May 2, May 3, and May 5, 2026

The Institute for Humanities and Data Science at Chosun University participated in the 2026 HOW FUN Festival, where we introduced our research achievements and offered a variety of interactive activities to the local community.

Over the course of the three-day festival, many children and their families visited our booth, providing a valuable opportunity to share the Center's research with the public in an engaging and accessible way.

Thanks to the dedicated preparation and efforts of our researchers, the event was successfully carried out. We look forward to continuing to strengthen connections between our research and the local community through a variety of outreach and engagement activities.

[Workshop] POSTECH MINDS–Chosun CDS Joint Workshop

Publication Date: January 22, 2026

Date: January 22–23, 2026

Venue: Jeju Island & Online (Hybrid)

Hosted by: POSTECH MINDS & Chosun CDS (Institute for Humanities and Data Science)

Following the successful joint conference on "Human Learning and Machine Learning" held in 2024, POSTECH MINDS and Chosun CDS are pleased to host the 2026 Joint Workshop on "Human Language Acquisition through Machine Learning and AI."

This workshop aims to further expand meaningful dialogue and collaboration between the humanities and science. Through interdisciplinary discussions, participants will explore innovative research methodologies, share the latest developments in AI and language acquisition, and identify new opportunities for collaboration.

The workshop also seeks to establish an open forum that fosters interdisciplinary convergence and promotes innovative partnerships, advancing both academic research and its practical applications.

[ 🔗 View the Workshop Program and Session Details ]

[Parent Education Lecture] Special Lecture by Professor Jungjong Min at Chosun University

Publication Date: January 13, 2026

The National Asian Culture Center (ACC) will host a parent education lecture by Professor Jungjong Min of Chosun University.

In this lecture, Professor Jung will discuss the importance of shared book reading during infancy, review research findings on early language development, and introduce practical strategies for interactive reading and creating a language-rich home environment.

We warmly invite parents of young children to participate.

Date & Time: January 28, 2026 (Wed), 2:00 PM

Venue: Children's Theater, ACC Children's Culture Center

Speaker: Professor Jungjong Min

Target Audience: Parents of infants and young children

참여 신청

[Fellowship Announcement] 2025 HK Global Fellowship Recipients

Publication Date: November 28, 2025

The Institute for Humanities and Data Science at Chosun University is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 HK Global Fellowship.

The HK Global Fellowship is designed to support student researchers who have completed data collection and analysis, helping them develop their research to a publishable level through collaborative mentoring.

The following five students have been selected for the 2025 fellowship:

Vincent Nwosu (Linguistics, University of Calgary, Canada/Nigeria)
Maria Orfanelli (Linguistics, UNICAMP, Brazil)
Sarah der Nederlanden (Influence of literacy on language learning in children, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Cory J. Lemke & Ha Woon Do (Linguistics, UIUC, USA)
Alif Rosyidah (Linguistics Teachers College, Columbia University alum, USA / Indonesia)

Congratulations to all of the selected student researchers.

[Invited Lecture] Prof. Eun-Jung Gong's Special Talk

Posted: November 25, 2025

The Center for Data Science in Humanities is pleased to host a guest lecture by Professor Eun-Jung Gong from the School of Humanities and Sciences at Korea Aerospace University.

Professor Gong investigates individual differences in speech production and perception through an acoustic-phonetic approach, and in this lecture, she will present her latest research findings in the field.

We invite you to join us and look forward to your participation. (Conducted via Zoom)

Topic: Individual Differences in Categorical Perception: Exploring Links to Executive Functions and Language Experience

Speaker: Prof. Eun-Jung Gong (Korea Aerospace University, KAU)

Date & Time: Friday, December 5, 2025, 10:00 AM KST

Platform: Online (Zoom)

[Registration Link] https://forms.gle/EzWhJv1zN4PtA2va7

Abstract
Categorical perception of speech (CPS) refers to the processing mechanism by which listeners perceive continuous speech signals as discrete phonetic categories, showing greater sensitivity to differences between categories than within categories. Previous studies have shown that more robust CPS—characterized by reduced sensitivity to within-category variation—reflects more established phonetic representations in both first and second language learners, as well as in individuals with dyslexia. More recently, however, research has reported a range of individual differences in how discretely listeners categorize speech sounds, with some individuals showing gradient perception by more effectively assessing redundant acoustic cues. This talk explores why some listeners exhibit gradient rather than categorical perception, and what functional advantages this perceptual style might offer. In particular, it focuses on how individual differences in executive functions—such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility—as well as factors like age (children vs. adults) and language experience (first vs. second language), may be linked to the ability to make use of fine-grained acoustic information when making phonetic category decisions.

[Invited Lecture] Prof. Jungsoo Kim's Special Talk

Posted: November 13, 2025

The Center for Data Science in Humanities is hosting an invited lecture by Professor Jungsoo Kim (Director of gimLAB, Chosun University). He will share the latest research findings on developing predictive and preventive strategies for Alzheimer's disease by integrating Multi-modal Data. We encourage your interest and participation! (Conducted via Zoom)

Topic: Converging multi-modal evidences for the primary prevention of Alzheimer's dementia

Speaker: Prof. Jungsoo Kim (Director of Genome Intelligence Mining Lab, gimLAB, Chosun University)

Date & Time: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 10:00 AM KST

Platform: Online (Zoom)

[Registration Link] https://forms.gle/gZZtfejcd3ZnZwFu6

Abstract
I direct the Genome Intelligence Mining Lab (gimLAB), where we focus on uncovering the hidden codes and mechanisms embedded in human genetic information. Our overarching goal is to transform these insights into strategies for understanding complex diseases and improving human health.

In this presentation, I will highlight our efforts to develop predictive and preventive approaches for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Specifically, we have pursued two complementary directions: (1) building flexible risk-prediction models that integrate multi-modal data, and (2) evaluating the strengths and limitations of each modality to optimize their effective use.

We established a genetic risk prediction framework that incorporates common genetic variants (single nucleotide polymorphisms/variants) and identifies AD-associated loci. This genetic risk is dynamically updated by integrating additional evidence from other modalities—such as neuroimaging, plasma biomarkers, and cognitive measures—when available.

Validation using data from the Gwangju Alzheimer’s & Related Dementias (GARD) study showed that this multi-modal framework substantially improves prediction of AD, as measured by amyloid positivity and early cognitive decline, compared to single-modality strategies. These results illustrate how mining genetic information and combining it with multi-modal data can open new avenues for primary and secondary prevention of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD)

[Invited talk] Korean phonology society's reading session

Posted: November 12, 2025

HK Research Professor Kim Joo-kyung will attend a reading session in November of the second semester of 2025 at the Korean phonology society.

Event Name: November Reading Session for the 2nd Semester of the Korean Phonological Association 2025

Host: Korean phonological society

Date: November 15, 2025 (Sat) 10:30-12:50

Venue: Spaceshare 3rd floor Ruby Hall

Attendance: Kim Joo-kyung (HK Research Professor)

Presentation Papers: Interlingual Impact on Isogenic Production of Heritage Spanish: Speech and Phonological Analysis (Doctor's Degree Papers, UCLA, 2025)

[Conference Presentation] Research Presentation at the 50th Anniversary International Conference of the LSK

Posted: November 12, 2025

HK Research Professor Ioana Buhnila attended and presented her latest research at The 50th Anniversary International Conference of the Linguistic Society of Korea (LSK).

Event Name: The 50th Anniversary International Conference of the Linguistic Society of Korea

Host: The Linguistic Society of Korea (LSK)

Date: October 31 (Fri) - November 1 (Sat), 2025

Venue: Seoul National University

Presenter: Ioana Buhnila (HK Research Professor)

Presentation Title: Semantic and Pragmatic Annotation of Paraphrases in the Era of Large Language Models

[Paper Presentation] 4 Papers Presented at the BUCLD50

Posted: November 11, 2025

Our research team presented four papers at the 50th BUCLD (Boston University Conference on Language Development) in 2025.

List of Presented Papers:

A LENA-Based Study of Gendered Input in Korean Parent–Child Interactions
/ Jun Ho Chai, Jongmin Jung and Eon-Suk Ko
Age-related changes in sound symbolism and word learning in Korean infants
/ Eon-Suk Ko, Jun Ho Chai, Margarethe McDonald and Jinyoung Jo
Development of Shape-Based Nouns in Korean Children's Vocabulary: Evidence from the Korean MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory
/ Jongmin Jung and Eon-Suk Ko
Lexical Statistics in Early Noun Vocabularies: A Cross-Linguistic and Rater-Origin Perspective (Collaborative study with Stanford University)
/ Samah Abdelrahim, Jongmin Jung, Claire Lee, Eon-Suk Ko and Michael Frank

[Starting Research] Elderly Speech Korea Starts Research

Posted: November 30, 2025

In collaboration with Chosun University’s Department of Biomedical Science, Korea Aerospace University, and University of Pennsylvania, Chosun University's Center for Data Science in Humanities has launched the 'Elderly Speech Korea' project to identify digital language biomarkers in neurocognitive disorders in elderly speech.

This study bridging clinical linguistics, computational methods, and aging studies, is focused on advancing AI-based approaches for detecting cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, through long-form recordings of daily speech.

The collected speech data, together with clinical and pathological data, will serve as a key database for Korean cognitive decline language biomarkers studies.

[Research Launch] BabyView Korea Project Commences

Posted: September 29, 2025

The Center for Data Science in Humanities has officially commenced the 'BabyView Korea' project, in collaboration with Stanford University. This project is currently recruiting infants aged 6 to 12 months to track their language development process.

This study aims to precisely explore the patterns and interaction dynamics that emerge during early language acquisition by longitudinally recording and analyzing the infants' natural daily speech environment.

Participating families will undergo a two-week trial period, followed by approximately 18 months of weekly video recording and survey participation. The data collected will serve as a core foundation for future research on Korean child language development.

Recruitment

[Experiment Launch] ACC Lab Commences Operations

Posted: September 20, 2025

The Center for Data Science in Humanities has established the 'Chosun Baby Lab @ ACC' within the Asia Culture Center (ACC) Children's Culture Center, making it easier for infants, young children, and their guardians in the Gwangju area to participate in studies.

This initiative is an expansion of experiments previously conducted at the Chosun University Main Building, moving them to a more accessible downtown location. Leveraging the characteristics of the ACC, which attracts many family visitors, the goal is to create a welcoming environment for spontaneous participation.

The experiments are conducted on infants and young children who have been preregistered, as well as those who apply for participation on-site, and are carried out safely with the consent of the guardian.

Recruitment

[HK Workshop] Language, Cognition, and Society: A Data-Driven Lifespan Perspective Workshop Held (9/11–12)

Posted: September 11, 2025

Event Title: Language, Cognition, and Society: A Data-Driven Lifespan Perspective

Date: September 11–12, 2025 (Research Presentations)
Venue: Room 2104-1, IT Convergence College, Chosun University
Keynote Speakers: Prof. Michael C. Frank (Stanford University), Prof. Geonho Lee (Chosun University)

The Center for Data Science in Humanities successfully hosted the workshop titled “Language, Cognition, and Society: A Data-Driven Lifespan Perspective” from September 11 to 12, 2025.

The event featured keynote presentations by Professor Michael C. Frank of Stanford University and Professor Geonho Lee of Chosun University, and brought together domestic and international researchers to share the latest achievements in language and cognitive development research.

[ 🔗 View Workshop Details ]

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