EVO
The IMSErt: EVO team was formed basing on the Center for Language Evolution Studies at Nicolaus Copernicus University (CLES NCU) and comprised the CLES members and its collaborating researchers. The IMSErt: EVO team conducts qualitative and quantitative research on language evolution and linguistic phenomena such as politeness, CMC, sound symbolism, gesture, and sign language. Our research aims to contribute to answering questions such as: How did language emerge? How does language evolve? What was the relationship between the original systems of human visual and vocal (proto)communication? Do the new media change the way we communicate? What is the relation between language and cooperation?
We are currently working on several projects funded by the Polish National Science Centre (NCN) and the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), which include a project on the universality of pantomime and its potential to scaffold the evolution of verbal communication and a project aiming to describe the position of the Science of Language Evolution (SLE) in contemporary science and to structure our knowledge of this area. Our foreign research partners notably include Lund University, the University of Vienna, Roma Tre University, West Australia University, and the University of Lisbon.
The laboratory of the IMSErt: EVO team is located in Collegium Maius in the beautiful Old Town of Toruń. It houses equipment and software, including an EyeLink1000 Plus eye tracker, a biofeedback set, Rokoko Smartsuit Pro motion capture set, a fully equipped sound and video studio, and a range of software E-Prime with Chronos, LabVanced, nVivoand SPSS. We are part of the Excellence Initiative – Research University Programme at the host institution in Toruń, Poland.
IMSErt
The aim of the University Centre of Excellence IMSErt – Interacting Minds, Societies, Environments is to go beyond the boundaries of traditionally, ideographically (descriptive) understood humanities and social sciences and move towards pioneering research, big data analysis, quantitative and experimental research focused on the nomothetical explanation of cultural processes (i.e. aiming at formulating regularities and laws). Activities of the Centre focus on creating truly interdisciplinary projects. Reflection on humanities and social sciences blending seamlessly with natural and exact sciences and using modern technologies (including digital and experimental tools in humanities), will allow the implementation of innovative research projects.
The Centre implements research in linguistics, archaeology, psychology, history of knowledge, memory studies, social geography, environmental studies, economics, finance and management and others. Five leading themes have been identified and will be implemented in the Centre:
- Past Environment, Societies and Cultures – Multidisciplinary Perspective;
- People, Space and Environment;
- Evolution of Communication Systems;
- Knowledge Complexity and Memory;
- Sustainable Development and the Society of the Future.
Among the initiatives that the Centre plans to implement is the establishment of the Foresight Lab, dealing with forecasting the future and close cooperation with the socio-economic environment and broad international cooperation. We will also encourage the University’s staff to implement their projects in cooperation with the Centre and engage in independent and external funded projects. The idea behind the Centre is to promote new concepts and ways of practising humanities and social sciences, connected with the achievements of the world’s top scientific achievements.