The interdisciplinary training required to advance Empirical Cognitive
Linguistics remains unfortunately scarce at most universities. This makes
the transition from one way of looking at language to another often
overwhelming and intimidating. Most beginners never get started because
they don't know who to ask for help, how to begin, what questions to ask,
what to read. As such, the focus of the EMCL Workshops is to unite gifted
cognitive linguists lacking empirical training, with experienced researchers
who will guide them in the development and implementation of a research
project. The workshop will also serve to introduce new researchers to the
community of active empiricists, to whom they will be able to look to for
guidance long after the workshop is over.

This workshop is aimed specifically at scholars with sound theoretical
knowledge in their field though lacking in empirical training, including
experimental research. Participants are not expected to have any background
at all in empirical work. Candidates should at least have completed initial
university training, a B.A. in the US, or be working on a Masters degree if
training in Europe, in theoretical linguistics or a similar field, and be
familiar with cognitive linguistics (this familiarity need not have occurred
in a formal university setting). Graduate students, i.e. post-grads,
pre-doctoral, etc., as well as post-doctoral researchers and junior faculty,
are invited to apply. The only real prerequisite is a background in cognitive
linguistics or embodiment, and a desire to gain empirical research experience.