Professor Steven Bird

Professor Steven Bird’s research with Charles Darwin University’s Northern Institute is driven by the question of how to create a world that sustains its languages.

Australia’s Top End is home to exceptional linguistic diversity, including dozens of endangered Aboriginal languages together with languages from across the world. CDU is uniquely located and surrounded by a veritable laboratory for social and technological experiments on languages, and in this case, the future evolution of the world’s languages.

There is an exciting opportunity for students to develop knowledge and skills in speech and language processing, deep learning and participatory design. Students will apply the theory to complex problems in language maintenance and revitalisation by conducting fieldwork, developing software and running experiments.

We will be investigating new ways of evaluating the impact of technology on wellbeing and connectedness in highly multilingual societies in Darwin, Kakadu, West Arnhem, and further afield.

For a sample of current research topics, read Professor Bird's Northern Institute researcher profile. Projects will be particularly relevant to students with a grounding in computing and information systems.

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