Past events

  • Workshop ‘Should democracy be direct?’

     

    ICREA Research Professor Santiago Zabala and Prof. Josep Ramoneda organize the workshop ‘Should democracy be direct?’

     

    The event will be held on the 13th and 14th of July 2022. Please click here for further information.

  • The 101st ICREA Colloquium ‘From the inside out and back: Cognitive, neural and communicative pressures that shape human language’

     

    Speakers: ICREA Research Professors Gemma Boleda from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) and Ruth de Diego from the Universitat de Barcelona (UB)

     

    When: 28th of June 2022, 18:00h

     

    Where: Zoom & Auditorium FCRi, Passeig de Lluís Companys, 23, 08010 Barcelona

     

    Abstract:

     

    Why is human language the way it is? Much of the discussion about this topic has focused on the amazing linguistic capabilities of humans, compared to other animals or to computers. However, humans are also “endowed” with many limitations. We have internal pressures: Our brain is limited and wired to connect regions with specific functions, we have a limited attentional capacity and also a limited working memory capacity. And we also have external pressures, such as the need to navigate the environment we find ourselves in, and to communicate with other human beings. What if what makes our language human is actually its adaptation to these limitations and pressures? This is the view that we will explore in our talk.

     

    More specifically, we will examine how language is shaped from the inside out, that is, from our neurocognitive system to the world, and back. First, we will review how our attentional limitations help us simplify the way we perceive linguistic input as infants, fostering learning, and how this initial learning allows us to progressively incorporate more of the input. Second, we will explore how the interaction between cognitive and communicative pressures shapes the lexicons of natural languages.

     

    The ICREA colloquia are a great way to learn about remote fields of research from our best experts. We usually have two speakers, who offer their opinions on the same subject from different angles. They are open to all ICREAs and their guests.

  • The 100th ICREA Colloquium ‘Dominant firms in the Digital Age’

     

    Speakers: ICREA Research Professors Jan Eeckhout and Massimo Motta, both from Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)

     

    When: 26th of April 2022, 18:00h

     

    Where: Zoom & Auditorium FCRi, Passeig de Lluís Companys, 23, 08010 Barcelona

     

    Abstract:

     

    Since 1980, we have experienced a sharp and steady rise in market power by dominant firms which sell at very high prices and which earn exceptionally high profits. This has far-reaching implications on the economy and society: wages have stagnated and business dynamism has declined. In this colloquium, we try to shed light on the causes and consequences. We focus on the role of digital technology and discuss policy responses in order to restore competitive markets.
     

    The ICREA colloquia are a great way to learn about remote fields of research from our best experts. We usually have two speakers, who offer their opinions on the same subject from different angles. They are open to all ICREAs and their guests.

  • Jean-Pierre Bourguignon Conference at IEC

    Erstwhile President of the ERC comes to Barcelona and will be giving a talk at Institut d'Estudis Catalans (IEC) "How to improve dynamics and ambition of European researchers, a key effort for the future of Europe"

     

    This is not an ICREA event, and has been organised by the Secció de Ciències i Tecnologia at IEC, but considering the speaker, we highly recomend it!

     

    Venue: Sala Pere i Joan Coromines, l’Institut d'Estudis Catalans (Carme street, 47, Barcelona), on Thursday 21st of April at  18.30 h.The talk will be in English, of course.

     

    It will also be available via Youtube (www.youtube.com/comunicacioiec) and you can even attend via Zoom here, but if you choose these  options, you'll be missing a lovely building full of history right in the heart of Barcelona..!

     

     

     

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