Martin Takáč: Curriculum Vitae

Affiliation

Centre for Cognitive Science
Department of Applied Informatics
Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics
Comenius University in Bratislava

Current position

associate professor

Education

• 2017: habilitation (docent) in computer science at FMFI UK (Comenius University).
• 2008: PhD. in applied informatics from FMFI UK (Comenius University).
• 2001: RNDr. (Res Naturalis Doctor) degree in informatics from FMFI UK.
• 1997: Mgr. (equiv. MSc.) degree in informatics (cum laude) from FMFI UK, majoring in Artificial Intelligence.
• 1994: State exam of English at the Faculty of Arts Comenius University.

Academic work experience

• Postdoctoral fellow at Dept. of Computer Science Univ. of Otago, New Zealand, 2009-11 and 2014-17, working with Dr. Alistair Knott and Dr. Lubica Benuskova.
  
• Lecturer at the Department of Applied Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics of Comenius University, 1999-2009.

Professional activities/service

• Since 2022: host coordinator for incoming Erasmus students of the MEi:CogSci master program in cognitive science.
• Since 2022: member of study program panel for master program in cognitive science at FMFI UK.
• Since 2021: member of the Scientific board of AIslovakIA - National platform for the AI development in Slovakia.
• Since 2021: member of Ethics Board of Comenius University in Bratislava.
• Since 2021: member of Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics of Comenius University in Bratislava for Research Involving Human Subjects.
• Since 2020: member of the Standing Committee on Ethics and Regulation of Artificial Intelligence at the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic
• Guarantor of humanities courses at FMFI UK (since 2020).
• Student tutor for the study program Cognitive Science at FMFI UK
• Member of examining boards for state exams in Cognitive Science at FMFI UK
• Founding member of the Slovak Society for Cognitive Science (SSKV).
• Member of the Cognitive Science Society (2013, 2016).
• Member of the consortium for the preparation of the Central European Joint Master's Program in Cognitive Science MEi: CogSci (2007-08, 2011-present).
• Member of the External Advisory Board of the FP7 EU Man4Gen project “Manual Operation for 4th Generation Airliners” - cognitive aspects of aviation safety (2012-2015).
• Program committee member for ICANN (2020, 2021) and Cognition and Artificial Life (2014, 2016-2019, 2022) conferences.
• 2009-18: associate editor of the International Journal of Agent Technologies and Systems (IJATS).
• Book reviewer for MIT press

Research interests

• connectionist modeling of meaning construction, language production and acquisition
• cognitive architectures
• cognitive semantics, adaptive knowledge representation
• cognitive science
• artificial neural networks, self-organization
• qualitative reasoning

Teaching experience

• 2019-present: Science, technology and humanity: opportunities and risks
• 2019-present: Pedagogical communication.
• 2008, 2011-present: Cognitive Semantics and Cognitive Theories of Representation (within the Middle-European interdisciplinary master program in Cognitive Science MeiCogSci)
• 2006-2008, 2011-present: Introduction to Cognitive Science (MeiCogSci)
• 1998-2008, 2012-present: Qualitative Modeling and Simulation (lectures and seminars).
• 2005, 2007-08, 2012-present: Communication Training (seminars).
• 2001-2007: Cognitive Science (lectures and seminars).
• 2001-2008: Internet Distance Education Program Cognitive Sciences (lectures, participation).
• 1999-2000: Expert Systems (seminars).
• 1999: Expert Systems (seminars as an external lecturer at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Slovak Technical University).

Ongoing and completed students' theses that I have supervised.

Awards

• 2012 - Peter Fedor's Prize - for excellent results in computational modeling of language acquisition and evolution
• 2008 - New Zealand BuildIT scholarship
• 1997 - Slovak Literary Foundation award
• 1997 - Chancellor/Rector's award for the best diploma thesis

Project participation

• 2023-25: Computational modelling of early development of social skills in human-robot interaction. VEGA 1/0373/23 (deputy PI).
• 2022-25: TERAIS: Towards Excellent Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at a Slovak university (EU Twinning project, WP leader).
• 2022-26: MIMEDIS: The impact of media discourse on attitudes towards migration, migrants and migration policy in Slovakia. APVV-21-0114 (deputy PI).
• 2018-20: Learning of a robotic system in a human-robot interaction. VEGA 1/0796/18 (deputy PI).
• 2014-17: Does language syntax mirror the structure of sensorimotor cognition? Marsden Fund 13-UOO-048, New Zealand (with Alistair Knott and Lubica Benuskova)
• 2014-17: From sensory-motor processes to higher cognition: Computational modeling of mental development in an embodied cognitive agent. VEGA 1/0898/14 (deputy PI).
• 2012-15: FP7 EU project Man4Gen “Manual Operation for 4th Generation Airliners” (member of external advisory board).
• 2011-13: Constructivist modeling of early cognitive development in an embodied cognitive agent. VEGA 1/0439/11 (deputy PI).
• 2009-10: The sensorimotor grounding of language: a computational model. BuildIT postdoc award, New Zealand (with Alistair Knott and Lubica Benuskova).
  
• 2008-10: Modeling self-organization in complex systems with focus on language domain VEGA 1/0361/08 (with I. Farkaš and M. Markošová).
• 2007: Integrated Model of Autonomous Meaning Construction JPD 3 BA 2005/1-043 (PI).
  
• 2006-2008: Environment for Multi-Agent Systems Specification, grant APVV-20-P04805 (PI J. Šefránek) in cooperation with Whitestein Technologies, s.r.o.
• 2006-2008: Non-standard Models of Computation: Specification, Complexity, Security, grant VEGA 1/3105/06 (with D. Gruska).
• 2006: Cognitive Semantics for Dynamic Environments, young grant UK/402/2006 (PI).
• 2003-05: Network Computing, grant VEGA 1/0172/03 (PI D. Gruska).
• 2000-02: Models of concurrent, parallel and intelligent computations, grant VEGA 1/7654/20 (PI D. Gruska).
• 1997-99: Specification Methods of Complex Programming Systems: from Principles to Applications (PI P. J. Voda).
• 1995-96: Development of rule base tutor interpreter for the air-pollution monitoring system RAINS developed by IIASA Wien.

Other Experiences

• since 2017: Research collaboration with Soul Machines, Ltd., New Zealand
• 2003-2006: Webmaster of Institute of Process-oriented psychology Slovakia.
• Since 2002: Statistical analyses for Bratislava Parking Service.
  
• 2002: Building Community at the Crossroads, worldwork conference on international conflict resolution, Greece.
• 2002: Building the web portal www.slovakia.no, participation.
• 2002: Slovak translation of the book Amy Mindell: Coma: A Healing Journey, a Guide for Family Friends and Helpers, Lao Tse Press, Portland Oregon, participation.
• Since 2001: Translating/interpreting from/to English for several institutions and companies (Profesia, s.r.o., VISICOM, s.r.o., Institute of Process-oriented psychology Slovakia, etc.).
• 2001-2002: Two years of undergraduate studies of psychology at the Faculty of Arts Comenius University
• 2000-2002: 300 hours of seminar courses in Process-oriented psychology (process work).
• 1999-2002: Co-ordinator of the volunteer group "Vrba" providing psychological support to cancer patients.
• 1998-2000: Webmaster of University Pastoral Center Bratislava.
• 1997-99: System administrator at the Computer Support Center of the Faculty of Arts Comenius University.
• 1995-98: Medical communication software development for Newton PDA platform for Wildcat Systems Ltd. and PRO FOUND GmbH Germany.