Goh Kawai

last updated 2009-03-31 21:30 utc

Goh Kawai
- If you'd like to know more about me or my research, contact me at goh at kawai dot com. Many thanks.
- Click on my photo to see more pictures.
Latest news and events
- GOH KAWAI WINS TWO TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARDS FOR COURSES OFFERED IN 2007 FALL SEMESTER
  2009-03-28, SAPPORO, JAPAN -- Goh Kawai, an associate professor at Hokkaido University's Center for Language Learning, was awarded two Teaching Excellence Awards for English language courses offered during 2007 fall semester. One course was for students who needed to repeat an English language course, and placed seventh in category (courses with class sizes between 25 and 49). The other course was for students planning careers as nurses, radiological technologists, medical technologists, physical therapists, or occupational therapists, and placed first in category (courses with class sizes no less than 50).
  Links: List of major award winners, and Goh Kawai's course description (both in Japanese).
Glexa
- Glexa (general learning experience architecture) is a web-based system for learning language online.
- Glexa screenshots and brief explanations.
- Try glexa for free with an instant account.
- Press release 2008-08-01 -- World's first automatic telephone conversation trainer sets record in large-scale online language learning English Japanese
- Press release 2008-08-01 -- High-tension video quiz system raises the bar for realistic online language learning experiences English Japanese
- Press release 2008-08-01 -- Glexa demonstration at Hokkaido University on 2008-08-04 from 09:30 to 10:15 Japanese
- 2008-08-05 thru 08 -- Glexa exhibit at WorldCALL-2008 conference held at the Fukuoka International Congress Center (booth A14), Fukuoka, Japan.
Publications
- List of publications.
Research interests
- Language processing technology integrated with linguistic knowledge.
  - Computational phonetics.
  - Educational technology incorporating language processing.
- Language processing technology applied to nonnative language learning.
  - Peer-based, minimally-supervised, online pronunciation learning.
  - Blended learning incorporating synchronous and asynchronous language activities.
  - Spoken language processing applied to pronunciation learning.
  - Natural language generation applied to assisting nonnative writers.
Lecture notes
- Lecture notes and anonymous comments from my students (in Japanese) are shown at http://goh.cll.hokudai.ac.jp/.
- Some course material from previous classes is not viewable.
Vocational background
- I was awarded a research fellowship from the Canon Foundation in Europe. During 2008 fall and 2009 fall semesters, I will conduct research and development at the University of Antwerp, Institute of Educational and Information Sciences.
- 2008 - 2010: University of Antwerp, Institute of Education and Information Sciences (IOIW) Visiting Researcher (2 6-month visits), funded by the Canon Foundation in Europe
- 2003 - present: Hokkaido University, Research Faculty of Media and Communication (formerly Institute of Language and Culture Studies) Associate Professor (fulltime faculty position)
- 2000 - 2003: Oregon Health & Science University (formerly Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology), Center for Spoken Language Understanding Senior Research Associate (fulltime research position)
- 1999 - 2000: University of California Santa Cruz, Perceptual Science Laboratory Postgraduate Researcher (fulltime research position)
- 1999: University of Tokyo, Keikichi Hirose Laboratory Spoken Language Scientist (fulltime faculty position)
- 1988 - 1996: SRI International, Speech Technology and Research Laboratory Research Linguist (fulltime research position)
- 1986 - 1988: Xerox Palo Alto Research Center Research Assistant (parttime research position)
Academic background
- 1999: University of Tokyo, Department of Information and Communication Engineering (Ph.D. in Engineering)
- 1986: Stanford University, Department of Linguistics, funded by Rotary International
- 1986: International Christian University, Educational Technology (M.A. in education)
- 1984: University of Tokyo, Department of Linguistics (B.A. in linguistics)
Professional affiliations
Online trivia
- I was among the people who proposed that Usenet discussion groups be created for spoken language understanding. See the charter for comp.speech. If I find a description for fj.comp.speech, I'll put the link here.
- They say my ancestors came from what used to be Kawai village. Haven't been there yet.
Personal interests
- Airplanes (private pilot airplane single engine land and sea), tea (aesthetic Japanese gathering), amateur radio (callsign N6UOK, member of W6YX), scuba diving (beginner), kayaking (I can roll -- sometimes!), and snowshoeing (anybody can snowshoe!).
- I hold a hazmat license, specifically for flammable liquids.
Contact information
- Email address
  - goh at kawai dot com
  - Students, faculty and staff -- please use the addresses I told you about.
- Postal addresses
  - Goh Kawai
    Hokkaido University
    Center for Language Learning
    Sapporo 060-0817 Japan
  - Goh Kawai
    Universiteit Antwerpen, IOIW
    Venusstraat 35
    2000 Antwerpen Belgium
- Telephone numbers
  - Please note I have neither voicemail nor fax. Email contact is preferred.
  - Office phone
    - Hokkaido University +81-11-706-6931 (direct)
    - Universiteit Antwerpen +32-3-220-4508 (receptionist)
  - Home phone: if you call me at home for work-related reasons, expect the yakuza at your doorstep.
Maps and directions
- Hokkaido University
  - Google shows buildings. My main office is in S-wing.
  - See a rather uninformative campus map.
  - If you read Japanese, this map is better.
  - Send me email for better directions.
- Universiteit Antwerpen
  - I am in the city campus (stad campus).
  - City campus map. Link broken? Try me. I am in the building shown as number 5 on the map.
  - Public transportation map. It's a 15-minute walk from Antwerp central station.
  - Driving directions and more. In Dutch (Nederlands).
  - Google for Venusstraat 35, Antwerp, Belgium.