Emily Lau

PhD candidate in Computation, Cognition & Language at Cambridge University, England. A multilingual linguist with expertise in expressive speech synthesis and emotional intonation. Strong interest in the overlap between traditional linguistics and computer science to improve the quality of human-machine interaction.

Seeking an active role related to the use of natural language processing, speech technology, speech science theories, classification of voices and other audio medium such as music, as these fields apply to machine applications including smart assistants, personal companions, chatbots and voice forensics.

• Speech Prosody, Leiden, the Netherlands, 07/2024, A comparison of synthesis method impact on listener perception of play-acted speech.
• UK & Ireland Speech (UKIS), Cambridge, UK, 07/2024, A comparison of synthesis method impact on listener perception of play-acted speech.
• British Association of Academic Phoneticians (BAAP), 03/2024, A comparison of synthesis method impact on listener perception of play-acted speech.
• Tone and Intonation, Singapore, 11/2023, Synthesising and assessing performative speech modes.
• International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (ICPhS), Prague, Czech Republic, 08/2023, A biological investigation of performative speech through synthesis.
• UK Speech, Sheffield, UK, 06/2023, Synthesising and assessing dramatic speech
• UK Speech, Edinburgh, UK, 08/2022, Describe what you did/built etc. A biological understanding of dramatic speech through synthesis.
• Jesus College MCR Graduate Conference, Cambridge, UK, 02/2022. Synthesising and dissecting dramatic speech.
• International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (ICPhS), Melbourne, Australia, 02/2019, Toward predictive modelling for AM Theory of Intonation.
• American Librarians’ Association Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, USA, 06/2016, Redefining the Health and Research Online (HERO) user experience.

• A COMPARISON OF SYNTHESIS METHOD IMPACT ON LISTENER PERCEPTION OF PLAY-ACTED SPEECH, Speech Prosody 2024
• A BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF PERFORMATIVE SPEECH THROUGH SYNTHESIS, Proceedings of the 2023 International Congress of Phonetic Sciences
• TOWARD PREDICTIVE MODELLING FOR AM THEORY OF INTONATION, Proceedings of the 2019 International Congress of Phonetic Sciences

• Swarthmore College Lockwood Fellowship, 2021: Awarded to fund PhD studies from 2020-2021
• DOE Scholar, 2013: Awarded Certificate of Appreciation by DOE Assistant Secretary of Energy after completion of summer internship
• DAAD grant, 2012: Awarded full scholarship to take part in summer language immersion program at Humboldt University in Berlin

YouTube (2015-present):

• Have run YouTube channel (Emiloid) for 9 years covering book reviews and media critique
• Have accumulated a community of 3000+ subscribers, with most viewed video at 100,000+ views

Chinese music (2022-present)

• Proficient player of guqin (Chinese zither):
• Performed solo in four concerts run by Cambridge Chinese Orchestra, sometimes to audiences of 150-200

Jesus College Boat Club (2021-2022):

• Coxed primarily female rowers in boats of eight during training and races
• Became confident with concise and quick communication as well as athletic leadership

K-Pop Society (2022-present):

• Attend weekly dance classes and socials
• Learned to appreciate dance as an exercise and artistic expression!