Kong Lingda
Ph.D. Candidate, Class of 2022
Institute of Language Sciences
2025 Shanghai International Studies University Student of the Year
Kong Lingda is a Ph.D. candidate in the class of 2022 at the Institute of Language Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, and a member of the Communist Party of China. His research focuses on semantics, pragmatics, and neurolinguistics. He has achieved a series of accomplishments in the cognitive neural mechanisms of language, publishing four papers as first author in SSCI/SCI and CSSCI core journals, with a total of eight academic papers in journals including Languages, Journal of Neurolinguistics, and other leading domestic and international publications. He also holds two software copyrights. He has led several university- and institute-level research projects, all of which received excellent evaluations upon completion, and has participated as a team member in a Youth Project of the Ministry of Education’s Humanities and Social Sciences Research Program. He has received honors including the National Scholarship for Doctoral Students, the Baosteel Outstanding Student Scholarship, and recognition as an Outstanding Graduate of Shanghai International Studies University.
As Party Branch Secretary for the Institute’s graduate students, he has organized and participated in thematic events such as visits to the G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, and led his branch to win a university-level “One Group, One Brand” award. He represented SISU in the central selection process for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Organization Talent Program. As captain of the Institute’s men’s basketball team, he led the team to its first-ever appearance in the top eight of the SISU “President’s Cup” basketball tournament.
From classical linguistic theory to the experimental frontiers of cognitive neuroscience, he strives to connect linguistic theory with empirical neural evidence, exploring the mysteries of how the human brain understands language.
01 Growing Through Organized Research
Kong Lingda’s interdisciplinary exploration has greatly benefited from the advanced research platforms and organized research environment provided by the Institute of Language Sciences. With the support of the Key Laboratory of Language Sciences and Multilingual Intelligent Applications, as well as the Institute’s graduate student research innovation programs, he has systematically learned and applied cutting-edge techniques such as EEG and eye-tracking, transforming linguistic theoretical questions into empirically testable neurolinguistic research topics.
Under the guidance of his supervisors, Professor Jiang Yong and Professor Jiang Xiaoming, he has come to deeply appreciate that the interdisciplinary environment and project support offered by the Institute have “opened a new window” for students like him, enabling data to serve as a bridge to understanding the cognitive mechanisms of language.
02 Testing Theory Through Empirical Research
Leveraging the Institute’s research strengths, he has dedicated himself to exploring the neural mechanisms of language cognition. During his doctoral studies, he has published a total of eight academic papers, including four as first author in leading domestic and international journals such as Brain Sciences, Languages, and Journal of Foreign Languages. He has led three university- or institute-level research projects, all evaluated as excellent, and has received the National Scholarship for Doctoral Students (2023–2024) and the Baosteel Outstanding Student Scholarship.
In his research, he places emphasis on methodological innovation, having been granted two national software copyrights that support interdisciplinary analysis at the intersection of linguistics and neuroscience. He actively participates in academic exchanges and has presented papers at several major domestic and international conferences, engaging in discussions with scholars in his field.
These research endeavors represent systematic efforts to use cognitive neuroscience methods to examine and explore theoretical hypotheses in linguistics, integrating theoretical inquiry with empirical investigation.
03 Self-Development Through Serving the Community
As a student member of the Communist Party of China, Kong Lingda actively exemplifies the vanguard and exemplary role of Party members. During his tenure as Party Branch Secretary for the Institute’s graduate students, he organized thematic activities such as visits to the G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor and study sessions on the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. He dedicated himself to serving his fellow students, and the branch he led received a university-level “One Group, One Brand” award.
04 Applying Lessons Learned on the Court
Beyond research and student leadership, the basketball court serves as another arena where he channels his dedication. As captain of the Institute’s men’s basketball team, he not only enjoys the sport but also values the power of teamwork. In 2024, he and his teammates worked together to lead the Institute’s team to its first-ever appearance in the top eight of the SISU “President’s Cup” basketball tournament. He believes that the spirit of perseverance and team synergy cultivated on the court mirrors the resilience required in research.
From linguistic theory to neuroscientific data, from Party branch work to the basketball court, Kong Lingda navigates diverse roles and settings with unwavering enthusiasm for exploration, a genuine commitment to service, and a steadfast dedication to his work. He strives to forge his own path of growth on the interdisciplinary frontier of the Institute of Language Sciences.
