Edna Andrews

Edna Andrews is the Nancy & Jeffrey Marcus Distinguished Professor of Slavic and Eurasian Studies and Professor of Linguistics and Cultural Anthropology at Duke University. She serves as Director of the Program in Linguistics, Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Linguistics Program, and Director of FOCUS, Duke's signature first-year seminar program. Her interdisciplinary work bridges Slavic studies, linguistics, anthropology, and cognitive neuroscience.

Dr. Andrews earned her Ph.D. from Indiana University at Bloomington in 1984 and holds an honorary doctorate from St. Petersburg State University (Russia). Her academic journey has evolved from traditional Slavic linguistics to pioneering work at the intersection of language and brain sciences, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship.

Professor Andrews' research focuses on cognitive neuroscience and multilingualism, semiotics (particularly Peircean and Lotmanian theories), and the neural basis of language processing. Her work examines how the brain processes multiple languages, the relationship between music and language cognition, and the semiotic foundations of linguistic structures. She has pioneered longitudinal fMRI studies of second language acquisition, challenging traditional linguistic models that often overlook the multilingual reality of most humans.

Her research program has produced significant insights into how multilingualism affects brain structure and function, with implications for education, cognitive aging, and language rehabilitation. Andrews' work uniquely integrates theoretical linguistics with empirical neuroscience, creating a more comprehensive understanding of human language as situated within cultural and biological contexts.

• University Scholar/Teacher Award (2013)
• Richard Lublin Teaching Award

Through her leadership of the Slavic & Eurasian Language Resource Center and numerous federally-funded grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Professor Andrews has secured significant research funding to advance understanding of language acquisition and multilingualism. Her collaborative approach brings together linguists, neuroscientists, anthropologists, and educators to tackle complex questions about language and the brain.

Professor Andrews leads research teams through the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and has developed innovative programs like Duke Intense Global (DIG), which combines intensive language training with neuroscience research. Her work with the Bass Connections in Brain & Society Research Team fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among students and faculty across multiple departments.