Marjorie Lorch

Professor Marjorie Lorch is a distinguished academic at Birkbeck, University of London, holding the position of Professor of Neurolinguistics within the School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication. She has been affiliated with Birkbeck since 1986, initially as a part-time Lecturer and Research Officer before becoming a full-time staff member in 1991. Her academic journey includes a BA in Linguistics, Anthropology, and Biology from Washington University, St. Louis (Phi Beta Kappa), a Grass Foundation Non-Clinical Fellowship in Neurology at Barnes Hospital, postgraduate studies in Linguistics at University College London, and a Ph.D. in Language Behavior (Neurolinguistics) from Boston University.

• BA, Washington University in St Louis
• PhD, Boston University

Professor Lorch's research spans multiple dimensions of language processing and its neurological underpinnings. Her work integrates neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and historical perspectives to explore how language is organized in the brain, particularly through the investigation of neurogenic language and communication disorders. She has made significant contributions to understanding cross-linguistic comparisons and bilingual speakers' language processing, as well as conducting extensive archival research on 19th-century approaches to language function and disorder. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges linguistics, neurology, psychology, education, and history.

Analysis of Professor Lorch's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on historical perspectives in neurolinguistics, particularly examining 19th-century understandings of language organization in the brain. Her work demonstrates a unique integration of historical scholarship with contemporary neurolinguistic research, with recurring themes including aphasia research history, language localization debates, and the evolution of speech and language pathology. The publications also highlight her expertise in cross-linguistic studies and her interest in the relationship between language, thought, and other cognitive domains like music.

• Silver Gilt Award, Member of the Embroidered Minds Collective, Epilepsy Garden, Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Horticultural Society (April 2018)
• President, International Society for the History of the Neurosciences (February 2010)

Professor Lorch has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students across a wide range of topics related to language disorders, multilingualism, and historical linguistics. Her supervision portfolio includes both principal and second supervisory roles, demonstrating her collaborative approach to academic mentoring. She has served on the editorial boards of prestigious journals including Cortex (2003-2025), Historiographia Linguistica, and Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, and has held significant roles such as Associate Editor of Cortex and membership on the executive boards of the Henry Sweet Society and the International Society for the History of the Neurosciences. Her extensive international collaborations reflect her standing in the academic community.

Professor Lorch maintains active international research collaborations and has held numerous visiting positions at institutions including Emory University, Brown University, Duke University, and Loyola University Chicago. Her research program involves interdisciplinary work with medical practitioners, psychologists, speech and language therapists, educators, and historians, reflecting her commitment to bridging theoretical and applied perspectives in language sciences.