Melissa Axelrod

Melissa Axelrod is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of New Mexico. Her research focuses on morphosyntax and semantics in polysynthetic languages, alongside language preservation and recovery efforts in Native American communities. She has been actively involved in revitalization projects since 1995, collaborating with the Jicarilla Apache, Sandia Tiwa, Nanbé Tewa, and Tesuque Tewa Pueblos. Notably, she served as Principal Investigator (PI) for an NSF-funded Dictionary of Jicarilla Apache, set for publication in 2006. Current projects include an NSF-funded electronic archive of Nanbé Tewa language materials and a documentation initiative for Ixil Mayan, in partnership with California State University, San Marcos, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Her work emphasizes community-driven linguistic documentation, curriculum development, and historical preservation. While no specific scientific awards are listed, her contributions to Indigenous language revitalization are central to her academic profile.