Prof. Ewa Dąbrowska has been awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

FAU succeeds in bid for most prestigious international research award in Germany for the fourth time.

FAU succeeds in bid for most prestigious international research award in Germany for the fourth time. Prof. Ewa Dąbrowska, 54, a linguistics expert nominated by FAU, has been awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship. The award of 3.5 million euros will allow Dąbrowska to continue her current scientific research at FAU. The Polish native currently teaches at the University of Birmingham in England.

Research goal: How do humans learn a language?

Ewa Dąbrowska is revolutionising language acquisition research. A long-standing assumption of linguistic research is that every human is born with a basic framework of grammar rules. This resembles a natural, universal blueprint which allows a child to learn a language regardless of the environment it grows up in and regardless of its mother tongue, be it German, Chinese or Swahili. Cognitive linguistics, which counts Ewa Dąbrowska among its most prominent proponents, is shaking the foundations of this school of thought.

Further information: “New Humboldt Professorship for FAU”

Why I chose Germany

Alexander von Humboldt-Professor Ewa Dąbrowska about her decision to continue her career in Germany:

The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation awards professorships to internationally leading researchers from all disciplines who are currently working abroad. The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship is intended to allow German universities to bring top talent to Germany and to offer them long-term career prospects in Germany. The professorship, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is endowed with up to 5 million euros over a five-year period.