Sofja Volkova (MA '16, Leiden University) is a lecturer in linguistics at the department of Dutch Language and Culture of Utrecht University. Her core areas of expertise include theoretical and experimental syntax, language acquisition and psycholinguistics. Other areas of scientific interest include neurolinguistics, second language learning and teaching, and children's general (cognitive) development.

Sofja's PhD-related research conducted at Ulster University (United Kingdom) unites her scientific interests in a project seeking to disentangle the cross-linguistic grammatical and methodological factors involved in children's comprehension of non-canonical word orders. For this project, collaborations were established with colleagues at Potsdam University (Germany) and Saint Petersburg State University (Russia). 

Sofja combines different disciplines to inform and strengthen the understanding of the linguistic theory. Additionally, Sofja is invested in stimulating students research aspirations and supporting current and prospective students' feeling of safety and satisfaction in the academic environment. This can be exemplified by her activities in the Neerlandistiekgelden-funded group focusing on the theme of Youth, her participation in the U Talent (pre-university) programme and her teaching experience in the secondary school education.