Bio
Laura Lamour Burns is the Director of the English Language Institute (ELI) at Florida International University. She is deeply committed to supporting students in their language-learning journey, whether their goal is to matriculate into the university or to advance their professional careers.
Dr. Lamour Burns began her career at the ELI in 2009 as an adjunct instructor. In 2017, she joined the faculty full time, and in 2019 she was appointed Director of the program.
An FIU alumna, Dr. Lamour Burns earned her B.A. in Modern Languages in 2006, an M.S in Curriculum and Instruction of Modern Languages in 2011, and a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning with a concentration in Language, Literacy, Literature, and Culture in 2025. Her dissertation, The Lived Experiences of Faculty and Staff Through COVID: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, reflects her commitment to exploring resilience and adaptation in higher education.
Her research interests include higher education, language pedagogy, internationalization, and online learning.