The Distinguished Scholar Award, established in 1978, recognizes exceptional scholarly accomplishments by senior professors who have compiled a substantial body of research. Supported by the Office of Research, recipients are nominated by their departments and chosen by a committee of senior faculty, including several past recipients of the award. Distinguished Scholars receive a $3,000 honorarium and a research grant of $20,000 to be used over the next three years.

Judy Andrews, professor in the department of history of art, has established herself as one of the few undisputed authorities on modern Chinese art in the English language world. Her groundbreaking research, publications and exhibitions are widely credited with establishing this now thriving subdiscipline of art and positioning Ohio State as one of the world's premier institutions for the study of modern and contemporary Chinese art. According to one colleague, "Her accomplishments in the field of Chinese art history have been exceptional. Her body of scholarly research stands out for its far-ranging scope, impressive depth and sustained quality." 

Andrews' solely-authored book Painters and Politics in the People's Republic of China, 1949-1979 was named best book of the year in 20th Century Chinese Studies by the Association of Asian Studies. She has authored more than 40 scholarly articles and essays in high-profile journals, has edited or co-edited five exhibition catalogues and has curated or co-curated seven exhibitions in the US and abroad. "A Century in Crisis: Modernity and Tradition in the Art of Twentieth-Century China," which Andrews co-curated for the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 1998, introduced audiences to the riches and complexities of modern and contemporary Chinese art.

As the founding director of the Institute for Chinese Studies, Andrews helped secure a $2 million grant for the development of Ohio State's undergraduate curriculum in Chinese studies. She has received an ACLS Post-Doctoral Fellowship and a Fulbright Senior Fellowship to Japan. 

 Andrews received her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She joined Ohio State in 1987.