Romeena Kureishy

Romeena Kureishy is an Assistant Instructional Professor of Urdu in the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago. She teaches Urdu language and literature and focuses on innovative pedagogical approaches, including AI integration in language classrooms. She joined UChicago in 2023 and holds an MA in Urdu from Karachi University, where she is pursuing an MPhil in Urdu.

Education:

• MA in Urdu Language and Literature, Karachi University
• MPhil Urdu (candidate), Karachi University

Research Interests: Her work centers on 21st-century Urdu pedagogy, Hindi-Urdu historical interconnections, AI applications in language education, Urdu proficiency standards, prosody (Arooz), and Urdu linguistics. She emphasizes bridging traditional and modern methodologies to enhance Urdu language acquisition.

Teaching & Experience:

• Previously taught Urdu at the University of Pennsylvania, Kean University, and NYU
• Pedagogy instructor at NYU
• Trains Urdu teachers in the U.S. and Pakistan
• Honorary Research Associate at Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development

Non-Academic Interests: South Asian music, cinema, and organizing cultural-literary public events.