Sanaa Ahmed

Sanaa Ahmed is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Calgary, where she joined in 2021. Prior to her current position, she was a Killam Postdoctoral Fellow at Dalhousie University. Her academic journey spans across multiple institutions and countries, reflecting her international perspective on legal issues.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD from York University (2019)
• LLM from University of Warwick (2005)
• LLB from S.M. Law College, University of Karachi (2002)
• BA from University of Karachi (1998)

Sanaa Ahmed's research focuses on the intersection of financial systems and criminal activity, with particular emphasis on money laundering, financial crime, and financial regulation. Her work also extends to criminal law, human rights, and surveillance practices. She examines how regulatory frameworks function in practice, particularly in the Canadian context, while also investigating transnational dimensions of financial crime and regulation in countries like Pakistan. Her approach combines legal analysis with political economy perspectives to understand the complex relationships between state institutions, capital flows, and crime prevention mechanisms.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on money laundering and financial regulation, with increasing attention to Canadian contexts in her most recent work (2023). She has also maintained a strong interest in Pakistan's regulatory environment and has explored connections between financial crime, human rights, and development in African contexts. Her work appears in diverse venues including academic journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to these complex legal issues.

Her notable awards include:

• Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship, Dalhousie University (2019)
• Harley D. Hallet Graduate Scholarship, Osgoode Hall Law School (2018)
• Peter W. Hogg Graduate Award (2016)

Before her academic career, Sanaa Ahmed had significant professional experience in journalism, working as an editor, writer, producer and reporter for several media outlets in Pakistan. This background informs her approach to legal scholarship, particularly in examining the practical implementation of regulatory frameworks and the relationship between law, media, and public understanding of financial crime. Her teaching includes courses on Crime (LAW 410) and Money Laundering (LAW 693), directly connecting her research expertise with her pedagogical responsibilities.

While specific information about research labs or teams is not provided in the available materials, her collaborative work on publications like "Presence through absence? Understanding the role of capital in the African Human Rights Action Plan" suggests active engagement with international research networks focused on financial crime, human rights, and development.