Khaled El-Rouayheb is a Professor of Arabic and Islamic Intellectual History at Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, affiliated with the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. He is on leave for the 2024–2025 academic year. Research focuses on Islamic theology, philosophy, and Arabic logic Author of three influential monographs Co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Islamic Philosophy Education: BA in Philosophy, University of Copenhagen MA in Middle Eastern History, American University of Beirut PhD in Oriental Studies, University of Cambridge His work examines intellectual and cultural transformations in the Arabic-Islamic world from the classical to early modern periods. Key contributions include analyses of logical systems and historical shifts in gender/sexuality discourses. Scientific Awards: Harvard College Professor (2022)
Reyhan Durmaz is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, affiliated with the School of Arts & Sciences and multiple interdisciplinary programs. Her research focuses on Syriac Christianity, medieval religious dynamics, and the intersection of Christianity and Islam in late antiquity. She holds a Ph.D. from Brown University (2019) and has received prestigious fellowships such as the Dumbarton Oaks Junior Fellowship and the Charlotte Newcombe Dissertation Fellowship. Her seminal book Stories between Christianity and Islam (2022) examines the transmission of saints' stories between religious traditions, earning Honorable Mention from the Middle East Medievalists. Current projects include a study of rural Christianity in the medieval Middle East through soldier-monk narratives and an analysis of the 19th-century Arabic newspaper Kawkab America . She co-leads the Digital Photograph Archive project Visualizing Countryside , documenting medieval religious sites. Dr. Durmaz teaches courses on global Christianity, material culture, and late antiquity, and serves as co-chair of the Philadelphia Seminar on Christian Origins. Her work bridges historical analysis, textual scholarship, and digital humanities, addressing themes of religious identity, cultural exchange, and marginalized communities.
Alexander Key is an Associate Professor of Comparative Literature at Stanford University, specializing in Classical Arabic literature and the intellectual history of Arabic and Persian-speaking worlds from the 7th century onwards. His scholarship focuses on the philosophy of language, literary theory, and cross-cultural translation. Ph.D. in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Harvard University (2012) Current research: Arabo-Persian linguistic intersections, poetics in translation, and pre-modern theories of syntax and affect His articles span diverse eras and topics, including: Medieval Arabic language philosophy (5th–11th century) Modern Arabic political poetry analysis (20th–21st century) Comparative methodologies bridging Islamic and Western traditions A key editorial role includes: Board Member of Stanford University Press Advisory roles at Habib University and Stanford’s Markaz Resource Center His work bridges academic publication with public discourse through: Contributions to Arcade Colloquy Interviews on poetics, religion, and contemporary politics Podcasts and literary salon discussions
Zainab Hermes is an Associate Instructional Professor in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago, where she has taught since 2018. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2018), earned through experimental research combining phonetics and neuroscience methodologies. Education PhD in Linguistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2018) Research Interests Her work focuses on experimental linguistics, particularly the articulation of Arabic dialects (Cairene, Lebanese, Jordanian, Saudi). Key projects involve: MRI studies of vocal tract configurations for back consonants MEG investigations of neurological representations during Arabic diglossic code-switching Self-paced reading studies on L2 acquisition of Arabic grammatical gender Publications & Methodologies Her research employs advanced imaging techniques (rt-MRI, EMA) and neurolinguistic methods (MEG) to analyze speech production and processing. Her teaching includes courses on Arabic linguistics, dialectology, and academic reading. Academic Contributions She collaborates on interdisciplinary studies bridging phonetics, neuroscience, and language acquisition frameworks.
Prof. Dr. Halis Aydemir is a Professor at the Department of Basic Islamic Sciences in Dumlupınar University's Faculty of Theology. He holds concurrent administrative roles including Vice Rector (2015–2019), Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences (2015–2020), and Head of the Hadith Department. His academic journey includes a BSc in Electrical Engineering (Istanbul Technical University, 1995) and a PhD in Basic Islamic Sciences (Uludağ University, 2004). His research focuses on applying probability theory to Hadith transmission systems, developing mathematical models for inheritance calculations in Islamic law, and Arabic language education. Notable projects include the 'Al-Musnad al-Sahih' manuscript verification (2002–2012) and multiple inheritance calculation software projects. He has authored over 80 publications including critical editions of Hadith collections and theoretical works on Hadith reliability. Awards: No scientific awards explicitly mentioned. Administrative roles include leadership in religious affairs projects and educational software initiatives. Research highlights include probabilistic analysis of narrator reliability, isnad model evaluation, and digital tools for Islamic legal calculations. His work bridges traditional Islamic scholarship with modern quantitative methods.
Lisa L. Wynn is Professor in the School of Social Sciences (Discipline of Anthropology) at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. She serves as Associate Editor of American Ethnologist (2022-2027) and previously held leadership positions including President of the Australian Anthropological Society (2020) and membership on the AAS Executive Committee (2018-2021). Wynn earned her PhD in 2003 from Princeton University's Anthropology Department, followed by postdoctoral positions at Princeton's Office of Population Research and Center for Health and Wellbeing. Her research program centers on gender, reproductive health technologies, sexuality, and religion, with continuous fieldwork in Egypt since 1998. More recently, she has expanded her work to examine ethics review bureaucracies, lay understandings of infectious disease, and young adult vaping behaviors in Australia. Her methodological approach combines deep ethnographic engagement with critical analysis of how power structures intersect with medical technologies and bodily experiences, particularly among marginalized communities. Analysis of her recent publications reveals an evolving trajectory that maintains her foundational interest in Middle Eastern contexts while increasingly addressing digital spaces (as seen in studies of online fatwas) and contemporary health crises (including pandemic responses and vaping culture), with consistent attention to bodily autonomy and reproductive justice. Her significant scholarly contributions have been recognized through multiple prestigious awards: Vice Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Award from Macquarie University (2009) Australian Award for Teaching Excellence (2012) OLT National Teaching Fellowship (2012-2014) Leeds Honor Prize from the Society for Urban, National, and Transnational/Global Anthropology (2008) Wynn actively mentors graduate researchers specializing in gender, sexuality, medicine and technology, with particular emphasis on sexual and reproductive health. Her research program has received substantial funding from the Social Science Research Council, Australian Research Council, Office of Learning and Teaching, and Hort Innovation. Notably, she co-led a major international project to develop multilingual sexual and reproductive health resources that have reached millions of users across 208 countries. She also created a free online ethics training program for humanities and social sciences researchers at Macquarie University. Through collaborations with Cambridge Reproductive Health Consultants and other partners, Wynn has successfully translated academic research into accessible public resources, including evidence-based information on medication abortion available in six languages (English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Turkish, and Farsi).
Dr. Khaldoun H. Shami is a Lecturer in Documentary Film at the School of Media, Language and Communication Studies, within the School of Art, Media and American Studies at the University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich, UK. He is actively involved in research, teaching, and academic event organization, and is currently accepting PhD students. Education: PhD in Film, Television and Media, University of East Anglia MA in Documentary Practice, Brunel University London Master of Communication in Screen Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia Diploma in Leadership for Media, United Nations University, Tokyo His research focuses on Middle Eastern documentaries and TV news, with a strong emphasis on secularism, minority representation, censorship, and industrial challenges in media production. He specializes in ethnographic documentary, cinéma vérité, militant cinema, and alternative radio, contributing to broader discourse in media studies and film theory. His work explores how media shapes identity, resistance, and public discourse in politically sensitive contexts. Dr. Shami is the director of the documentary Secular | Aa'La'Ma'Ni (2024), which presents filmmaker perspectives from Lebanon, Tunisia, Jordan, and Palestine on religion, sectarianism, and censorship. His research contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the area of quality education and inclusive media representation. Scientific Awards: Vice-Governor of Jakarta Award in Relief (2008) USIM Film Award - Documentary, Kuala Lumpur (2009) University of Jordan Excellence Award in Community Service (2005) Dr. Shami has been actively involved in academic and public engagement, serving as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Political Ideologies and as a Community Radio Consultant for Japan Platform JPF. He has organized and participated in numerous events, including the International Symposium on Media and the Middle East, focusing on resistance, activism, and visual stereotypes. He also contributes to public film screenings and academic forums, such as the Al Jazeera Forum for Journalism Faculties in the Arab World. He is a member of the Research and Symposium Committee for Media and the Middle East at UEA, collaborating with scholars internationally. His work bridges academic research with practical filmmaking and community outreach, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on media, religion, and society.
Fahad Ahmad Bishara is an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia , specializing in the economic and legal history of the Indian Ocean and Islamic world . His work bridges global capitalism, international law, and historical narratives of mobility. Key Books: A Sea of Debt (Cambridge, 2017) and Monsoon Voyagers (UC Press, forthcoming) Awards: Hurst Prize, Jerry Bentley Prize, Peter Gonville Stein Book Award Research Focus: Explores debt, legal systems, and trade through microhistories of ships and merchant families, with recent interests in narrative scales and conceptualizations of law in global history. Academic Collaborations: Co-authored works with Nandini Chatterjee, Hollian Wint, and others, emphasizing Persianate and Indian Ocean interconnections. Scientific Awards: J. Willard Hurst Prize (Law and Society Association) Jerry Bentley Prize (World History Association) Peter Gonville Stein Book Award (American Society for Legal History)
Wael B. Hallaq is the Avalon Foundation Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University’s Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies. His work focuses on Islamic law, intellectual history, and the socio-political impacts of modernity. He critiques Orientalist paradigms and explores the interplay between moral theory and legal history in Islamic traditions. His research spans structural dynamics of legal change in pre-modern law, moral theory’s role in Islamic legal history, and the critique of modern state sovereignty. His influential books include *The Impossible State* (2013), which earned Columbia University Press’s Distinguished Book Award, and *Shari‘a: Theory, Practice, Transformations* (2009). Education: No explicit educational details provided in text. His writings bridge legal theory, history, and political thought, challenging Eurocentric frameworks in Islamic studies. His analyses of pre-modern legal systems and modernity’s moral dilemmas have been translated into multiple languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian. Awards: Columbia University Press Distinguished Book Award (2013–2015) No grants, labs, or advising details explicitly mentioned in the text.
Professor Eric Atwell is a Professor of Artificial Intelligence for Language at the University of Leeds' School of Computer Science, part of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. He holds additional roles as a LITE Fellow at the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (40% part-time), Turing Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute, and member of the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA) and Language at Leeds (LATL). His research focuses on AI applications in corpus linguistics, text analytics, and computational analysis of religious and medical texts, with a strong emphasis on Arabic and Islamic studies. He leads the AI4L research group and has supervised over 60 research students and fellows, many of whom have pursued careers in academia, tech, and AI-driven fields. Education: PhD in Corpus Linguistics and Language Learning (University of Leeds, 2008), BA (First Class) in Computing and Linguistics (Lancaster University, 1981) Grants: Includes EPSRC-funded projects like Natural Language Processing with Arabic and Islamic Studies (£337K, 2013-2015) and EDUBOTS chatbots for education (£94K, 2019-2022) Teaching: Leads modules in Data Mining, Text Analytics, and AI across multiple programs, including online Masters and PhDs. Known for innovative teaching approaches and student support, receiving positive feedback for engagement and course design. Research Interests: AI applied to corpus linguistics, Quranic text analysis, Arabic NLP, chatbots for education, and decolonizing curricula. Notable projects include Quranic semantic search tools, Hadith corpus analysis, and AI-driven fact-checking systems. Publications: Over 277 publications, with recent work focusing on Quranic QA systems, Arabic dialect identification, and generative AI applications in education. His research is widely cited, earning recognition from ResearchGate for high readership. Awards: Recognized for his most-read research items on ResearchGate (June 2021). Gallup StrengthsFinder highlights his top traits as Learner, Achiever, Ideation, Intellection, and Maximizer. Labs/Teams: Leads the AI4L research group and collaborates with international institutions including SUSTECH Sudan, King Saud University, and SWJT University (China). Active in research networks like LIDA and LATL.
Aydogan Kars is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at Monash University, affiliated with the Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies. His research focuses on medieval and modern Islamic mysticism, Sufi theology, and interreligious dialogue. Kars has led or co-led seven major research projects, including studies on Sufi genealogies, religious literacy, and the intersection of AI with human selfhood. He holds prestigious awards such as the Monash Faculty of Arts Dean’s Research Award (2021) and a Doctoral Fellowship from the Orient-Institut (2015). Kars actively contributes to academic governance as an editorial board member for the Journal for the Academic Study of Religion and peer reviews for journals like Religions and Journal of Islamic Ethics . His research interests span Islamic philosophy, mystical texts, and comparative theology, with notable work on apophatic theology in medieval Islam. Kars supervises PhD students and collaborates internationally on projects exploring Sufi traditions across Iran, the Ottoman Empire, and modern contexts.
Professor Alberto Rigolio is a scholar of Classics and Ancient History at Durham University, specializing in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Roman and Late Antique periods. He focuses on Syriac literature, Greco-Roman intellectual traditions, and the reception of classical texts in early Christian and Islamic contexts. Rigolio holds a D.Phil. from Oxford University and has held prestigious fellowships at Harvard, Princeton, and All Souls College, Oxford. He serves as Chair of the Board of Examiners at Durham and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. His research explores the transformation of classical dialogue forms in late antiquity, the transmission of Greek texts into Syriac and Arabic, and the cultural intersections between Greco-Roman, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Key works include Christians in Conversation (Oxford UP, 2019), which examines late antique dialogue literature, and a forthcoming book on the emergence of Syriac literature supported by British Academy and Princeton IAS fellowships. Education: BA/Milan, D.Phil./Oxford, Postdoctoral Fellowships at Harvard and Princeton Affiliations: Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Durham Rigolio's articles analyze Syriac translations of Aristotelian works, Plutarch, and Themistius, revealing how Greco-Roman thought was adapted to meet religious and cultural needs. His projects include studies on Syriac rhetoric, the Roman household in late antique conflicts, and para-biblical narratives. He supervises postdoctoral researchers and PhD students on topics ranging from Syriac literary culture to late antique religious identity. Awards: British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship (2024), All Souls College Visiting Fellowship (2024) Grants: Leverhulme Trust, British Academy, American Philosophical Society He directs research labs examining Syriac intellectual culture and co-ordinates interdisciplinary projects on late antique translation movements. Rigolio is actively involved in public outreach, offering talks on Roman religion, Palmyrene military identity, and the Graeco-Syro-Arabic textual tradition.
Mohammad T. Alhawary is Professor of Arabic Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition at the University of Michigan's Middle East Studies department within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He serves as Director of both the MA Program in Arabic for Professional Purposes (APP) and the MA Program in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language (TAFL). His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Georgetown University (1999). Prior to joining the University of Michigan, he contributed to developing Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies programs at various US institutions. Professor Alhawary's research spans both theoretical and applied Arabic linguistics, with particular focus on second language acquisition processes. His work examines how factors like age, input quality, output practice, and first language transfer affect Arabic language learning. He has made significant contributions to understanding Arabic language pedagogy, curriculum design, proficiency testing, and the application of technology in language learning. His research also extends to bilingualism, multilingualism, language impairment, and Arabic medieval grammatical traditions. His publications reflect a strong trajectory in Arabic linguistics research, with recent works focusing on practical language teaching applications, reading comprehension mechanisms, code-switching patterns in digital communication, and multilingual acquisition processes. The 2023 publication 'Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language' represents his latest contribution to language pedagogy methodology. 2019 AATA Book Award for 'Arabic Second Language Learning and Effects of Input, Transfer, and Typology' As an academic leader, Professor Alhawary serves as Executive Director of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic and edits both the Journal of Arabic Linguistics Tradition and Al-'Arabiyya journal. He continues to develop empirical research on Arabic second language acquisition to inform teaching practices both in America and globally.
Hakan Özkan is a Privatdozent and Research Associate at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Department of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Münster, where he has been working since 2007 in various capacities. He was awarded his Venia Legendi (Habilitation) in November 2019 for Arabic and Islamic Studies with his thesis 'History of Eastern Zajal – Dialectal Arabic Verse Poetry from the East of the Arab World.' His academic background includes a Franco-German doctorate completed in 2006 from Université de Provence and University of Cologne, supervised by Claude Audebert and Monika Gronke, with external reviewers including Wolfhart P. Heinrichs from Harvard University. His educational background includes: 2019: Venia Legendi for Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Münster 2002-2006: Franco-German Doctorate in Arabic Studies and Narratology (Université de Provence and University of Cologne) 1995-2000: Master of Arts in Islamic Studies, Oriental Languages and Literatures (University of Cologne) 2000-2001: Course program in Modern Standard Arabic and Syrian-Lebanese dialect at Institut Français d'Etudes Arabes de Damas Özkan's research focuses on premodern Arabic dialect poetry, particularly zajal and muwashshaḥ forms, narratology, prosimeter literature, socio-literary history, and diachronic dialectology. His interdisciplinary approach bridges linguistic analysis with literary criticism, examining how dialectal forms evolved within Arabic literary traditions across different historical periods and geographical regions. He has conducted extensive field research in Arab countries including Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco, with particular emphasis on the historical development of poetic forms from the Mamluk through Ottoman periods. His publication history demonstrates consistent scholarly contributions to Arabic literary studies, with his 2020 monograph 'History of Eastern Zajal' representing a landmark study in the field. His recent work has expanded to include analyses of religious poetry praising the Prophet Muhammad in zajal form, wine poetry in Arabic literary traditions, and the integration of dialects into Arabic language teaching methodologies. His scholarly output spans monographs, critical editions, encyclopedia entries, journal articles, and book chapters across multiple languages including German, English, French, and Turkish. Among his academic recognitions: 2018: Second place on shortlist for W2 Professorship for Arabic Language and Translation Science, University of Leipzig 2008: Offered Junior Professorship at American University in Cairo (declined) 2007: Second place on shortlist for maître de conférence position at University of Nancy 2007: Official Qualification from National University Council (CNU) for positions as maître de conférence at French universities Özkan has served on numerous academic committees, including appointment committees for professorships in Sinology and Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Münster. He has been a juror for the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding in Doha and has served on the steering committee for the 'Translation for Dialogue' program of the Anna Lindh Foundation. His editorial work includes reviewing for Mamluk Studies Review, Die Welt des Islams, and Middle Eastern Literatures since 2012. His scholarly activities extend to linguistic fieldwork on Pontic Greek dialects in Turkey and organizing significant academic conferences including 'The Race Course of Literature – An-Nawāǧī and His Contemporaries' in 2018 at the University of Münster. His multilingual capabilities (Arabic, Turkish, German, French, English, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and knowledge of Modern Greek) enable his comparative work across multiple linguistic and cultural traditions in the Mediterranean region.
Nizar F. Hermes serves as Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies at the University of Virginia, concurrently holding the position of Director of Graduate Studies. His office is located in 141 New Cabell Hall, with Spring 2025 office hours held Tuesdays from 12:00-3:00 PM. He maintains dual professional email contacts through the university system. His academic foundation includes: PhD in Comparative Literature, University of Toronto Dr. Hermes' research program centers on North African and Mediterranean literary traditions, with deep specialization in premodern Arabic-Islamic cultural production. His work investigates poetic representations of urban spaces, cross-cultural encounters between the Islamic world and Europe, and the transmission of literary heritage across the Mediterranean. Particular attention is given to Maghribī poetic imagination, elegiac traditions, and the intersection of literature with food history and refugee experiences. His methodological approach combines close textual analysis with historical contextualization to reveal continuities in Arab literary consciousness. Analysis of his recent publications (2014-2025) reveals three dominant scholarly trajectories: 1) The literary reconstruction of North African cities through poetic elegies, 2) Cross-cultural encounters documented in Arabic travel literature and folk poetry, and 3) The representation of European 'others' in medieval Arabic texts. His 2024 monograph 'Of Lost Cities' synthesizes these threads while his edited volume 'The City in Arabic Literature' (2018) establishes foundational frameworks for urban studies in Arabic literary criticism. No scientific awards or fellowships were documented in the source materials. While his role as Director of Graduate Studies indicates active mentorship responsibilities, specific student advisees and grant funding details were not provided in the available documentation. His scholarly output demonstrates sustained engagement with graduate education through publications on teaching methodologies for Arabic humanistic literature. No dedicated research laboratories or formal collaborative teams were referenced, though his co-edited volumes and multi-author publications suggest active participation in scholarly communities focused on Mediterranean studies and comparative literature.
