Northwestern University in Qatar has announced the appointment of eight new faculty, further enriching its world-class academic offerings. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise that will enhance the university's programs in communication, journalism, liberal arts, and media.
"These distinguished faculty members bring diverse expertise and groundbreaking research to our campus, reflecting our commitment to academic excellence and innovation. Their presence will not only elevate our programs but also inspire our students to think critically and creatively about the global challenges we face today," said Marwan M. Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern University in Qatar.
Among the new faculty is Greg Burris, an accomplished scholar who comes to Northwestern Qatar from the American University in Beirut. He is known for his extensive research at the intersection of cinema, race, and emancipatory politics and is the author of The Palestinian Idea: Film, Media, and the Radical Imagination (Temple University Press, 2019). As an associate professor in residence of visual communication, his teaching and research focuses on exploring global and critical perspectives in media.
Yasemin Celikkol, formerly a postdoctoral scholar with the Institute for Advanced Study in the Global South at Northwestern Qatar, has been appointed assistant professor in residence, specializing in global communication, at the nexus of communication, culture, and geopolitics. With a dual appointment in both the Communication and Liberal Arts Programs, her courses and research focus on understanding cultural dynamics in a globalized world. She received her PhD in communication from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.
Marc Owen Jones joins as an associate professor in residence of media analytics from Hamad Bin Khalifa University. A recognized expert on the geopolitical impact of digital media, his research focuses on digital authoritarianism and disinformation in the Middle East. He earned his PhD in government and international affairs from Durham University and has authored two books, Political Repression in Bahrain (Cambridge University Press, 2020) and Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Deception, Disinformation, and Social Media (Hurst, 2022).
“These distinguished faculty members bring diverse expertise and groundbreaking research to our campus, reflecting our commitment to academic excellence and innovation. Their presence will not only elevate our programs but also inspire our students to think critically and creatively about the global challenges we face today.”
Nattaporn Luangpipat arrives as an assistant professor in residence in writing studies in the Liberal Arts Program. With a PhD in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Luangpipat’s research on intergenerational literacies and composition pedagogy will contribute to the university’s strong focus on writing and communication skills.
Visiting associate professor in residence of media law and journalism ethics, William Youmans, joins from George Washington University. With a focus on transnational media and global news, and media law and ethics, he is the author of An Unlikely Audience: Al Jazeera’s Struggle in America (Oxford University Press, 2017). Youmans obtained his BA and PhD from the University of Michigan. He also holds a JD from the University of California, Berkeley.
Wajdi Zaghouani joins Northwestern Qatar as an associate professor in residence of media analytics in the Communication Program from Hamad Bin Khalifa University. He holds a PhD in natural language processing from the University of Paris Nanterre and brings extensive experience in artificial intelligence and computational linguistics, particularly in Arabic data analytics and social media.
Dahlia El-Zein, who recently received her PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania, has been appointed as an assistant professor in residence in the Liberal Arts Program. Her scholarship and teaching focus on Middle East and North African history, with particular attention to articulations of race in these contexts.
Northwestern Qatar alum and former Al Jazeera English journalist Shakeeb Asrar returns to his alma mater as an assistant professor in residence of production. An expert in interactive and multimedia storytelling, his work focuses on digital journalism and documentary filmmaking. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University in Qatar and a master’s degree in documentary filmmaking from Columbia University.
In welcoming the new faculty, Zachary Wright, associate dean for faculty affairs, said, "The addition of these exceptional scholars significantly broadens the breadth and depth of our academic programs. Their expertise in areas such as media analytics, global history, and digital storytelling will further elevate Northwestern Qatar's teaching and research profile, ensuring that our students are at the forefront of innovative and impactful scholarship."
