Dr. Kristen Brustad, Chair
306 Inner Campus Drive F9400, Austin, TX 78712-1029 • 512-471-3881
Graduate Student Profiles
Javad Abedifirouzjaie
Graduate student
javadabedi@utexas.edu | FAC 27
Interests
Applied Linguistics, Language Pedagogy, Literature, and HistoryDena Afrasiabi
Graduate student
dena_afrasiabi@yahoo.com | FAC 27
Education
Ph.D. in Persian Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Second Language Acquisition, Teaching Persian as a Second LanguageAhmad Aminpour
Graduate student
Education
PhD, The University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Kurdish and Persian fiction; modern political and intellectual history of Iran and IraqKristine Anderson
Graduate student
Interests
Arabic Sociolinguistics, Modern Arabic Literature, Arab Media and Popular CultureTimothy Arnold
Graduate student
Education
Bachelor of Arts in History, Yale University
Interests
New Media, Digital Preservation, Online Para-Communities, Contemporary Social and Cultural History, Social Movements, Sexuality, HIV/AIDS, GenderValerie Atwood
Graduate student
Interests
20th century history, International business and DiplomacyBeeta Baghoolizadeh
Graduate student
Education
BA in International Development and Iranian Studies, University of California, Los Angeles. MA in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin.Lauren Baker
Graduate Student
lmariebaker@gmail.com | FAC 27
Interests
civil society, water and environmental issues, the interaction between state and sub-state actors, aid and developmentSarah Baker
Graduate student
slbaker@utexas.edu | FAC 27
Education
B.A. in Biblical Studies and English Language and Literature, Gordon College. M.A. in The Bible and Its World, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible/Ancient Near East, The University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Biblical Hebrew, comparative Semitics, linguistics, language pedagogyKirsten Beck
Graduate student
Education
Ph.D. in Arabic Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Arabic Literature (Modern and Classical), Mental Health IssuesWilliam Bibee
Graduate student
Education
Ph.D., BA in Plan2, Classics and Linguistics, UT Austin. Ph.D in Biblical Hebrew at UT Austin.
Interests
Aegean Bronze Age scripts, historical linguistics, religion in the ancient world (specifically, incense ritual), writing systems, cultural contact in the Bronze AgeAndrey Bredstein
Graduate student
bredstein@utexas.edu | (512) 758-1818
Education
Ph.D., University of Texas at AustinDaryl Carr
Graduate student
Education
MA- Middle Eastern Studies, UT-Austin
Interests
Nationalism, Citizenship, Political Mobilization, Identity, Ideology, Minorities, and the LevantHope Collins
Graduate student
Interests
Middle Eastern Politics, Revolution and Revolutionary Change, Egypt, Political IslamJamila Davey
Graduate student
jamilanur@hotmail.com | 505-463-5386
Education
M.A in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas
Interests
modern Arabic literature, Islamic studies, gender studies, Islamic identityEmilie Durand-Zuniga
Ph.D. Student / Assistant Instructor
emiliezuniga@utexas.edu | 232-9432 (general) | FAC 27
Education
Ph.D. in Arabic Linguistics, UT-Austin
Interests
Sociophonetics, sociolinguistics, dialectology, pedagogyAnthony Edwards
Ph.D. Student / Assistant Instructor
anthonye@mail.utexas.edu | FAC 27
Interests
the Arab Majma's (academies), the Arab Nahdah, Arabic dialects, TAFL, and classical Arabic grammar and lexicographyMahyar Entezari
PhD Student & Assistant Instructor
entezari@utexas.edu | FAC 27
Education
BA in German Studies, University of California, San Diego — MA in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin — PhD in Middle Eastern Languages & Cultures, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Iranian Studies, Language Pedagogy, Persian StudiesMichael Fares
Michael Fares
mjfares@gmail.com | FAC 27
Education
MA, The University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language, Medieval Arabic and Islamic Philosophy, Sufism, Arabic Grammar,Laura Fish
Graduate student
laurafish6@gmail.com | FAC 27
Education
BA in Near Eastern Studies, Cornell University, MA in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Language use in Arabic and Persian filmsAngela Giordani
Graduate student
angela.m.giordani@gmail.com | FAC 27
Education
BA, University of Texas
Interests
modern Arab intellectual history and literature, especially of the 1970s and beyondShehnaz Haqqani
Graduate student
Education
BA, Emory University
Interests
Gender relations in Islamic Law, Virtual Identities, Pashtun/Afghan Ntionalism, Islamic hermeneutics, Religious Authority and Muslim TelevangelismDaryl Harris
Graduate student
Education
Master's of Arts in Arabic Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
The social constructs of race, gender, class, and how they are utilized in creating hierarchies. Environmentalism and Political Activism, Vocal music, Arab Balladeers, Spiritual Music Mysticism, and YogaStephanye Hunter
Graduate student
Education
M.A. Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas Austin
Interests
Israeli and Palestinian Literature; Migration; Memory and Archive; Postcolonial Studies; Gender StudiesKelsey Jukam
Graduate student
Education
Dual Degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin
Interests
human rights, refugee issues, women in the media and politicsAlan Kauffman
Graduate Student/Teaching Assistant
Education
M.A. in Arabic Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language, Curriculum and Coursework designKaley Keener
Graduate student
kaleytks@gmail.com | FAC 27
Education
Masters, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Arabic literature, literature of the medieval mediterranean, Arab women writers; pedagogyBenjamin Koerber
Graduate student
Education
Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Arabic literature (contemporary and classical), cultural studiesThomas Leddy-Cecere
Graduate student
thomas.a.leddycecere@gmail.com | (802) 356-0197
Interests
Sociolinguistics, dialectology, historical linguistics, language contact, pidgin and creole languages; Arabic, North American EnglishRachel Leonard
Graduate student
Education
MA in Middle Eastern Studies, The University of Texas at AustinRachel Levine
Graduate student
Interests
Sacred and secular, memory, intertextuality, folklore and Midrash, translation studies, literature and linguistics in Hebrew and Arabic and German-Jewish literaturesAlexander Magidow
Graduate student
Education
Ph.D., University of Texas - Austin
Interests
Arabic linguistics, historical linguistics, differential case marking, representations of non-standard dialects in the mediaKyle McNew
Graduate student
Education
Middle Eastern Studies, UT Austin
Interests
Arabic, economic development, globalizationMichael Mendoza
Graduate student
Education
MA '13, plans to continue onto PhD, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
20th & 21st cent. Arab literature, Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language, teaching dialects, Arab popular media, Arab news media, Arab societies and civilizations, dialect lexicographyAllison Minor
Graduate student
Interests
Civil society, participative and community-based development, decentralization/regionalization, rural developmentDrew Paul
Graduate student
Education
Ph.D. in Arabic Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Arabic literature, Palestinian literature and film, Hebrew literature, Arabic pedagogyAnthony Raschke
Graduate student
Education
M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies, UT Austin: Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Interests
Modern Islam in cosmopolitan settings; Islam in American society and discourse. Counterculture and minority rights in the Middle East.Robin Richards
Graduate student
Education
B.A. in Religious Studies with Honors, Rice University
Interests
The Modern Arab World, Political Islam, the contemporary Muslim BrotherhoodAmy Schweiss
Graduate Student
amy.schweiss@gmail.com | +1 512 495 4322 | PCL 3.200
Education
BA in Political Science & Religion, Univ. of Florida ; MA in Middle Eastern Studies, Univ. of Texas at Austin
Interests
Islamic funerary practices; Ritual and identity; Nationalism; Political Islam; Religion and social movementsJung Min Seo
Ph.D. Student & Assistant Instructor
jungmin@mail.utexas.edu | 232-9432 (general) | FAC 27
Education
B.A. in Arabic & M.A. in Arabic Linguistics, Hankuk Univ. of Foreign Studies (Seoul, South Korea); M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies, Columbia Univ. in the City of New York; Ph.D. in Arabic Studies, UT Austin
Interests
Arabic Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Dialectology, Teaching Arabic as a Foreign LanguageLuke Steidl
Graduate student
lukesteidl@gmail.com | 330-635-8848
Interests
Contemporary Turkish PoliticsCorinne Stokes
Graduate student
corinne.stokes@gmail.com | FAC 27
Education
M.A. in Arabic Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Interests
teaching Arabic as a foreign language, Arabic linguistics and culture, language in song and film, performance and verbal art, musicology, Persian languageJessica Tibbets
Graduate student
Education
MA in Middle Eastern Studies and Master of Global Policy Studies, Center of Middle Eastern Studies and LBJ School of Public Affairs
Interests
U.S. Foreign Policy toward the Middle EastMichael Turner
Graduate student
Interests
Arabic Dialectology, the Maghreb, Amazigh (Berber) Languages, Language ContactJohn Weinert
Graduate student
johno.weinert@gmail.com | (585) 419-5319 | FAC 27
Education
M.A., The University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language, Media Arabic, Arabic dialectologyAren Wilson-Wright
Graduate student
Interests
Religions of Ancient Israel, Semitic Languages and Linguistics, Contact Linguistics, Cross-Cultural ContactPhilip Zhakevich
Assistant Instructor
pzhakevich@gmail.com | FAC 27
Education
Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
Interests
Hebrew Bible, Hebrew Language, Comparative Semitics, LinguisticsAnna Ziajka
Graduate student
Education
M.A. The University of Texas at Austin (expected 2013), B.A. Georgetown University (2007)
