I am interested in political psychology and how cognition affects foreign policy in South Asia. I am looking to develop a project within these interests.

Previously, I have worked in centers research education psychology and policy. I have particularly worked on a project analyzing the psychological effects of rhetoric education in secondary school curriculum.  

Outside of UScholars, I am involved in Penn Democrats (got to meet Kamala Harris, John Legend, many other cool people through advocacy work!) and the International Affairs Association. I also work at the Netter Center for Community Partnership's High School Voter Project as a school site coordinator. I love to sing, and I am trained in South Indian classical music--I'm looking forward to getting involved with some music groups on campus as well.

I am a Syrian-American student at the University of Pennsylvania studying International Relations. As a University Scholar, I hope to focus my research on migration policy, border externalization, and human rights in the European Union and its effects on the MENA region. I’ve participated in Penn’s Global Seminar (PGS) in Sofia, Bulgaria where I met with members of Parliament and Bulgaria's President, exploring how EU membership has shaped national migration strategies. Additionally, I will be participating in the Lex Fellowship in Genoa, Italy, to further my knowledge in international law through mock cases and law firm visits.

Beyond my research, I’m deeply engaged in campus life; I serve as the Engagement Co-Chair for Penn Traditions, helping foster school spirit and alumni relations. I’m also the Finance Chair for the Middle Eastern and North African Pre-Law Society (MENAPLS), where I support pre-law programming for underrepresented communities. Additionally, I’m interning with the Office of New Student Orientation and Academic Initiatives, working to support incoming first-year students. Through these experiences, I hope to pursue a career in international law and diplomacy, with a focus on centering marginalized voices in policymaking.

• LEDA Career Fellowship
• Lex Fellowship
• HIFF Scholar

My research is broadly within the field of religious studies, but it has taken a few specific applications. I have assisted Dr. Talya Fishman in examining medieval Jewish works from Andalusian Spain, such as Judah Halevi’s Kuzari and selected poems of Solomon Ibn Gabirol. With the support of University Scholars and Dr. Fishman as my research mentor, I conducted an independent study that analyzed Benedict Spinoza’s Theological-Political Treatise and his thoughts on Moses, Jesus, and national religion. I am continuing to work on this project through the school year by looking closer at other notable figures in the early modern period who influenced Spinoza’s thought. All of my research has drawn on my interest in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, which I hope to research more in depth in the future. Outside of my research, I have various hobbies that I enjoy, such as running, reading, and playing piano.

• PMG Group Leader
• Research Assistant to Dr. Talya Fishman, Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures

My research interests include the fields of anthropology, sociology, neuroscience, psychology, and legal studies. Generally, I am interested in exploring why humans act the way that we do, on both the macro and micro levels. Anthropology and sociology allow me to look at the big picture, at cultural and societal forces that shape our thinking and behavior, while neuroscience and psychology allow me to do the same at an individual, biological basis. I am interested in conducting research that blends all of these areas, in addition to separately exploring the rule of law. In the past, I have worked on research papers centered on the neuroscience of addiction, developmental psychology, cross-cultural emotion expression, and literary theory. Outside of UScholars, I am a part of the Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn Moot Court, the Penn Review, and the Penn Undergraduate Law Journal.

I am currently interested in researching the political history of East and Southeast Asia, especially after the 1911 revolution that led to the establishment of the Republic of China. In particular, I am intrigued by the historical development of language policy in the Greater China region and its effects on governments’ political power and ethnic minority regions. To support my research goals, I studied Mandarin Chinese through the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth and through the Intensive Chinese course sequence at Penn. 

With the support of the University Scholars Program and the mentorship of Dr. Chih-Jen Lee, I will be undertaking further Chinese language study during the summer of 2025 through the Princeton in Beijing program. During my summer in China, I aim to develop more advanced language fluency in preparation for historical research. In addition to my research interests and language studies, I help foster alumni engagement as a Penn Traditions Philanthropy Committee member and advocate for the work of the United Nations as a Freshman Representative for Penn’s United Nations Association of the U.S.A. (UNA-USA) chapter.

My research interests center on the Middle East and peace processes. While I am still narrowing my focus, I was inspired by my mentor, Professor Brendan O’Leary, whose extensive work on the Irish and Kurdish peace processes shaped my interest. I hope to explore how lessons from the Good Friday Agreement can be applied to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza and Yemen.

Outside of the University Scholars Program, I am a research assistant at the Annenberg School for Communication and the Schweitzer Lab, and I previously worked with the PDRI-DevLab.

In addition to my academic work, I am involved with Wharton Undergraduate Public Policy, The Daily Pennsylvanian, and the Undergraduate Assembly. I also serve as a Residential Advisor at Kings Court English College House.

• SNF Paideia Fellow
• RealArts Scholarship Recipient
• Asian Pacific American Leadership Initiative
• Intercultural Leadership Fellow

My research interests primarily involve psychoanalysis, gender, and memory, which I synthesize with creative writing. Currently, I’m working on a short story collection in conversation with these themes, as well as class. For the upcoming year with University Scholars, I intend to support the project’s new stories, by researching thought processes and bodily disalienation. Previously, I’ve conducted a study on the effect of humor on learning and student engagement. In my free time, I enjoy coaching Speech for the Bronx High School of Science, producing theatre on campus, and acting as a cast member and Co-Head Writer of Mask and Wig, a musical sketch comedy group.

My research interests focus on the political implication of storytelling. I study English with a Concentration in Critical Theory and Political Science with a Concentration in Political Theory. Currently, I am working on an independent research project on literary interpretation in sedition trials of the British Raj. I am also assisting Professor Batten on their monograph on medieval masculinities. I am a 2025-26 Andrea Mitchell Fellow, and I am a research assistant at the Center for Advanced Study of India. This summer, I am a Dow Jones News Fund Intern at Chalkbeat. On campus, I work at the Marks Writing Center as a Penn Writing Fellow. I am the Editor in Chief of Penn's arts and culture magazine, 34th Street. 

Last summer I conducted field research on the literary market of College Street in Kolkata, India is funded by the Center for Advanced Study of India, Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, Penn South Asian Center, and Vitale Digital Media Lab. My previous work experience includes interning as a Fox Fellow at CHILD USA as well as teaching poetry at Writers in the Schools. I have previously worked as a research assistant for the Computational Social Science Lab Penn Media Accountability Project and at Penn Digital Humanities Lab on Dr. Brent Cebul's project regarding mortgage equity distribution post World War II. In 2023, I received the Universe in Verse prize from the Kelly Writers House to research visually representing spoken word poetry through linguistic analysis. My writing can be found in The New York Times, Dirt Media, Teen Vogue, Philadelphia Obituary Project, Chalkbeat, and the Philadelphia Citizen.

• Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting Fellow
• 2025-2026 Andrea Mitchell Fellow
• Stallybrass Prize Winner