AUC Welcomes 42 New Faculty Members
The American University in Cairo (AUC) welcomed a new cohort of 42 faculty members this fall. From 13 different countries, these new faculty members bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and research expertise to campus. “This fall, we have welcomed exceptional faculty members from diverse backgrounds, who will play an important role in fulfilling AUC’s mission of academic excellence,” said AUC Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman.
While some faculty members are experiencing Egypt for the first time, having moved from their homes in Germany, South Korea and more, other members are turning to their alma mater.
With over 27 years of experience in business administration, Noah Farhadi, professor of practice in finance in the Management Department and CIB Endowed Chair, is excited to continue his academic research on strategic finance, mergers and acquisitions and business ecosystems while teaching at the AUC. Farhadi holds a Doctor of Business Administration from Henley Business School, University of Reading in the United Kingdom, and MBA degrees from Henley Business School and Frankfurt School of Finance and Management in Germany. “I think to be a good professor, you need good students,” Farhadi explained. “The students at AUC are motivated, focused and engaged. So I made my choice to move here because it's a great platform for growth,” Farhadi added.
Guided by his academic background in philosophy and film, Rodrigo Gratacós Brum, associate professor of practice in the Department of the Arts, is a talented filmmaker and teacher who joined AUC because of its growing film program. Brum said: “I saw it as an opportunity to have an impact in the area, helping to develop a program that is already very strong.” Brum holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, in Film, Video, New Media, and Animation and an MA from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Philosophy.
After studying in Australia and teaching in South Korea, Sanghyeok Lee, assistant professor in the Department of Economics, is ready for new academic adventures in Cairo. Lee holds a PhD in economics from the Australian National University, and an MA in economics and a BA in business administration from Korea University. Lee studies micro-econometric theory, which includes event history and duration analysis, machine learning and treatment effect analysis. “I am excited to have the opportunity to develop my knowledge and skills in a new place, and hopefully to be able to contribute to the local community as well,” Lee said.
As an architecture alumna from AUC, Mariam Abdelazim, assistant professor in the Department of Architecture, is looking forward to the opportunity to give back to her alma mater. Mariam holds a PhD in Urban Environment from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, an M Sc in Architecture from the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B Sc in Architectural Engineering from AUC. In her research, she utilizes behavioral science to explore how people interact with public spaces. As a professor, she is excited to bring innovative teaching methods to her classroom.
“The attention span of students is different than before, so I always rely on interactive methods of teaching,” she explained. “I ask them to make TikTok videos on a building, or Instagram posts, or we play Jeopardy and do competitions, to get them interested through the type of media they are familiar with.”Through the next year, Abdelazim looks forward to cultivating a learning community where students can learn from each other and she can learn from them.