Coming from abroad or returning to their alma mater, AUC welcomed a new cohort of around 40 faculty members this fall.
While some 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. News@AUC interviewed five members of this diverse cohort on their research, their decision to join AUC, and what they are looking forward to this year.
Shaimaa El Sherif
Instilling moral values such as acceptance and respect into her students is a key part of Shaimaa El Sherif’s, instructor in the Department of Rhetoric and Compositions, goals at AUC and her research in global citizenship education. She is currently working on two research projects, one on transformative learning and teaching and another on enhancing students’ 21st century skills.
“I found out that there is no better educational institution in Egypt other than AUC to practice teaching and researching,” El Sherif states. “Honestly, I also owe AUC much of what I've learned academically and professionally throughout the past 10 years… I felt like it’s time to give back through teaching.”
El Sherif is excited to spend the year connecting with her students and helping them to become more well rounded through different teaching strategies in addition to working on her two research projects.
Rodrigo Gratacós Brum
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.
“I saw it as an opportunity to have an impact in the area, helping to develop a program that is already very strong,” Brum explains.
Brum is looking forward to getting to know his students better and learning how he can help them develop projects based on their own experiences and interests.
Sanghyeok Lee
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 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 states.
For the next year, Lee is most excited about the learning opportunities. After teaching in Korea and studying in Australia, New Cairo presents a novel experience for him to explore as an instructor and an academic.
Mariam Abdelazim
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. 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 explains. “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.
Noah Farhadi
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.
“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.”
In the next year, Farhadi is excited to experience Egyptian culture, connect with his students and contribute to the community.
Launching for the first time in early 2023, AUC’s Piece of Mind festival aims to normalize conversations about mental health by featuring scripts written by members of the AUC community on mental health and well-being.
The festival will be accepting English and Arabic submissions from students, alumni, faculty and staff until October 15.
“Despite global efforts to raise more awareness about the importance of mental health and to destigmatize it, Egyptian society still has a way to go,” says Nadine Abdel Razek ‘20, festival artistic director. “We wanted to use theatre, as the powerful tool that it is, in creating change and starting conversations about this vital topic.”
Piece of Mind will showcase realistic,10-minute plays about mental health and community. Ahead of the festival, Abdel Razek and their team will select seven to nine scripts from the AUC community’s submissions to develop, after which three to five will be offered a place in the festival. Each script will be assigned a director, and a casting call for actors will follow. AUC community members are encouraged to audition.
The festival was created and is overseen by Jillian Campana, professor and associate dean for Undergraduate Studies and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. “When I initiated this community project I wanted to promote the idea that mental health is an issue for all of us,” she said. “Needing to talk about it, or wanting help is nothing to be ashamed of; rather seeking help when we need it is part of our total wellness."
The production will take place at AUC early February 2023 and will provide an opportunity for its creators and the audience to start conversations, connect with one another and see the ability of theatre to guide social change and acceptance.
“We want these plays to show people that they are never alone in whatever they’re going through, that whatever they may be experiencing and/or struggling with is valid,” Abdel Razek explains. “We hope that this festival can help normalize this often taboo topic and help destigmatize it, allowing people to talk more openly about mental health struggles.”
The same year she was appointed director of the mental health unit at Palestine’s Ministry of Health, Samah Jabr took part in the Leadership in Mental Health, Eastern Mediterranean Region (LMH) training program at AUC.
Years later, Jabr reflects on what the course enabled her to do.
“In Palestine, we developed a National suicide prevention strategy, a national mental health response to COVID-19 and a final draft of a Mental Health Act. We’ve also been expanding the integration of mental health in primary health care,” she said.
Kate Ellis, assistant professor at AUC’s Department of Psychology, has been coordinating the LMH program for nearly a decade, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). The program aims to empower mental health professionals in the Eastern Mediterranean region as effective trainers and leaders in their communities.
“This course is the only one of its kind in our region and brings together those already in leadership roles, as well as, those aspiring to become leaders,” Ellis said.
Whether it be stress, anxiety, depression or something else, mental health remains a pressing challenge around the world, with the WHO reporting in 2019 that one in eight people lives with a mental disorder.
Unfortunately, it is also a majorly overlooked and neglected area of healthcare worldwide. This especially rings true in the course’s target region, where lack of awareness, limited access to mental health services and stigma all contribute to a decrease in treatment.
Ellis’ intensive, ten-day course connects participants with global experts in the field and facilitates discussion among attendees. From essential leadership skills and mental health policy to increasing access and improving overall care, the course trains participants on taking a holistic approach to mental health challenges.
In order to stay relevant to the region’s needs, Ellis uses a process of circular evaluation developed by Carie Forden, professor and chair of AUC’s Department of Psychology. “Our participants steer the course’s direction and we pride ourselves on hearing their needs, Ellis said.
“In 2022, we focused on responding to the increasing numbers of suicide within the region and how to tackle the localized issues of stigma, bringing faculty from Tunisia, Libya and Lebanon to share how their countries have successfully introduced anti-stigma and suicide prevention campaigns.”
Describing the course as a gift, Jabr added that after taking it, she has advanced mental health policy and legislation and advocated for the development of community-based services in the West Bank and Gaza, pushing mental health as a top priority.
“The course was exactly what I needed as I started my work,” she said. “I am so grateful for this opportunity.”
This year’s cohort included representatives from Somalia’s ministry of health, Save the Children Ethiopia and UNICEF Libya, to name a few. Past participants have come from as far as Mali in the West and Iran in the East.
Another 2016 LMH alumna is Hala Al Maghari, who works for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Following the course, she began integrating mental health services into an existing primary health care center in Gaza.
“After one year, UNRWA headquarters in Amman decided to expand the program to all of the 22 primary healthcare centers in Gaza, as well as others in the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon,” she said. “Now, here in Gaza, we have a well-integrated mental health program within the UNRWA Health Programme.”
In addition to the course, Ellis has created a vast network of program alumni hailing from 17 countries, through which past attendees can communicate with and support each other.
“Mental health is not only stigmatized for service users, in our region, mental health professionals also face isolation, stigma, low salaries and little training and development opportunities,” Ellis said. “This network is an invaluable resource and continues to grow, providing a much-needed platform for the mental health leadership community.”
Ellis has also carried out a longitudinal evaluation of the program where she interviewed alumni from the first two cohorts and tracked their journeys since course completion.
Wanting to share past success stories with this year’s cohort, Ellis invited three alumni — including Al Maghari and Jabr — to AUC this summer.
Joining the other alumni was Randa Shinkada, a primary health care health adviser for the Libyan-German Health Project. Despite taking the course just one year ago, she has since hit the ground running.
“Starting from scratch, I initiated a project to implement basic mental health training in Libya,” she said. “This includes psychological first aid training and raising awareness throughout different municipalities.”
“This professional training was essential for enhancing my effectiveness in the field,” she recalled. “I gained confidence, knowledge and self-assessment skills, as well as the ability to define and achieve goals.”
Ellis feels privileged to be involved in this effort when she hears the stories of past alumni. “[The stories] highlight that actually, a few determined individuals with the right support can [enact] remarkable change despite challenging situations.”
This November, for the first time, the program's reach will go beyond the Mediterranean and into Pakistan and South Asia thanks to a collaboration between Ellis and Dr. Zafar Mirza, the former minister of health in Pakistan.
