GU-Q highlights student research on Indian Ocean

Doha, Qatar: Highlighting its dedication to mentoring undergraduate researchers, Georgetown University in Qatar (GU Q) hosted a unique research confer...

Doha, Qatar: Highlighting its dedication to mentoring undergraduate researchers, Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) hosted a unique research conference for its first Indian Ocean Fellows, an initiative of the Sonneborn Interdisciplinary Collaboration Chair.

The Fellows - students and alumni from Georgetown campuses in Doha and Washington, DC - presented their cross-disciplinary projects related to the Indian Ocean region under the theme “Movement and Stasis.”

The Sonneborn Chair was recently awarded to Rogaia Abusharaf, GU-Q Professor of Anthropology, with her collaborators, Professors Anaya Chakravarti and Cóilín Parsons, from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The chair, which seeks to advance collaborative and innovative work in interdisciplinary research and mentored student learning, provides funding and support to advance their research and support student engagement as part of the Indian Ocean Working Group (IOWG).

In remarks at the conference, Dean Safwan Masri highlighted the strategic importance of this initiative: “From the moment I arrived here as Dean, one of my top priorities has been to bring the two campuses closer to one another, broadly speaking, and specifically in terms of faculty and students… so I wanted to welcome you and say how important it is that you’re here.”

Dr. Abusharaf added: “I am delighted to witness our first Indian Ocean Fellows sharing their insights on this dynamic part of the world. Home to over half the world’s population, it is a region of immense significance, and, through the Sonneborn Chair, we have the opportunity to develop a new generation of voices to help us better understand its history and future.”