BIO

Zainab Abdali is a scholar and public humanities professional who specializes in place-based and community-oriented programming. As the Postdoctoral Associate for Asian Studies Leadership & Engagement, Zainab will support the Center’s existing programs and develop new programming that advances Asian and Asian American Studies in Texas and nationally through cultural events, reading groups, symposia, keynote lectures, and other collaborative events. Zainab previously served for five years as a co-founder and key organizing member for the Rice Asian Diasporic and Asian American Research Collective (RADAAR), a student-run program of the Chao Center that organizes innovative educational, cultural, and advocacy events across Texas through strong partnerships with local organizations and other Texas institutions such as UT Austin and Texas A&M University.

Zainab holds a PhD in English with a certificate in the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality from Rice University, and her research focuses on contemporary South Asian and Arab art and literature.