Scholars Specializing in the Social Sciences Join Georgetown 

In support of the mission to provide a world class education and advance knowledge and understanding locally and globally, five new faculty members are joining QF partner Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) this academic year. The newest members join GU-Q from leading institutions around the world, and will conduct research and teach courses in topics in the fields of regional studies, history, political science, and economics.

“It is with great pleasure that I welcome the newest faculty members to our community,” said Dr. Ahmad Dallal, the Dean at GU-Q. “These outstanding teacher-scholars bring with them a wealth of knowledge in a range of disciplines. Their work will contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration in research, and will help students appreciate the crucial role of the humanities and social sciences in addressing the challenges the world is facing today, and tomorrow.”

Assistant Professor of Economics Dr. Santiago Garcia-Couto, who received his Ph.D. from Arizona State University in the U.S., is excited by the return to in-person teaching, but notes that the semester’s initial virtual lectures in his introductory course on microeconomics have been a resounding success. “Even on Zoom, my students are so motivated, always pushing to really understand the principles we are studying. Sometimes I’m unable to move onto the next lesson because they have so many interesting questions. That is a great problem for a professor to have.”

The new faculty will also continue their research projects at GU-Q, and Dr. Garcia-Couto already has plans to present his research on labor market polarization at the upcoming 2021 Annual Meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA) and the Latin American Meeting of the Econometric Society (LAMES). 

Visiting Professor Dr. Leonard Williams received his Ph.D. from Ohio State University and joined GU-Q from Manchester University in Indiana, U.S., where he held the positions of Dean Emeritus of the College of Education & Social Sciences and Professor Emeritus of Political Science. 

Widely published, his research focuses on political ideologies, particularly anarchism, and he’s currently co-writing a book on how hybrid political ideologies form, operate, and develop. After 30 years of teaching in the U.S. he looks forward to the new experience of teaching three courses in political theory and U.S. politics to students with their own unique worldviews.

“I’ve really enjoyed teaching so far. My students are extraordinarily able, competent, inquisitive, and challenging. And it has been a great experience to engage in these open and critical discussions with my students here in Doha, away from the polarization that these topics can sometimes generate back home, due to the current political climate.”

Also in the cohort of new faculty are Visiting Assistant Professor Dr. Nadya Sbaiti, who specializes in the social and cultural histories of the modern Middle East, Assistant Professor Dr. Lynda Iroulo, whose research interests include policy-focused research and theory building based on African case studies, regional institutions, African regional integration and Africa in global politics, and Assistant Professor Dr. Emmanouil Chatzikonstantinou, whose research interests include international finance, international trade, and macroeconomics. 

Beyond teaching, the new professors will be working to engage undergraduate participation in their research efforts to provide students with critical soft skills and to promote the research landscape in Qatar.

Established in 1789 in Washington, DC, Georgetown University is one of the world’s leading academic and research institutions. Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), founded in 2005 in partnership with Qatar Foundation, builds upon the world-class reputation of the University through education, research, and service. Inspired by the University’s mission of promoting intellectual, ethical, and spiritual understanding, GU-Q aims to advance knowledge and provide students and the community with a holistic educational experience that produces global citizens committed to the service of humanity.