SFS-Q, CIRS Launches Qatar University Fellowship Georgetown In Qatar: Enhancing Local Research
The Centre for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) has awarded Maha Al-Hendawi, Assistant professor of Special Education in the College of Education at Qatar University (QU) a CIRS Fellowship. This follows the recent launch by CIRS of an annual fellowship to be awarded to a member of QU faculty, in order to enhance local research productivity and build upon its established collegial relationship with QU.
Mehran Kamrava, Director at CIRS commented, “This fellowship adds a new dimension to our partnership with QU and enables both of our institutions to benefit from the dynamic research environment that is being created.”
The fellowship awarded by CIRS will support QU faculty members in pursuing original research projects, with the aim being to publish research outcomes in leading journals or with university presses.
Dr. Al-Hendawi commented, “I am most grateful for this invaluable opportunity to engage this year in scholarly endeavors with CIRS at SFS-Q. I believe this collaboration will not only benefit the two universities but will also strengthen the research environment to support Qatar’s vision.”
Dr. Al-Hendawi, and any following selected fellows, will be appointed for one academic year, and while continuing with his/her commitments to QU, will pursue a research project utilizing the ample resources made available by the CIRS and SFS-Q. QU Fellows will be asked to give a presentation of their research at a CIRS-sponsored talk, and will be encouraged to engage with the SFS-Q faculty and students to discuss areas of mutual interest. The QU fellow will be an active member of the Georgetown intellectual community, and will be provided with office space and access to the Georgetown library with 70,000 physical assets and ove 500,000 digital assets. The fellowship entails a small honorarium designed to assist the fellow in pursuit of his/her research project.
The most recent recipient of this fellowship, Dr. Al-Hendawi, received her Ph.D. in Special Education and Disability Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond. Her research interests include educational policies and reform initiatives in the region; academic interventions for children with special needs and children at-risk; and quality preparation and training programs for educators. Previously, Dr. Al-Hendawi has been the principal investigator of several research grants that promote special education and service for students with disabilities in Qatar and has published in the area of special education.