Faculty & Staff
Prof.Mahjoob Zweiri
Professor - Director of Gulf Studies Center
Contemporary History and Politics mzweiri@qu.edu.qa (+974) 4403 4703
Profile website
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Dr.Nikolay Kozhanov
Research Associate Professor
nikolay@qu.edu.qa +974 4403 4987 Nikolay Kozhanov is a Research Associate Professor at the Gulf Studies Center of Qatar University. He is also a Consulting Fellow at the Russia and Eurasia Programme of Chatham House and Non-resident Fellow at the Center of Middle Eastern Studies at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) under the Russian Academy of Science. His research interests are focused on the geopolitics of the Gulf hydrocarbons, Russian foreign policy in the Middle East as well as Iran’s economy and international relations. Nikolay has his PhD in economics from St.Petersburg State University (2010). He holds an MA degree in Oriental Studies (2006, St.Petersburg State University) and MA degree in Middle Eastern Studies (2012, University of Exeter). Dr. Kozhanov has been a visiting fellow at a number of leading international think tanks including Chatham House and Carnegie Moscow Center. His recent publications include Russia and the Syrian Conflict: Moscow’s Domestic, Regional and Strategic Interests (Gerlach Press 2016); Iran’s Strategic Thinking: The Evolution of Iran’s Foreign Policy 1979-2017. (London, Berlin: Gerlach Press, 2018) and Russian Policy across the Middle East: Motivations and Methods (Chatham House 2018). Download Resume
Dr.Md Mizanur Rahman
Research Associate Professor
Gulf migration, Social research methods, and Social theories mizan@qu.edu.qa (+974) 4403 4951 Md Mizanur Rahman teaches migration studies, social theories, and research methods at the Gulf Studies Program. His areas of expertise include Gulf migration, diaspora engagement, migrant businesses, labor migration, migration policy and migrant remittances. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in the Gulf, East and Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe and North America. He has published extensively on international migration issues in the Gulf and Asia. Four of his journal articles became the top ten cited and/or downloaded articles in ISI and Scopus ranked journals. Dr Rahman is a member of Migration Research Leaders Syndicate for the 2018 Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, spearheaded by the IOM – the UN Migration Agency - based in Geneva. Download Resume
Dr.Luciano Zaccara
Research Associate Professor, Research Coordinator in Gulf Politics
Iranian politics and foreign policy; elections and political reform in GCC countries; international politics in the Persian Gulf luciano.zaccara@qu.edu.qa +974 44034986 Main Men’s Building Room B05-143 Dr. Zaccara is also a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Georgetown University in Qatar, and Director of the Observatory on Politics and Elections in the Arab and Muslim World, Spain. BA in Political Science from National University of Rosario, Argentina, and PhD in Arab and Islamic Studies from Autonoma University of Madrid, Spain. He has been post-doctoral fellow at Autonoma University of Barcelona; Visiting Researcher at Exeter University, Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies; and Visiting Researcher at Princeton University, Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies.
His research interests are Iranian Politics and Foreign Policy; Gulf Politics; International Relations in the Gulf; and Electoral Systems in MENA region.
His latest publication is “Foreign Policy of Iran under President Hassan Rouhani's First Term (2013–2017)”, Zaccara, Luciano (Ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, 2020.
Dr. Zaccara is also a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Georgetown University in Qatar, and Director of the Observatory on Politics and Elections in the Arab and Muslim World, Spain. BA in Political Science from National University of Rosario, Argentina, and PhD in Arab and Islamic Studies from Autonoma University of Madrid, Spain. He has been post-doctoral fellow at Autonoma University of Barcelona; Visiting Researcher at Exeter University, Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies; and Visiting Researcher at Princeton University, Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies.
His research interests are Iranian Politics and Foreign Policy; Gulf Politics; International Relations in the Gulf; and Electoral Systems in MENA region.
His latest publication is “Foreign Policy of Iran under President Hassan Rouhani's First Term (2013–2017)”, Zaccara, Luciano (Ed.), Palgrave Macmillan, 2020.
Ms.Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu
Research Assistant
Nsoy@qu.edu.qa Nesibe Hicret Battaloglu is a Research Assistant in the Gulf Studies Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. Currently, she is also a PhD Candidate at the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey. Battaloglu obtained an MA Degree in Gulf Studies at Qatar University with a thesis on Turkey and Iran’s soft power in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Her research interests are international relations of the Gulf monarchies, Turkey-GCC relations and identity and foreign policy nexus in the Gulf.
Ms.Farah Al Qawasmi
Research Assistant
water and food security, economics, gender studies and conflict resolution farah.q@qu.edu.qa
Profile website
Farah Al Qawasmi received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service in Doha with a degree in International Politics. She continued her studies at SOAS, the University of London, were she pursued a Masters of Science degree in Cooperate Globalization and Development. She recently joined the Gulf Studies Research Center at Qatar University.
Ms.Sinem Cengiz
Research Assistant
sinem.cengiz@qu.edu.qa 44034982 Men's Building, 208 Sinem Cengiz is a Research Assistant in the Gulf Studies Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. Currently, she is also a PhD Candidate at Area Studies Department of the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey, where she also earned her Master's Degree in 2015 at the department of International Relations. She has several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters published on Gulf affairs. She is also the author of the book titled "Turkish-Saudi Relations: Cooperation and Competition in the Middle East" published by Gerlach Press in 2020. Between 2018-2019, she was affiliated with the Kuwait University with a state-funded scholarship. Since 2016, she has been a regular columnist for the Arab News, a Saudi newspaper. Her research interests are international relations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Turkey-GCC relations, and internal and foreign policy nexus in the Gulf region.
Ms.Thouria Mahmoud
Senior Editor
t.mahmoud@qu.edu.qa (+974) 4403 6523 Main Men’s Building B-05 Room 205 Thouria Mahmoud received her Bachelor Degree in journalism from Northwestern University/ Qatar Foundation.
Mr.Saleh Al Khulaifi
Teaching Assistant of Gulf Studies salkhulaifi@qu.edu.qa Main Men Build, B05 – 207
Ms.Noora Ali Abdulaziz
Senior Engagement and Communication Specialist nali@qu.edu.qa (+974) 4403-4704 Main Men’s Building B-05 Room 112
Mr.Salem Ghurab
Teaching Assistant of Gulf Studies s.ghurab@qu.edu.qa (+974) 4403-4998 Main Men Build, B05 – 207
Ms.Alanoud Naqadan
Teaching Assistant of Gulf Studies a.naqadan@qu.edu.qa (+974) 4403-7597 Main Men Build, B05 – 208
Ms.Noora Naqadan
Teaching Assistant of Gulf Studies n.naqadan@qu.edu.qa (+974) 4403-4989 Main Men Build, B05 – 208
Ms.Al Jawhara Al Thani
Teaching Assistant of Gulf Studies Aal-thani@qu.edu.qa (+974) 4403-4982 Main Men Build, B05 – 208
