Tamayyuz Research Fellowship

Ayesha Ahmed, Class of 2025, is the new Tamayyuz Research Fellow for OGAE. A double major in Psychology and Theater at NYU Abu Dhabi, Ayesha was actively involved with the Office of Global Programs, Residential Life, Student Government, and Career Development Center in her time as a student.

In her fellowship, Ayesha will strengthen pathways for recruiting Emirati faculty at NYUAD. Drawing on recruiter interviews, policy and talent-pipeline analysis, and targeted benchmarking, she will surface promising practices and deliver actionable recommendations for academic leadership. Ayesha looks forward to leveraging her experience to advance OGEA Abu Dhabi’s mission of fostering equality and belonging and to contributing to a thriving, globally engaged NYUAD community.

Yogesh Dhungana, Class of 2024, is the new 2024-2025 Tamayyuz Research Fellow for the Office of Global Inclusion Abu Dhabi. During his time as a student, Yogesh was actively involved with Community Outreach, Residential Education, Global Education, and Student Government. He looks forward to continuing his work on campus this year with a focus on inclusion and belonging.

His research will analyze interfaith understanding among NYUAD students by examining various academic and social interactions. He aims to study diverse students' perceptions regarding learning about other religions, participating in interfaith activities, and engaging with colleagues from different religious backgrounds. Yogesh is enthusiastic about applying his previous experiences to this role and supporting the office’s mission to foster inclusion and equity.

Yogesh majored in Economics and minored in Social Research and Public Policy at NYUAD.

Grace Shieh, Class of 2023, is the 2023-2024 post-graduation research fellow for the OGI Abu Dhabi. While a student, Grace served as a student leader with various campus stakeholders including the Office of the Vice Chancellor, Residential Education, Community Outreach, and Student Government. She looks forward to continuing her work on campus this year, focusing on inclusion and belonging.

Her research examined individual attitudes and relationships with accents with a focus on accent discrimination and inclusive pedagogy at NYU Abu Dhabi. She assessed accent climate across campus communities and develop workshops to facilitate dialog and cultivate inclusivity. Her work in creative writing explored the concept of form, and she broadened her examination of form with her research on accents.

Grace studied economics and creative writing at NYUAD with additional coursework in theater, literature, and music. She looks forward to joining her interests in research and arts this year.

Riko Morisawa, September 2022-August 2023 

Riko was appointed the 2022-2023 post-graduation research fellow at the Office of Global Inclusion Abu Dhabi (OGI Abu Dhabi). As a fellow, Riko researched the transformative moments that students and faculty have during their time at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD). Through her research, Riko aimed to understand in what spaces transformative moments at a diverse institution like NYUAD take place, and how they manifest. Riko also worked with the OGI Abu Dhabi to advance inclusion, diversity, equity, belonging, and access/accessibility (IDBEA) at NYUAD. Riko majored in Social Research and Public Policy with a minor in Legal Studies.

Thais Thomas, October 2021-October 2022

Thais Thomas served as the inaugural fellow in the Office of Global Inclusion Abu Dhabi. During her fellowship year, she collaborated on projects to advance the strategy for inclusion, diversity, belonging and equity across the institution including unconscious bias training for campus safety officers, and programming on themes such as colorism and global Blackness. Thais also served as a Program Organiser for the Colorism Across Global Lines symposium in spring 2023. Thais graduated with a BA in History with Minors in Legal Studies and African Studies in 2021.

Thais' fellowship research project focused on faculty racial/ethnic diversity and classroom climate. The project explored the unique experiences of students in the NYUAD classroom, as well as their nuanced perception of faculty diversity at this global liberal arts university. Ultimately, her research concluded that although the racial/ethnic diversification of faculty is of paramount importance, universities, particularly those serving international student bodies, must also invest in faculty training programs that encourage discussions of positionality, develop intercultural understanding, and center classroom climate management.