Awards

Matteo Marciano, Associate Arts Professor of Practice of Music Technology, received an award from NYU Technology Opportunities and Ventures (TOV) and the NYU Abu Dhabi Office of Research Translation and Entrepreneurship (RTE). This recognition, conferred upon first-time innovators and patent creators at NYUAD, acknowledges Marciano's contributions to advancing the music-technology ecosystem on campus, particularly through the development, research, and innovative practices associated with Gazelien Records. The award also highlights Marciano's broader regional engagement, including efforts to foster interdisciplinary collaborations, mentor emerging talent, and expand the field of music production and audio innovation through research-driven and industry-aligned initiatives.   

Al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art received the Al Suwaidi Foundation Award for Appreciation and Cultural Cooperation, recognizing the Center’s dedication to advancing Arab arts, culture, and heritage in the UAE, and in enriching academic and intellectual discourse. The award was presented to Professor Salwa Mikdadi, the Center’s Director, in appreciation of her pioneering role in leading the Center, her prestigious academic and cultural initiative, and her enlightened vision for bridging tradition and innovation. This honor highlights al Mawrid’s lasting cultural impact and its continued commitment to supporting the artistic and cultural landscape of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

William Zimmerle, Senior Lecturer of Arts and Humanities, Affiliated Faculty Member of the Arab Crossroads Studies Program, and History Program Professor,  is a recipient of the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research 2025 Competitive Research Grant. His Faculty Grant proposal is titled, "Investigating the Rock Art Petroglyphs of Ras Al Khaimah: A Multidisciplinary Approach Involving Digital Fieldwork Mapping, Photogrammetry, Tourism Development and Exhibition at Al Jazeera Al Hamra."

Professor Gregory Pardlo: Finalist of the Tufts Poetry Awards — based at Claremont Graduate University and given for poetry volumes published in the preceding year — are not only two of the most prestigious prizes a contemporary poet can receive, they also come with hefty purses: USD 100,000 for the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award and USD 10,000 for the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. This makes the Kingsley Tufts award the world’s largest monetary prize for a single collection of poetry. And for most poets who have just published their first collection of verse, USD 10,000 should keep the pen scribbling. Gregory Pardlo is the author of Spectral Evidence, which was longlisted for the National Book Award, and Digest, winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. His other books include Totem and Air Traffic, a memoir of essays. He has received fellowships from the New York Public Library’s Cullman Center, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Guggenheim Foundation. Pardlo divides his time between New York and the United Arab Emirates, where he is Head of Literature and Creative Writing at NYU Abu Dhabi.

Professor Scandar Copti has received multiple prestigious awards for his feature film, Happy Holidays (123 mins), which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. The film was honored with the Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay at its premiere. Additional accolades include: Golden Alexander-Theo Angelopoulos Prize for Best Film at the 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, November 2024 | Étoile d'Or (Golden Star) for Best Film at the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival, December 2024 | Best Performance by an Actress at the 21st Marrakech International Film Festival, awarded jointly to Wafaa Aoun and Manar Shehab for their roles in Happy Holidays, December 2024. These awards reflect the film’s critical success and Scandar Copti’s significant contribution to contemporary cinema.

Wole Soyinka, Arts Professor of Theater and Nobel Laureate, received the Haydee Santamaria Medal at Casa de las Americas, awarded by the President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel.

He was presented with the Loynaz International Prize from the president of UNEAC, Marta Bonet, at the 63rd anniversary of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC)

Burak Sayim, Humanities Research Fellow, won the 2024-25 Toynbee Prize Foundation First Book Workshop Competition. His book project, The Making of Communism in the Middle East: Anti-colonial Revolutions, Global Networks, and Itinerant Militants, under contract with the University of California Press, examines the formative years of the communist movement in the Middle East in the context of a global wave of revolutionary upheaval