Scholars Incubator Program 2025

Aicha El Waqf is a Moroccan researcher specializing in European affairs and migration, with a background in law, journalism, and international relations. Thanks to the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, she studied in Italy, then at the College of Europe, deepening her expertise in EU policy and cooperation. Her experience as a student-migrant led her to work in cultural mediation and translation. As part of her integration efforts, she often engages in language learning, driven by her interest in local cultures and communication. She participated in the “Engaging Conflict” summer school (TWAI, University of Turin) and the Regional Autumn School on Natural Resource Rights (Heinrich Böll Stiftung & IUCN, Amman). She also won a photojournalism contest on stereotype neutralization during an earlier workshop, and her work was publicly exhibited. Aicha has published with Anadolu Agency and is currently training in CSRD and circular economy frameworks. She joins the Scholars Incubator to build on her multidisciplinary path toward roles in academia, advocacy, or NGO work.

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Israa Hashem Abdelbarr is a researcher and development practitioner from Egypt. She is currently pursuing her MA in Political Science with a specialization in Development Studies at The American University in Cairo, where she was awarded a University Fellowship. She holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from Alexandria University.

Israa’s research interests focus on decolonial studies, comparative political systems, minority politics, political Islam, and migration. She has co-authored peer-reviewed papers on Kurdish political dynamics in Turkey and Muslim minorities in Australia. Alongside her academic work, she has over four years of experience in the development sector, working with national and international NGOs on youth empowerment, refugee support, and livelihoods.

Mohammed Wateeri is an advocate and researcher specializing in peace, security, human rights, and transitional justice. With over five years of experience across Yemen, Jordan, and Switzerland, he has worked on some of the most complex conflict contexts in the MENA region, including Yemen, Syria, Libya, and Bahrain. His work spans policy-oriented research, strategic advocacy, and influencing decision-making processes on sensitive political and humanitarian issues.

Wateeri holds a Master’s degree in Transitional Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law from the University of Geneva. He is deeply committed to advancing global justice and human dignity, striving to deliver impactful solutions to today’s most pressing challenges and to contribute to sustainable peace and accountability.

Alaa Elnaggar is from Egypt and is currently living in Turkey. She graduated in 2024 with a degree in Political Science and is now preparing to begin her master’s program. Over the past few years, she has gained practical experience through internships at several research centers in Istanbul, including EUROPLOITIKA, East Academy, SETA Research Institute, and IISPPR.

During her undergraduate studies, she authored several research papers under the supervision of her professors. She devoted particular attention to the fields of social policy, administrative politics, public administration, and anthropology. She became especially interested in how state institutions, from municipalities to national bodies, operate and how public policy engages with issues such as the politicization of social welfare, budget allocation, and the delivery of services to citizens.

In the area of social policy, Alaa explored how states formulate and implement welfare systems that not only meet constitutional and economic obligations, but also protect social structures, address the needs of vulnerable populations, and promote equity for minorities and economically disadvantaged groups. She also developed a deep appreciation for the value of anthropology in understanding minority cultures, social dynamics, and grassroots needs, an understanding she believes is essential for informed policy-making and inclusive development.

Beyond academia, she has interned in various professional fields, including project management, business and data analysis, strategic planning for public administration, and financial resource management. She has also completed trainings with leading organizations such as BCG, EY, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, and PwC to strengthen her technical and analytical skills.

Believing in the importance of social impact, Alaa has volunteered with charitable and non-profit organizations such as Al-Sharq, Al-Manar, and the IHH Foundation. She sees this as a way to ensure that knowledge and skills are not confined to theory but actively serve communities.

Most recently, she has developed a keen interest in the intersection of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and public policy, particularly how AI and data-driven approaches might enhance political communication, decision-making, and social welfare delivery. She is especially curious to explore whether AI can help states anticipate and prevent risks, or whether its integration may pose new challenges in achieving equitable welfare systems.

I’m Ranim Daraghmeh, a researcher with a deep interest in regional studies, international affairs, and peace and conflict research, explored through both interdisciplinary scholarship and creative practice. With a background in languages, international relations, music, and an M.Phil in International Peace Studies, I view research and language as powerful tools for advancing peace, cultural understanding, and inclusive narratives across diverse communities.

My research specialises in decolonial approaches to peace studies, with a particular focus on cultural identity, Indigenous epistemologies, and the role of language in shaping alternative, context-specific visions of peace. I investigate how hegemonic international peacebuilding frameworks often neglect the knowledge systems and lived experiences of indigenous and historically marginalised communities. A central thread in my work is multilingualism and its impact on access to justice, memory, and peacebuilding in conflict-affected settings.

I have contributed to research on peace studies, geopolitical analysis, cultural heritage, and indigenous terminologies. My approach blends theory and practice, drawing on artistic and oral knowledge traditions to explore how individuals and communities experience and articulate notions of peace, identity, and belonging.

Adil Khualdi is a legal consultant and PhD candidate in Law and International Relations at the University of Sultan Zainal Abidin. He holds a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Sharia and Law from Algeria and is certified in Islamic Banking and Finance. With experience in legal consulting, contract drafting, and academic research, Adil focuses on international law, human rights, and political legitimacy in the MENA region. His current PhD research examines the Responsibility to Protect in international law, with a critical analysis from an Islamic perspective, focusing on Libya and Syria as case studies.

Tasneem Mezied is a Palestinian entrepreneur and emerging scholar based in Istanbul, holding an MSc in International Business, Leadership, and Management from the University of York. Her research explores how global market forces, leadership, and structural power dynamics shape entrepreneurship, knowledge production, and regional innovation under constraint in the Middle East. With a background in business development and startup innovation, she is committed to ethical practices that drive sustainable growth and digital transformation. Tasneem’s work is grounded in a desire to challenge economic marginalization and knowledge suppression, and to contribute to critical, impact-driven scholarship from and for the region.

Douae EL MASMOUHI is a Moroccan junior researcher with a background in English Studies. She obtained a BA in Linguistics and Cultural Studies and an MA in Language, Communication and Society (LCS) from the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences Dhar El Mehraz (FLDM) at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University (USMBA) in Fez. Douae holds a keen interest in understanding the The continuous evolution of education, particularly exploring topics such as the transformative potential of game-based learning, the significant role of exchange programs in fostering intercultural understanding and personal, as well as professional development, and the implications of Artificial Intelligence in educational settings. Douae is also a dedicated member of the Association des Petits Débrouillards de Fès, a non-governmental organization committed to developing scientific, technical, and digital culture (STEM) among youth through engaging and hands-on activities that foster innovation, critical thinking, and environmental awareness via science expositions, workshops, and scientific clubs.

I am a Moroccan researcher with a multidisciplinary research focus grounded in social sciences. I hold a BA degree in Linguistics and Cultural Studies. Currently, I am finishing my Master's degree in Language, Communication and Society from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, where I conducted a mixed-method research focused on the symbolic power of language and its impact on youth. Through this paper, I aimed to contribute to a more inclusive understanding of language variation and its ideological framing in Moroccan society.
Besides academia, I have contributed to a meaninful cultural translation project, and English language teaching. I have also volunteered with NGOs such as AIESEC, where I worked on youth exchange programs and event logistics. In addition, I have developed a strong interest in diplomacy, international realtions, and intercultural dialogue through participating in MUN training and conferences.

I am a social sciences researcher with a Master's degree in Language, Communication, and Society from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University. My academic and professional path centers on critical research at the intersection of political studies, public policy, and global diplomacy. I am committed to producing grounded, socially relevant scholarship that bridges theory and practice.

My research primarily explores political discourse and its impact on public perception and participation, especially among youth. I am also interested in comparative approaches to governance and educational policy, as well as the evolving role of diplomacy in today’s digital and cultural landscape. At the heart of my work is a desire to understand how narratives, institutions, and digital tools shape civic life and engagement.

I have collaborated with international academic institutions such as Brigham Young University and the University of Stirling, contributing to projects on maternal health, visual anthropology, and religious tourism. I am also a member of the Youth Policy Center, where I engage with policy research and civic initiatives across the MENA region. My work has been presented at academic events and study days and has contributed to several forthcoming publications.

Summer is a Lebanese social worker, novice sociologist and researcher. She holds an undergraduate degree in social work from USJ and is currently pursuing her master's degree in sociology in France. Her interests and fields of work include gender and sexualities studies, sexual and reproductive health and rights, mental health, and social policies. 

I’m a postdoc at the Weizenbaum institute in Berlin. I joined the Data, Algorithmic Systems and Ethics research group.

In my research, I'm interested in bias and fairness in AI and language technologies. My research focus is bias and fairness in Arabic language models against marginalised communities in the Arab world. I'm also interested in AI governance and the MENA area. My research interests stem from being a woman from an underrepresented group of people. I understand from my personal and research experiences how bias in NLP and ML applications has a direct impact on the lives of the under-represented groups of people and how hate speech towards minorities has severe implications on society like hate crimes. I'm interested in understanding how social biases impact the decisions made by ML models regarding toxicity and hate speech detection.

I’ve been an active member in my community by organising the Women_in_NLP talk series where I have invited 10 women, so far, from Google, Microsoft, Rasa, Allen AI, Carnegie Mellon University and others to discuss their research and share their experience in NLP to encourage more women to work on NLP projects.

My Publications and research projects can be found here: https://efatmae.github.io