Current Ph.D. Students
Sama Abuhasabo is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Dana Post Adler received her BA in English with a minor in Spanish from Cornell University, an MBA in Marketing and Operations Management from the Stern School of Business at New York University, and most recently graduated from Columbia University with an MA in Human Rights Studies with a concentration in the Middle East. At Columbia, Dana wrote her thesis on the Changing Relationship between Young American Jews and Israel. Dana has just relocated to Delray Beach from Northern New Jersey where she was a volunteer and Jewish communal leader locally, nationally and internationally. She currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel and is on the Israel and Overseas Committee of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach. Dana is the Vice Chair of the Site Plan Review and Appearance Board of the City of Delray Beach. Dana sits on the Board of Myron/Adler Corporation, her family’s promotional products company. She is a wife and a proud mother of three, and a classically trained coloratura soprano, and has sung a capella, in rock bands, and anywhere she can.
Angela Adee Andriesse is a PhD student in the Comparative Studies program at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), where her research focuses on the lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with Autism Spectrum Condition. Her work examines how themes of identity, gender, and disability manifest in life writing and narrative media, emphasizing the ways personal stories challenge societal perceptions of neurodiversity. With a commitment to social justice, Angela explores how narratives and self-expression—through writing, fashion, and other cultural forms—serve as powerful tools for advocacy and community-building among marginalized groups. Her scholarship delves into how neurodivergent identities reshape cultural narratives and foster inclusive understanding. Linkedin
Zarefa A. Ali is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Bilal A. Amodu is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
OlaOmi Amoloku is fascinated by the ability of Black women storytellers to subvert the dominant narrative by resisting of the commodification of the Black female body. Her research is based in the study of Afrofuturism through a Black feminist lens with a foundation in West and Central African spirituality. She holds a B.A. in English from Fisk University and a M.A. in Literature from Middle Tennessee State University.
Kira Apple is a Ph.D. candidate who holds an M.A. and a B.A. in English from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. She obtained a graduate certificate in Film & Culture from Florida Atlantic University in Spring 2017. Her dissertation merges affect theory, fantasy studies, media theory, sound studies, and fan studies in order to investigate the ties between audio dramas and their audiences. Tentatively, this work is titled "The Sound of Belonging: Reimagining Interconnectivity in Fantasy Audio Fictions and Listening Cultures." She is currently teaching Rhetoric & Composition at Penn State Lehigh Valley.
Anna Arenas has a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies in Arts and Humanities from FAU and a Masters in Library and Information Science from USF. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the Comparative Studies Program in the Culture, Language, and Literature track.
Maryam Badiei is a Ph.D. student in the Comparative Studies program at Florida Atlantic University, specializing in the Design, Aesthetics, and Art track. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Tehran, where she graduated among the top of her class. Her research focuses on sustainable architecture, vernacular design, and building technology. With six years of professional experience, Maryam has led large- and small-scale architectural projects in Iran, working closely with contractors to implement innovative and sustainable design solutions. Maryam's work is inspired by her academic and cultural background, and she aims to bridge traditional architectural techniques with advanced technologies. Linkedin | Orchid
Rachel Benaim-Abudarham is an award-winning journalist, educator, and healing facilitator. She is currently working on her Ph.D. (in FAU's CSP track). Her research focuses on intergenerational Jewish trauma, and investigates how collective memory and inherited wounds shape identity and expression across diverse Jewish communities. Rachel’s dissertation contextualizes trauma beyond the Holocaust, examining its evolving impacts on both personal and communal levels within the Jewish diaspora and in Israel. She is also the Graduate Teaching Assistant for MediaLab@FAU, a new academic-local news partnership. Rachel holds an M.S. from Columbia University and a B.A. from Yeshiva University, with additional studies through the Paideia Institute in Stockholm and NYU’s Spiritual Resilience in a Fractured World program. Passionate about bridging knowledge and healing, Rachel integrates her expertise to create pathways of understanding and transformation across her professional work. A Boca Raton native, she returned to Florida with her husband and two children shortly before beginning the program. Website
Ariana Cascio Bianchi received her M.A. from the University of Florida and is currently in the Comparative Studies PhD program at Florida Atlantic University. She is also full-time faculty in the English department at Broward College and a full-time wife and mother of two spirited teens. Bianchi specializes in feminist theory and 19th and 20th century American and British literature. Her research interests include women's poetry, modernist studies, body studies, and visual culture.
Jodie Marie Boisvert, MPA is a PhD Candidate in the Comparative Studies program at Florida Atlantic University. She is engaging with anthropological and sociological theories and methodologies to examine the assimilation and identity negotiation patterns of first- and second-generation Haitians in Florida through the lens of WEB DuBois’s “double consciousness.” In addition to her PhD work, Mrs. Boisvert is employed as an Evaluation Officer for a local special district of the government. There she is responsible for assessing how much better people are after completing services. Upon graduation in 2025, Mrs. Boisvert hopes to continue her journey as an applied social scientist in the form of community-based research and evaluation. With this in mind, she is working towards opening her own research and consulting firm called Change Amplifiers Research and Consulting. Through her work, Mrs. Boisvert hopes to facilitate sustainable positive impacts in historically and presently marginalized communities. LinkedIn
Tyler J. Bonnet is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Kathryn (Pewenofkit) Bridwell-Briner holds a D.M.A. in music performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, an M.A. in performance from Florida Atlantic University, and a B.M. from Stephen F. Austin State University. She has completed all coursework for a second M.A. in music history and literature from FAU where she focused on Comanche hymns as liminal space for agency and identity in the post-Allotment era in southwestern Oklahoma. She has published articles about the Comanche and Kiowa/Plains Apache in the Great Plains Journal as well as entries in the New Grove Encyclopedia of American Music. Kate has presented papers at the Symposium of the International Horn Society, Southeast Horn Workshop, Northeast Horn Workshop, and at the International Feminist Theory and Music Conference. Of Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache descent, Kate is actively involved in the Comanche Nation's language revitalization program and her work here at FAU focuses on reclaiming Comanche cosmology through language and the arts supported by the creation of digital space where post-allotment Comanche identity may be created, nurtured, and sustained. Beyond language work, Kate's research interests includes intergenerational trauma and healing in Indigenous communities, sovereignty, Indigenous futurisms, identity and cultural rhetorics through Indigenous popular musics, and the creation of space/agency for Indigenous descendants in the U.S.
Amanda Burke is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Annabelle Campbell is on the Culture, Society and Politics track of the Comparative Studies program.
Jeanette Coleman is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Alyse Cooke earned her B.A. in Communication Studies, summa cum laude, with minors in English and Philosophy from Florida Atlantic University in 2016. She completed her M.A. in Philosophy at King’s College, London in 2017 and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Cultures, Languages, and Literatures (CLL) track of the Comparative Studies program. Her research focuses on the rhetorical, philosophical and political intersections of absurdity. Linkedin
Jessica Dobbsis a PhD student in the Cultures, Languages, and Literatures track, with a primary focus in Literature and a secondary focus in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is a former high school English teacher, who now teaches College Writing and Interpretation of Fiction at FAU. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Literature with a Concentration in Secondary Education from Ramapo College in her native New Jersey, and her Master’s degree in English from Southern New Hampshire University. Her Master’s thesis highlighted Amy Lowell, a forgotten poet of the Modernist period. She has presented at several conferences, showcasing her work on women’s autonomy through writing. Jessica has also served as a Session Chair and Moderator at these conferences. Her research interests are multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary, which include the literatures of Spain, France, and Italy, Feminist and Gender / Sexuality Studies, Media and Performance Studies, and Philosophical and Religious Studies.
Valorie Ebert is currently an Assistant Professor of English at Broward College, and she is the First Vice President of the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts. Her research focuses on the many intersections contained in science fiction and fantasy literature, and how, through interpellation, the ideas contained within these works may influence a reinforcement of less than ideal ideas instead of working to negate them.
Grace Eid entered the Comparative Studies program in Fall 2022 and is on the Culture, Society and Politics track.
Amanda C. Estevez is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Manuela Filomena's interest in cultures has brought her to study in different countries. She received a BA in Advertising Technique in Perugia and a scholarship at London Institute Diploma in TV and Video Production. She received her first MA in Art & Design in England. After her post-graduate studies, she has lived in Sweden sharing a project with directors Erik Gandini and Johan Soderbergh. In India, she developed a new respect for the arts, working on an ambitious project created by Chandra Prakash for Cocccon, a qualified ethical fashion designer on biological and non-cruel processes to grow and cultivate silkworms. During her second MA in Film at the University of Naples she released a short film "Goodbye Agnes". During that time, she worked in Rome for Indigo Film Production on the set of the Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino. She also has a TEFL Certificate in English, which she completed in Boston.
Sara Fitzgerald is an instructional librarian at Indian River State College whose scholarly interests lie at the intersection of digital rhetoric, critical information studies, and feminist theory. Her current research is broadly focused on the theoretical and cultural implications of algorithmic surveillance and its impact on social justice issues. Sara holds an M.S. in Library and Information Studies from FSU and a B.A. in English from FAU. HASTAC
Yanping Gao is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Mauricio Garcia is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Ashley N. George is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Alessio Giovene is a Ph.D. student in Italian Studies and Comparative Literature at Florida Atlantic University, where he also teaches Italian Literature and Cinema. He studied at Università di Bologna, where he graduated with a thesis in 20th-century Italian Poetry about the influence of Bergson and Lacan on Ungaretti and Zanzotto. He is currently working on his dissertation in Animal Studies in Italian and American Literature. His main interests are contemporary Italian literature and cinema, mainly focusing on contemporary poets and postmodernist novels. He hybridizes his research with Ecocriticism, Animal Studies, Disability Studies, and Gender Studies, exploring modern classics from new perspectives. He presented his research at institutions such as Yale and Brown University and published articles on Italian and comparative literature in peer-reviewed journals such as Italian Studies and Steinbeck Review. Academia
Victor Menco Haeckermannis a Ph.D. student in the Comparative Studies program (CLL track). Research interests: colonization, antisemitism, and textualities in Latin America. As part of this program, he obtained a graduate certificate in ESOL. He holds an M.A. in Spanish from the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and a B.A. in Linguistics and Literature from the University of Cartagena. He has been awarded grants from Gabo Foundation, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center, and FAU’s Center for Peace, Justice and Human Rights. He has published articles in journals and newspapers. Author of a short story book, he collaborated with Le Dictionnaire universel des Créatrices [The Universal Dictionary of Women Creators], sponsored by UNESCO. Victor teaches Spanish and Interdisciplinary Studies Seminar for the College of Arts and Letters, and has taught lessons in The Holocaust. Twitter
Nahid Nicole Haghayegh is a Doctoral Student in the Comparative Studies Program with a focus on Culture, Society and Politics. Her majors are Sociology and Human Rights and her primary topics of interests are: power and society, social justice, identity and genocide studies. Nahid received her MS in International and Intercultural Education from Florida International University. She obtained a BS in Sociology with minors in International Relations and Anthropology from Florida State University. Prior to graduate school, Nahid lived in Czech Republic where she studied and collaborated with several non-profit organizations which pursued projects in anti-human trafficking, women empowerment, and educational development in Prague prison systems. She then moved to Chile in South America to work with the Chilean Ministry of Education. These two international expeditions significantly shaped her passion in sociology. Nahid’s objective is to deepen her understanding in societal dynamics and explore how we can make the world a better place. LinkedIn
Jason Hawkins holds dual BA's in Latin and History from the University of Oregon, an MA in Spanish Literature from Florida Atlantic University, as well as graduate studies in Latin and Classics at the Universities of Georgia and Florida. During his doctoral studies, Jason has focused on early-modern Spanish manuscripts, archival research, and digital humanities. His specialties include piracy among Catholics and Protestants in the early-modern period, as well as technology focused on frequency/content analysis such as Corpus Linguistics and archival technology involving handwriting recognition.
Nailah I. Herbert is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Micheline M. Hilpert is on the Culture, Society and Politics track of the Comparative Studies program.
Hirbod Human is an Iranian-American writer, filmmaker, and educator whose work centers on art, culture, and community education with a focus on social justice and human rights. Born during Iran’s Islamic Revolution, he began his career early as an actor and reporter for the Iranian Broadcasting Service. With academic foundations in Fine Art, Graphic Design, Art Research, and Print/Publishing, along with studies in music, cinema, and business, Hirbod’s interdisciplinary background reflects his dedication to cultural understanding and societal improvement. He is the author of AMERICOLOR: Exploring Urban Color Fields, a curated collection of Dennis Church’s photography published by Palm Beach Atlantic University, and Last Moments: A Dark Shadow of Protest in Iran. Hirbod has served as an Executive Board Member at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery and as an advisor to authors’ organizations, contributing his expertise to the fields of art and literature. Website | Linkedin | X
Kamela H. Ibrahim is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Jose Luis Jimenez-Figarotti is an EdTech scholar & VE expert, Prof. Jiménez is a prolific author on equity & human rights. His work bridges cultures inspiring empathy. His publications spark critical conversations on global exchange & social justice. Linkedin | Orchid | ResearchGate
Daniel A. Jones is the Deputy General Counsel at FAU responsible for the management of University litigation and also serves as primary legal counsel for the Division of Student Affairs and the Department of Athletics. In addition to his work with the General Counsel’s Office, Mr. Jones teaches as an Adjunct Instructor for the Department of History in the College of Arts and Letters, as well as the Department of Higher Educational Leadership and Research Methodology in the College of Education. Mr. Jones received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Samford University, his Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law, and his Master of Arts in History from FAU. His research interests are centered around the work of modern writers including Jim Harrison, Thomas McGuane, Guy de la Valdene, and Richard Brautigan and their influence on American culture.
Marie R. Junco is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Coraline Kandassamy is a graduate student in the Comparative Studies Program at Florida Atlantic University. Her field of studies concerns music and feminism in Guadeloupe, the French West indies where she was born. She specifically focuses on the expression of the female voice through music in the French Caribbean, and in the entire Caribbean in a greater perspective. Prior to her arrival at FAU, she studied part in the the University of Minnesota. She did her undergraduate studies in Paris Sorbonne university where she acquired a masters of English. She also visited Brunel University in London where she studied notions of gender, and York University, Toronto, Canada where she studied ethnomusicology. She was also a french language assistant in Whitman College, in Washington state. All these experiences contributed to her growing feminist conscience that she was able to exploit through her Master theses: :'Hypersexuality meets feminism through popular music' and 'Negociate black female identity through feminism and hypersexuality’.
Smaro Katsangelou is a practicing architect and engineer from Greece (School of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, AUTh, Class of ‘22 Valedictorian). Her practice focuses on exhibition and museum design as well as historic building and monument restoration. She has participated in research projects regarding History of Architecture, Urbanism, New technologies and Visual Arts for more than 7 years. Smaro’s work focuses on the intersection of new technologies and architectural heritage, researching ways to bridge collective human past with the digital heterotopia. She has published and presented her research in multiple countries, from the Netherlands (TU Delft) to Singapore (SUTD) to the US (GeorgiaTech). Smaro has been teaching 2nd and 4th year Design at Florida Atlantic University’s Department of Architecture for the past two years. She is also part of the Organizing Committee of DigitalFUTURES and has organized and participated in lectures, panels and conferences on AI and Architecture. She has completed her studies in the MSc. Program for Preservation, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Monuments (AUTh) and is currently pursuing a PhD with a focus on architecture and artificial intelligence at Florida Atlantic University, USA. Website
Ayesha Khurshid entered the Comparative Studies program in Fall 2022 and is on the Culture, Society and Politics track.
Daniel Maguire is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Anna Maldonado holds a B.A. in International Relations with a minor in Latin American Studies from Rhodes College and a M.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University. Currently, she is pursuing a Ph.D in the Comparative Studies Program with a concentration in Latin American Politics and Social Justice with research interests including migration, race/ethnicity, democratization, and environmental justice in Guatemala. She has additional experience as a graduate intern with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation in supporting with investment projects in Central America and Mexico, has taught Government of the United States as an adjunct faculty member in the Political Science Department, and has served as Treasurer of the Feminist Graduate Student Association. You may also find her at the Career Center as a Career Coach and as a Career and Life Planning instructor. LinkedIn
Marnie L. Melzer is on the Design, Aesthetics and the Arts track of the Comparative Studies program.
Md Rubel Miais a PhD student in Comparative Studies, specializing in the Culture, Society, and Politics track with primary a focus on anthropology. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in anthropology from the University of Dhaka. Rubel’s research interests are Cultural Ecology, climate change and migration, Political Economy, and indigenous knowledge systems, with a particular focus on Bangladesh.
Susan C. Moldow is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Anne Molinas is a PhD candidate on the Culture, Literature, and Languages track in the Comparative Studies program at Florida Atlantic University. She is a scholar of literature and other forms of cultural production from Latin America—specifically the South American Southern Cone and Paraguay. Her interests include women’s cultural production and the intersection of genre and form with sociopolitical and historical contexts. As a translator, she has worked extensively with human rights and women’s rights organizations in Paraguay. Currently she is translating a Paraguayan novel by Josefina Plá that follows the return of a group of women to their rural home after the War of the Triple Alliance. The translation and novel will be the basis of her doctoral thesis. She also teaches classes in Spanish language and LAS 2000, Introduction to Latin American Studies. Website | Linkedin
R.J. Mooney Jr. received their BA and MA in History at Florida Atlantic in '17 and '19. For his MA thesis, Mooney explored the relationship between the Restored Government of Virginia and the Federal Government during the American Civil War. Mooney entered the Comparative Studies Program Part-Time in the Fall of 2023. While somewhat undecided about long-term projects, Mooney is interested in studying First World War Literature, primarily works written by combatants. Outside of the Comparative Studies Program, Mooney serves as an Assistant Director with the Department of Housing and Residential Education at Florida Atlantic. Linkedin
Ashley Moskowitz Nugent is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Stephanie Nixdorf is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Jason O'Connor has a BA in Judaic Studies and Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, an MA in Near East and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University and an MA in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Gratz College. His interests include post-Holocaust memory and commemoration in Eastern Europe and Post-Communist Polish Jewish relations.
Jonas Oliver grew up in St. Augustine, Florida. He has an MFA in fiction from the University of Central Florida and an MA in English from West Virginia University. His primary research interests are 20th century women's literature, fairy tale studies, and narratives of paranormal experience.
Michael O'Neill is on the Culture, Society and Politics track of the Comparative Studies program.
Daniella Orias is a Ph.D. student who holds an M.A. from the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and a B.A. in Anthropology. She teaches courses spanning from “Gender and Climate Change” to “Sex, Myth, Power, and Pop Culture.” Daniella recently published an article "The Rise of the Modern Witch: Analyzing Devon Cole's 'W.I.T.C.H.' in Feminist Discourse" (2023) and another article with Dr. Nicole Morse entitled “No One is Disposable: Ecofeminism and Climate Crisis” (2020). In her BA program she published an article with Dr. Jane Caputi entitled “Monoculture & Mono-woman: An Ecofeminist Critique” in the Undergraduate Research Journal (2013). She is the Vice President of the Feminist Student Collective and on the executive board of the Comparative Studies Student Association. Along with these roles, she is also the Digital Pedagogy Coordinator for the Lavender Languages Institute at CIIS. LinkedIn
Danielle Parade is a Ph.D student in the Culture, Society, and Politics track of the Comparative Studies Program. Danielle holds a BA in Jewish Studies with a minor in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University. In 2022 Danielle earned a Masters in Political Science from FAU. Her areas of focus are intergenerational trauma and genocide studies.
Hassan Pishahang holds an academic background, including a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from the College of Fine Arts at Tehran University, a master's degree in Industrial Design from Amir Kabir University of Technology, and a professional Doctorate in Business Administration from Tehran University. With over a decade of teaching experience at various universities in Tehran, he specializes in advanced materials, innovative fabrication technologies, product design, interior architecture, and biomaterials. His expertise has led to significant contributions in these fields. An accomplished professional, Hassan has a diverse portfolio of design and construction projects, with several earning international recognition. Known for his extensive knowledge of materials and fabrication, he is affectionately called "Dr. Material" by his peers and students. Passionate about teaching and inspired by nature, he is committed to advancing knowledge and innovation, leaving a lasting impact on academia and professional practice alike. Linkedin | Instagram | Orchid
Barbara Perez is a first year doctoral student in the Culture, Society, and Politics track of the Comparative Studies Program at FAU. Her areas of focus are environmental justice and women, gender, and sexuality studies. She is also interested in critical animal studies. Prior to coming to FAU, Barbara completed an MA program in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies at San Diego State University. Her MA thesis was a feminist epistemological critique of comparative cognition research. Before that, Barbara worked for three years as the research coordinator of a comparative cognition lab in San Diego. Prior to that, Barbara earned her BA and BS degrees at the University of Florida in English and Psychology, respectively. During her undergraduate career, Barbara conducted behavioral research with cetaceans and canids.
Gabriella Piconi is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Cristina Melissa Pimenta received both her B.A., cum laude, and M.A. in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University. As an undergraduate, she developed a passion for international law and relations, and was selected to participate in FAU’s Leon Charney Diplomacy Program. As a master’s student, she competed in FAU’s 3 Minute Thesis competition, winning First Place and People’s Choice scholarships in the Arts & Letters Heat. She was also selected by her department to receive the Rae Raskin Memorial Scholarship in Political Science. Cristina successfully passed her Comprehensive Exams in May 2022 and has been working on writing her dissertation -- which focuses on religion, human rights, and U.S. politics -- since then. During her time in the Comparative Studies program, Cristina has completed a graduate certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, served as Vice President of the Feminist Graduate Student Association, was selected to be an Advancing Research in the Humanities & Social Sciences Fellow for Summer 2019, and won 3 Minute Thesis competition scholarships in both 2020 and 2021. LinkedIn
Denise Pinnaro is a Ph.D student in the Comparative Studies program at Florida Atlantic University, and holds a B.A. in French and an M.A. in French Literature from the same institution. Her research interests include fantasy and speculative fiction in both the Francophone and Anglophone literary and filmic traditions, with a specific focus on how alternate history and uchronia narratives displace--or perhaps reinforce--notions of time, space, heritage, and nationalism. She is also interested in how these texts are representative of modern myth-making and its sociocultural impacts on ideologies and beliefs that originated with earlier myths and folklores. Denise currently teaches undergraduate courses for the Department of Languages, Linguistics, and Comparative Literature. Academia.edu
Matt Prater is a writer, researcher, and artist from Saltville, VA, and is currently in his second year as a Ph.D student in the Comparative Studies program at FAU. His work, creative and academic, focuses on cultural regionalisms and the relationship between group identity and control of narratives, especially in Appalachia. He has work available at CLCWeb, Poet Lore, New Ohio Review (online), and The Moth, among other publications.
Kristina Ramskyte is on the Culture, Society and Politics track of the Comparative Studies program.
Priscilla Renta is a dance and Latinx studies scholar whose recent work includes movement as a healing, transformational and spiritual practice. She is co-editor of the special issue Rhythm & Power: Performing Salsa in Puerto Rican and Latino Communities, published by the Centro Journal of Puerto Rican Studies in 2017. Her work on Afro-Latin dance has been published in the anthologies Salsa World (Temple University Press, 2013); Technofuturos: Critical Interventions in Latina/o Studies (Rowan & Littlefield, 2007), as well as in the Fall 2004 issue of the Centro Journal of Puerto Rican Studies. She has taught Caribbean dance and dance history in Chicago, New Jersey and New York.
Charles R. Richards entered the Comparative Studies program in Fall 2022 and is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track.
Britney Roach is a dedicated academic and first-generation college student at Florida Atlantic University since 2016. Britney earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in 2020 and a master’s degree in political science in May of 2022, graduating in the top 10% of her class. Currently, Britney is a second-year Comparative Studies Ph.D. student and an instructor of American Government, where she fosters a dynamic and supportive learning environment that emphasizes interactive discussions and effective instructional design. As a former teaching assistant, Britney has collaborated with esteemed faculty, deepening her knowledge of complex political systems while developing skills in facilitating discussions and mentoring students. Her current research focus is on e-procurement practices, examining how digital procurement systems can enhance efficiency and transparency in government operations. Through this important work, Britney aims to contribute to a greater understanding of the intersection between technology, law, and public governance. Academia Page | Linkedin
Michelle Rovere earned her B.A. in American Literature at FAU in 2003. She spent the next ten years teaching high school English at a variety of levels. In Aug. 2013, Michelle returned to FAU to pursue an M.A. in English Literature. While pursuing her M.A., Michelle worked as a teaching assistant and as a consultant in the the University Center for Excellence in Writing. Her areas of interest include feminine African American spiritual narratives as they relate to forms of feminine social discourse (sentimental literature, jeremiad, resistant orality, and sass) in the nineteenth century.
Ricardo Sabogal-Suji's research in the Ph.D. program is on the strategies of low-income people to face the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy and Peru. He has carried out ethnographic fieldwork in the following places: Comunidad Campesina de Tambomachay in Cusco, Peru; Peruvian Amazon; Perugia, Italy; and Huanchaco Beach in Peru. As a result of these and other minor fieldworks, two Peruvian universities have published several books written by him, including Perdonando a los Dioses (Forgiving the Gods), Personas Privilegiadas sin Bolsillos (Privileged People without Pockets), En Busca del Hombre Cero (In Search of Homo Zero), El Antropólogo Ilegal (The Illegal Anthropologist), Poesía entre Versos (Poetry between Verses), El Baile Invisible de la Antropología de la Música (The Invisible Dance of Anthropology of Music), La Teoría de los Hombres No (The Theory of No Humans), El Turista Equivocado (The Wrong Tourist), Egoculturas Proactivas en los Andes (Proactive Egocultures in the Andes), Estructura Mental de los Racistas Peruanos (Mental Structure of Peruvian Racists), Antropología Insurrecta (Insurgent Anthropology), Un Antropólogo Primitivo en los Estados Unidos de América (A Primitive Anthropologist in the United States of America), and Los Antiguos y Originales Surfers de Huanchaco (The Old and Original Surfers from Huanchaco). Ricardo holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Cusco in Peru, a Certificate in Linguistics from the University of Perugia in Italy, and an M.A. in Anthropology from the FAU in the United States. Website | Bookshop
Barbara Salani is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Comparative Studies, focusing on Musicology and Italian Language. She holds a B.M. from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance at FAU. With a background as concert pianist, she has performed as soloist with numerous orchestras and in several countries of the world. She is a coordinator of Music for America, an international Swiss organization for the support and development of music education in the world. Since 2018, she collaborates with the Consulate General of Italy in Miami on music projects for American schools during the Week of Italian Language in the World. During a visit to a Medieval castle in Tuscany, she found the focus for her dissertation: an unpublished manuscript of an 1812 Italian Opera dedicated to the Queen of Naples, Caroline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister. Website | LinkedIn | Facebook
Arianna Salomon is a Ph.D student in the Comparative Studies program and Graduate Teaching Assistant at Florida Atlantic University, and holds a B.A. in Humanities and a M.A. in Italian Philology and Literature from Ca' Foscari University (Venice, Italy). Her research interests include 19th and 20th century Italian literature, Italian American literature, and travel literature.
Melissa Annette Santiago is a mother, teacher, and author who holds both an M.A. and B.A. in English Literature. Puerto Rican by descent, her graduate work thus far has centered on how discursive space delimits legibility for individuals in minority communities. Her areas of interest span such disciplines as American Literature, U.S. Multi-Ethnic Literature, Postcolonial Literature and Space and Place Studies. Her published works include a creative non-fiction essay entitled “Borne of Ghosts,” which was published in the Spring 2019 volume of Label Me Latina/o, as well as a critical article called “Approaching the ‘Realized:’ Time and the ‘Abject’ in Kiese Laymon’s Long Division” published in The Journal of the Future Humanities in 2018. She is currently a student in the Ph.D. in Comparative Studies Program at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.
Lystra Seenath is on the Culture, Society and Politics track of the Comparative Studies program.
Peyton Sibert is a doctoral candidate in Florida Atlantic University’s Comparative Studies Program, where she focuses on Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies and Feminist Theory. Their research centers on the power of storytelling and personal narratives within advocacy work, particularly as it pertains to bodily autonomy. She serves as the Vice President of the Comparative Studies Student Association and has taught both English and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies courses. Prior to pursuing her PhD, she earned a Master of Arts degree in Professional Writing with concentrations in Creative Writing and Composition & Rhetoric at Kennesaw State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing and minors in Marketing and Business Administration at the University of Findlay. Their work can be found in the MLA Grads Blog , The Headlight Review , and From the Writers' Kitchen. In her free time, Peyton enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time outdoors.
Megan Spring is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Seth P. Stein is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
James Stewart is currently an Assistant Professor at Broward College and will be starting the Comparative Studies Program concentrating on digital humanities and narratology in the Fall. He received a B.A. in English and a B.F.A. in Theatre from the University of Southern Mississippi. He also received an M.A. in English from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. For fun, he enjoys reading; binge-watching episodic television on Netflix; collecting records; playing guitar; and spending time with his wife, Adrienne, and his two-year-old son, Wallker.
Raiza Jiménez Striedingeris a journalist and novelist with a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Florida Atlantic University. Their research focuses on women's studies, with an emphasis on Literature and Art History, mainly in works from the Renaissance. Raiza is currently writing a book on the myth of Medusa, feminism, and the male narrative and is the president of the Hispanic Honor Society Sigma Delta Pi.
Ali Friedberg Tal-mason is in her third year in the Comparative Studies P.h.D. program at F.A.U. She holds a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, where she held editorial positions at the University of Miami Inter-American Law Review. Her interdisciplinary perspective combines literary and legal analysis and archival research to examine discursive as well as socio-legal aspects of colonialism and postcolonialism in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, within a transoceanic context. Her work explores the colonial roots of contemporary social justice issues and inequalities, particularly with respect to labor, migration, land, and citizenship.
Roxanne Hudgins Ten Eyck is a graduate student in the PhD Comparative Studies CLL Program at FAU. She received an MA in Communication and Multimedia Studies at FAU and BA in Journalism at Wichita State University. Roxanne comes from a background in media advertising sales in the South Florida market during her previous business career. Her research and writing focus is on aging and ageism, including proposing an inquiry to integrate aging into feminist theory; studying the rural mystique and whether it lives up to the expectations of retirees; and researching the effects of sexism, racism and ageism of the elderly online. Her research often blends an interdisciplinary approach drawing knowledge from varying fields. Roxanne has taught “Interpersonal Communication” for FAU School of Communication and Multimedia Study. Academia.edu | LinkedIn | Merit
Alessandra E. Thompson entered the Comparative Studies program in Fall 2022 and is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track.
Lilleth Trewick is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.
Alexander Veal is on the Comparative Studies: Culture, Society, and Politics track. He received his Bachelor’s in Political Science and History from the University of Florida in 2019 with undergraduate certificates in Public Affairs and International Relations. He then received his Master’s in Public Administration from Florida Atlantic University in 2021. He is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society, has published “The Five Faces of Oppression Personified as Horseman of the Apocalypse”, and was a finalist for the 2022 Local Government Management Fellowship. His research areas of interest include environmental humanities, urban planning, sustainability, community resiliency, and green policy and practice in the local governments of South Florida. As both a full-time employee with the State of Florida and full-time student, Zander wishes to continue promoting equitable policies and empowering communities through leadership, advocacy, and adaptability. Linkedin
Caroline Webb is a candidate for a Ph.D. in Comparative Studies. She is currently researching storytelling methodologies to combat linguicism in higher education. However, she has published and presented in many areas of linguistics and TESOL, including intercultural pragmatics, language teacher education, and second language acquisition. Caroline is a tenured professor at Broward College, where she has taught in the English for Academic Purposes Department since 2016. She has held faculty positions at two universities in the Midwest and taught for several years in England and in Italy. Caroline holds a Master's in TESOL from the University of Bristol, England and a Bachelor's in Italian from Connecticut College.
Maha Wright is a PhD student in the Comparative Studies Program at Florida Atlantic University in the Culture, Society, and Politics path (CSP). Her main research interest centers on sociopolitical changes in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East. For her M.A. Studies, she sought a better understanding of the intersections of culture, society, and politics in the Middle East. For her PhD Thesis, she is working under the supervision of Dr. Eric Berlatsky. Maha Wright wishes to understand how states with strong cultural and religious foundations successfully transition to meet the needs of their increasingly modern populations in a global world.
Samira S. Zahangir is on the Culture, Society and Politics track of the Comparative Studies program.
Adam Ziad is on the Cultures, Languages and Literatures track of the Comparative Studies program.