I am a Ph.D. student at the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies (IMIS), an award-winning lecturer, and a researcher specializing in (forced) migration, social justice, agency, and the Syrian diaspora in Germany. I hold an M.A. in Education and Pedagogy in Societal Diversity from Uni Osnabrück and a B.A. in Migration Pedagogy and Social Sciences from Carl von Ossietzky Uni. Additionally, I studied International Relations with a Focus on the MENA Region at Sabancı University Istanbul.
“Once, I read a study about educational upward mobility that highlighted how, for those who do not inherit academic networks through their families, a mentor often becomes the key to unlocking opportunities. Inspired by this, I started a mentoring program at my university for refugee-background students and later co-founded another for first-generation students—creating long-term support structures for those navigating academia without established networks.”