Tulane Global Visiting Scholars Program supports scholars who face grave risk to their lives and well-being by facilitating their placement at Tulane, where they will contribute their global research, perspectives and when fitting, teaching to enrich our students, faculty, and larger community. As a member of the national organizations Scholars at Risk (SAR) and the New University in Exile Consortium.
Tulane is dedicated to expanding global perspectives of our students and faculty while supporting academic freedom and protecting scholars displaced because of their identity, and the content of their research. Tulane Global Visiting Scholars Program not only plays a significant role in the internationalization of our education and research within Tulane’s community, but most importantly, it aligns with our institutional mission of equity, diversity, and equity.
Current Global Visiting Scholars
Thyn Zar Oo is a Resident Scholar at The Public Law Center (TPLC) at the Tulane University School of Law. Oo is the Co-Founder and Program Director of the Public Legal Aid Network (The PLAN) in Myanmar (Burma). With background in Industrial and Labor Relations, Project Administrations, Access to Justice and Rule of Law, Oo had more than twenty five years of private and public sector legal experience in Myanmar and Asia-Pacific. Prior to the military Coup in Myanmar, as a civil society representative, Oo served on board Myanmar's "National Land Law Formulation (Drafting) and Land Management Laws Harmonization Working Committee", "NLL Formulation (Drafting) Supporting Task-force" and "National Spatial Data Infrastructure – NSDI - legislative working group" which are the official multi-ministerial, multi-stakeholder committees formed under Myanmar's National Land Use Council and the Government of Myanmar (before February 2021).
On February 1, 2021 on the day of military coup, Oo walked out in protest, to enforce the dis-engagement with military junta from where she served on board the Myanmar's reform committees. Oo's famous first-response programs, which she initially designed for the resilience in the COVID19 pandemic, have prepared The PLAN to withstand and outlive the crises as well as to efficiently operate in the devastating times under pressure, in delivering both humanitarian and rights-based programs on the ground. While she still continue to perform her duties as the focal person of The PLAN, Oo has migrated all the policy and legislative reform works to continue from the Tulane Law School as a visiting scholar in residence.
Mariam Taqaddusi is originally from Afghanistan and arrived in New Orleans in Fall 2022. The School of Liberal is temporarily hosting Mariam, where she a visiting scholar at the Program of Gender and Sexuality Studies, MENA Studies, and Newcomb Institute.
Mariam obtained a Master of Social Science in Gender and Women’s Studies from Kabul University in 2019, as well as a Master of Law in Criminal Law and Criminology in 2016, and a Bachelor of Science in Law and Political Science in 2014. She has worked as an Expert Professional in Crime Factor Analysis, Department of Research and Legal Studies in Attorney General’s Office of Afghanistan in 2018-2021. Taqaddusi taught Criminal Science subjects in Urouj Institute of Higher Education from 2016-2020.
Islam Ahmed is originally from Egypt and arrived in New Orleans in Fall 2022. The School of Liberal Arts is temporarily hosting Islam, where he is a visiting scholar at MENA Studies and Political Science. Islam is a Senior researcher and human rights defender and a specialist in criminal justice and responsible for the fair trial guarantees program at Adalah.
Islam holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Conflict and crisis Management from Cairo University. He also holds a master’s degree in Human Rights and Democracy from Saint Joseph University in Beirut.
Islam has published, edited and co-edited op-eds, papers, and reports on social activism and movements in the Arab region, including several reports on human rights in Egypt, about conditions of places of detention, torture, death penalty and fair trial guarantees. Click here for a full list of Islam’s publications.
Host or Sponsor a Visiting Scholar
Hosting at-risk scholars and practitioners at Tulane is a university wide collaborative effort between the Office of Academic Affairs & Provost, Office of International Affairs (Tulane Global), the Office of International Students & Scholars, and dedicated Schools and Departments that commit to welcome and host the scholars and practitioners. Once the at-risk scholars and practitioners arrive at Tulane, they are assigned administrative and faculty mentors to help them with the transition and integration within Tulane and New Orleans.
If you are a Tulane faculty or community member and are interested learning more about the program in general or hosting/sponsoring an at-risk scholar or practitioner, please contact Ana Villar at avillar2@tulane.edu.
