October 22, 2024

By Shaniyah Golden-Riddle 

Drexel University’s School of Education is excited to announce the arrival of two new visiting scholars for the 2024-2025 academic year. The Visiting Scholars program invites scholars from various academic institutions and independent researchers to engage with the vibrant campus community at Drexel and collaborate with faculty in the School of Education.

The program is designed for those whose research aligns with the School of Education’s mission, promoting connection and intellectual development. Scholars can immerse themselves in campus life, working closely with faculty on innovative research projects. They will have opportunities to present their findings, attend meetings, and co-teach courses, enhancing both their experience and that of the students.

This year, we are proud to welcome Shamo Thar, PhD, and Pegah Abdollahzadeh, PhD, who each bring unique perspectives and expertise.

Dr. Shamo Thar is a scholar-practitioner in international comparative higher education, focusing on educational equity, student success, and multicultural inclusion. With over a decade of experience in research, teaching, and nonprofit leadership, she specializes in supporting underrepresented and international students. She holds a PhD in International Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master of arts in International Development from Brandeis University.

Dr. Shamo has received prestigious awards, including the Margaret McNamara Education Grant and the Scholarly Excellence Award from UMass. As a Visiting Scholar at Drexel, she looks forward to collaborating with Dr. Rebecca Clothey and Dr. Kristy Kelly to explore the impact of U.S. higher education on Himalayan and Tibetan international students and their communities.

Pegah Abdollahzadeh, PhD, is an educator and researcher specializing in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), with a focus on critical thinking, writing skills, and pragmatic failures in academic writing. With over a decade of experience, she has held leadership roles, including head of English departments, and has contributed to language teaching innovations. She earned her PhD in TEFL from Azad University in Bushehr, Iran, where her dissertation examined pragmatic failure in academic writing.

Her teaching expertise includes English for Specific Purposes (ESP) at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences and Jahrom State University, where she received the Teaching Outstanding Mentor Award. As a Visiting Scholar at Drexel, she is eager to collaborate with Dr. Kristy Kelly on a comparative analysis of socio-pragmatic efficacy in scholarly composition, focusing on AI-assisted writing and multi-literacies pedagogy.

To learn more about our visiting scholars and the program, please visit: https://drexel.edu/soe/research/visiting-scholars/.