Teaching and Mentorship

Urban Planning Placement (Graduate Level): Course Coordinator & Lecturer, Western Sydney University.

• Focus: A work-based learning unit that bridges the gap between academic study and professional practice for Master of Planning and Urban Management students.
• Applied learning: Students are placed with planning and urban policy employers to undertake real-time  tasks under the supervision of experienced practitioners. The curriculum emphasizes reflective practice, ethical professional conduct, and the integration of theory with real-world urban policy challenges.

Social and Cultural Geography (Undergraduate): Course Coordinator & Lecturer, Western Sydney University.

• Focus: Examines the critical nexus between society, culture, and place. The curriculum investigates contemporary planning issues—including place management, ethnic concentration, and the spatial politics of gender and race – to advance student skills in planning for social justice.
• Applied learning: Students conduct original social research on 'real-world' instances of place-based exclusion, evaluating local government strategies and community responses to marginalization.
• Highlight: Awarded the "Excellence in Teaching Award" for rapidly redesigning this curriculum for online delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic

People, Place and Social Difference (Undergraduate): Workshop Lecturer, Western Sydney University.

• Focus: the local experiences of cultural and socio-economic difference within urban settings. The course applies social science lenses to inequality, diversity, community, and environmental sustainability, with a strong emphasis on developing spatial literacy (mapping, data analysis, and place description).
• Applied Learning: Features immersive fieldwork where students investigate the impacts of ethnic residential concentration on belonging. Students also develop practical skills in constructing socio-economic analyses to visualize social change and key demographic trends.

Managing Cities (Graduate Level): Teaching Assistant, Western Sydney University.

• Focus: Centers on philosophical thought and critical thinking in public planning. The curriculum reviews theoretical frameworks to provide insight into planning processes, analyzing the economic, spatial, and socio-political dimensions of urban management.
• Applied Learning: Students applied planning theory to real-world historical case studies in Sydney (such as the Green Bans movement or the development of Darling Harbour), bridging the gap between abstract theory and the practical realities of city-making.

• "Cultural Diversity: Driving Urban Sustainability" – Master of Social Sustainability, University of Technology, Sydney (2025).
• "The Geography of Islamophobia" – People Place and Social Difference, Western Sydney University (2022).
• "Islamophobia and Racism in Australia" – University of California Berkeley (2017).
• "Islamophobia and Health" – California State University East Bay (2017).
• "Young, Muslim, Aussie and Female" – De Anza Phenomenal Women of Color Series, Cupertino, CA (2016).

I have led diverse teams of senior scholars, research assistants, and operational staff, fostering an environment of ethical, community-centered research, designed for policy impact and social change.

I am currently offering PhD supervision to scholars who are serious about maximizing the impact of their research through engaged approaches with underserved communities.

Areas of Research Supervision

I welcome proposals that align with my expertise in human geography and social policy, particularly in:

• Race, Belonging & Intersectionality: Examining how race and identity shape civic identity and social inclusion.
• Islamophobia: Investigating the spatial and social impacts of anti-Muslim racism.
• Spatial Equity & Civic Identity: Exploring how urban planning and policy influence democratic participation.
• Participatory Research Methods: Co-designing research with communities to address real-world challenges.

Current PhD Candidates

• Antioch University, Graduate School of Leadership and Change (2025–Current). 
• Western Sydney University, School of Law (2024–Current).