{"656282":{"#nid":"656282","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Faculty Spotlight: Natalie Khazaal","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EName:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ENatalie Khazaal\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDepartment:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EArabic Program, School of Modern Languages\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETitle:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EAssistant Professor of Arabic and Arab Culture\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHometown:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EBurgas, Bulgaria\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EDegree(s)\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;Ph.D. Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of California Los Angeles; M.A.\/B.A. Arab Studies, Sofia University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWho had the greatest influence on your education and\/or career path?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMy parents. My mom spent time with me when I started school, teaching me how to study and do well in class and buying me interesting books to read. Both my mom and dad having master\u0026rsquo;s degrees in electrical engineering served as an inspiration for my own intellectual development. My sixth-grade math teacher also instilled a sense of self-confidence when she would turn to me to ask about the answer to any question other students didn\u0026rsquo;t know how to answer. Not surprisingly, I did very well in math and physics and even considered doing a degree in that.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u0026rsquo;s the goal of your research? What do you hope to change with it?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMy research is about the intersection between the most disenfranchised groups, specifically what media and language can tell us about them and their struggles. One of these groups is Arab atheists and how they struggle for acknowledgment and equal rights. I hope to contribute to normalizing the group, both as a subject of research and as part of Arab society, which isn\u0026rsquo;t as religious as many believe.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMy latest co-edited book is about the two most disenfranchised, disempowered groups on the planet \u0026mdash; first, non-human animals affected by humans, and second, human refugees\/migrants and how we have failed both. With such work, I hope to contribute to bending the arc of history toward justice for these groups and for the planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat do you enjoy\u0026nbsp;most\u0026nbsp;about your work?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen I do research, I enjoy walking in the neighborhood and thinking about the issues I study, trying to form new ideas, and debating those that don\u0026rsquo;t work. I also enjoy working on second drafts after the most difficult task of putting thoughts on paper has been completed, and I can focus on how I should present them to my audience. Now that some of my work is out there and people occasionally reach out for interviews, I see how I can contribute to justice even more by getting the word out about injustices to broader audiences and hopefully making a difference for the groups that I study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you decide to teach at Georgia Tech, and what\u0026#39;s the best part about working here?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI loved the faculty team I met when I interviewed for the job. I\u0026rsquo;ve worked at several other universities before, and the faculty team at Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Modern Languages was the absolute best that I\u0026rsquo;ve met. That was a big incentive, so never underestimate how a good team of colleagues can be the best selling point! Georgia Tech is also one of the best technical schools in the world, and I love hard sciences like physics, math, engineering. I feel lucky and enjoy working with the bright and dedicated students here \u0026mdash; they have been so cheerful and really do their homework.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat moment in Modern Languages\/at Georgia Tech stands out as the most memorable?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe opportunity it presented for adopting a new Arabic book and curriculum. For a long time, I\u0026rsquo;ve been in places where I had to teach a book that I didn\u0026rsquo;t believe was effective, even though it was the default choice in most U.S. schools. For many years, I\u0026rsquo;ve wanted to change to a better one and the trust the Modern Languages team and administration had in me helped me achieve this. My colleague, Dr. Ahmed Ahmed, and I have tested the new curriculum for a year now, and I\u0026rsquo;m so happy how much more effective it is and how much more the students themselves like it and benefit from it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u0026rsquo;s your favorite course to teach and why?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI have a soft spot for intermediate Arabic students and feel a lot of satisfaction seeing them grow more confident in their skills. They still like to play and be funny with the language, yet we speak as equals and communicate serious ideas. I also love teaching a course on globalization, culture, and the Middle East, because it presents an opportunity to talk about the most burning issues of our time, including minorities, refugees, the health of democracy, and the future of the planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDo you have any advice for Modern Languages students at Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo speak up more often in class and have more confidence in their own contribution! For their project in my globalization class, two of my students created a student chapter for a refugee non-governmental organization. Their passion inspired me to write my book, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/brill.com\/view\/title\/58839\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELike an Animal: Critical Animal Studies Approaches to Borders, Displacement, and Othering\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Students are such an inspiration to faculty when they do things they are truly passionate about.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen you\u0026#39;re not working, what do you like to do?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI like oil painting and other art projects. I\u0026rsquo;ve painted portraits for some of my friends and family, and if you\u0026rsquo;re eager, you might be next. I also like fermenting foods because it\u0026rsquo;s like doing new experiments every time \u0026mdash; you never know what you\u0026rsquo;ll end up with. My favorite so far is fermenting leafy greens like chard and collards and kale.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIf you weren\u0026#39;t doing this, what would you be doing?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI probably would be an engineer or have a plant nursery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDo you have an outstanding student, faculty member, staff member, or alumni you\u0026#39;d like to see spotlighted? Nominate them\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.office.com\/Pages\/ResponsePage.aspx?id=u5ghSHuuJUuLem1_Mvqgg01J1g2NT6ZJodR5_mKlFyFUMjc0Sk5aWkZYUzVVRVNUNzNSVjcwTkZMWS4u\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EConnect with Modern Languages on\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gtlanguages\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFacebook\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gt_languages\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EInstagram\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/georgia-tech-modern-languages\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELinkedIn\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/gt_languages\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETwitter\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;and never miss an update on our student activities, school news, and upcoming events.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Natalie Khazaal, assistant professor of Arabic and Arab Culture, enjoys painting and fermenting foods in her free time."}],"uid":"36009","created_gmt":"2022-03-11 17:24:57","changed_gmt":"2022-03-11 18:27:02","author":"cwhittle9","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-03-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2022-03-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"656272":{"id":"656272","type":"image","title":"Natalie Khazaal","body":null,"created":"1647018088","gmt_created":"2022-03-11 17:01:28","changed":"1647018088","gmt_changed":"2022-03-11 17:01:28","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248772","name":"Natalie-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Natalie-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Natalie-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":443913,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Natalie-3.jpg?itok=d8cvysNA"}}},"media_ids":["656272"],"groups":[{"id":"1284","name":"School of Modern Languages"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"182622","name":"Natalie Khazaal"},{"id":"9948","name":"Arabic"},{"id":"3242","name":"Arab"},{"id":"167342","name":"School of Modern Languages"},{"id":"1616","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"189940","name":"faculty spotlight"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECassidy Chreene Whittle\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSchool of Literature, Media, and Communication | School of Modern Languages\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:cwhittle9@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecwhittle9@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}