Graduate Spotlight: Nahid Ahmadian

Interview with PhD candidate Nahid Ahmadian.

What was the title of your dissertation?

"The Development of Theater in Post-Revolutionary Iran from 1979 to 1997."
     
What are your research interests?

Iranian theater, theater historiography, Persian drama, comparative literature studies, literary translation.

Why did you decide to study English at UMD?

It is one of the most diverse departments of English with more than 50 tenure-track faculties. Also, the Roshan Institute for Persian Studies was an important reason why I chose to study at the UMD. 

What job/field are you interested in after graduation?

Postdocs and tenure-track positions in theater studies, comparative literature, Middle Eastern studies, and Iranian studies. I am also interested in working as a literary translator and as a dramaturg in theater productions.

What was a memorable project you worked on during your graduate program?

My collaboration with Alma Theater Group in the production of the Persian play Home. It was staged in John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D.C. Also, the literature courses I taught at the UMD were among the best experiences I had during my studies at the UMD.