Education: BA, Middle Eastern Studies, UC Los Angeles; MA, Middle Eastern Studies, University of Chicago; Ph.D. Candidate, Comparative Literature, UC Santa Barbara
Bio: Richard Nedjat-Haiem is a second-generation Iranian-American from Los Angeles, CA. He is a former transfer student, transferring from Santa Monica College to UCLA, where he earned a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies. Richard then pursued an M.A. at the University of Chicago in the same field and is currently a PhD candidate in the Comparative Literature Program at UCSB. His dissertation, “Pluri-Arabism: Language Change in Arabic Popular Culture,” reflects his deep engagement with language and cultural studies across the Arab World. Richard spent the last year in Amman, Jordan as a CASA II Arabic fellow, studying Arabic and conducting research throughout the region. Fluent in English, Persian, Arabic, and French, Richard’s interdisciplinary expertise and linguistic prowess make him a valuable asset in the field of Comparative Literature. Richard is excited to be back at UCSB and is grateful for the opportunity to support and work with UCSB’s transfer students in his role as Graduate Mentor.