Fellowship Recipients
Tanvi DaniFellowship Recipient
Tanvi Dani, SIS/MA’24, is pursuing a graduate degree in international peace and conflict resolution at SIS. She holds a bachelor's degree in global affairs with minors in peace and conflict resolution and Spanish from OP Jindal Global University, India.
Her professional journey includes working full time as a research analyst with Windward US, where she researched and reported on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Activities in the Indo-Pacific Region. She is passionate about interfaith peacebuilding, inter-communal dialogue, and justice on the international level as a means of conflict resolution. In the past, she has researched and published articles on Kurdish civil rights and socio-political struggle, with a keen focus on the Turkish-Kurdish conflict.
The Mustafa Barzani Peace Fellowship was one of the most important factors in enabling Tanvi to complete a master's degree in the US. The financial assistance received through the fellowship enabled her to focus solely on academics, research, networking, internship, and other social opportunities available at SIS. Being a Kurdish scholar through the Mustafa Barzani Peace Fellowship also allowed her to connect with incredible people in Kurdish civil society and academic space inside and outside of Â鶹ÊÓƵ×÷Æ·and learn more about the culture. As an Indian, she understands and appreciates the Kurdish struggle for an autonomous homeland and hopes to highlight the nuances of the struggle for statehood through her training in conflict resolution, international negotiation, and peacebuilding.
Dilek Mustafa DoskiFellowship Recipient
Dilek Mustafa Doski, SIS/MA’24, is pursuing a graduate degree in global governance, politics, and security at SIS. She holds a bachelor's degree in government from Suffolk University, Boston.
Her professional journey includes roles as a research assistant with the Wilson Center's Middle East Program and as a diplomatic intern for the Kurdistan Regional Government's Representation in the United States. The Wilson Center recently published her article, titled “Kurdistan and the United States: ISIS Defeated, What Comes Next?" to emphasize the significance of the US partnership in anti-ISIS operations. The article delves into the security challenges confronting the Kurdistan Region.
Dilek's commitment to fostering peace and diplomacy shines through her participation as a fellow in the prestigious Mustafa Barzani Peace Fellowship, where she conducts research on Kurdish studies and the broader Middle East region. Being a Kurdish scholar at Â鶹ÊÓƵ×÷Æ·, Dilek organized a panel discussion featuring the former KRG Higher Representative to the United States, Bayan Sami, and SIS professor Keith Darden. In this event, she moderated discussions on state building and the Kurdish national identity. This valuable opportunity was made possible through the support and accessibility provided by her fellowship.
Maveen MallahFellowship Recipient
Maveen Mallah, SIS/MA’25, is pursuing a graduate degree in comparative regional studies at SIS. She received her bachelor's degree in comparative international studies from San Diego State University. As a regional studies student, she is interested in specializing in the Middle East.
Her professional journey includes working as a research assistant with the Mustafa Barzani Scholar of Global Kurdish Studies at Â鶹ÊÓƵ×÷Æ·. As part of the Global Kurdish Initiative for Peace, she coordinates campus events, facilitates discussions between Kurdish scholars, and is a part of the ongoing effort to raise awareness of Kurdish issues. Throughout her academic career, she has researched Kurdish state-building efforts and is interested in topics including Kurdish diaspora, nationalism, and the historical and sociopolitical factors shaping Kurdish identity and self-expression.
The Mustafa Barzani Peace Fellowship has exposed Maveen to a plethora of faculty and students who are conscious of the Kurdish struggles and events at Â鶹ÊÓƵ×÷Æ· that celebrate the Kurds.
Rewan IbrahimFellowship Recipient
Rewan Ibrahim, SIS/MA’25, is pursuing a graduate degree in international peace and conflict resolution at SIS. He receivedhis bachelor's degree in international politics and government affairs from George Mason University.
His professional experience includes serving as an assistant to the US Military-Peshmerga affairs during the fight against ISIS. Since 2015, he has been an active Kurd in the Washington, DC, area. Over the past few years, he has participated in numerous events and activities to support the development and visibility of Kurdish society.
The Mustafa Barzani Peace Fellowship has immense significance to Rewan as it will allow him to explore more opportunities to serve Kurdistan.