I grew up in Dammam, Saudi Arabia and later in Lahore, Pakistan. I received my BSc Hons. in Economics and Political Science from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Pakistan and my MA in Education and International Development from University College London (UCL), United Kingdom. I started my career as a Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant at LUMS. Upon graduation, I felt committed to teaching and joined a secondary school as a teacher for GCSE Mathematics and Economics. During this time, I developed interest in educational research, particularly the nexus between politics and education. In London, I was a Coach for a social enterprise named Coachbright through which I worked with students from disadvantaged backgrounds, with the aim of raising their grades, confidence and potential.

My doctoral research centers on the role of education as a political tool.  Particularly, I am interested in how the formal and the hidden curriculum in the public universities of Pakistan reflect hyper-nationalism and create antagonistic identities. I am in the process of examining how students belonging to minority faiths and ethnic identities navigate and interact with a discriminatory education system. Within this area of interest, I am further exploring the recent efforts of student movements and student activists in trying to make education inclusive in Pakistan.

At CIE, I find engaging with a network of professionals from the field of education and international development to be very helpful in understanding the challenges of practice. I am also excited to be at the College of Education, UMass Amherst and to have the opportunity to learn from the faculty and students. I feel passionate about teaching and contributing to academic research. [11-19]

Email: mpsheikh@umass.edu