Marwan Maho Abdi
Assistant Professor
English Literature - Postmodern Novel
College of Languages
Department of English
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Phone Number
- +9647504833928
Biography
Dr. Marwan M. Abdi is a faculty member at the University of Duhok, College of Languages, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and the Executive Director of TESOL Kurdistan. He currently serves as Chair-Elect of the Affiliate Network Professional Council (ANPC) at the TESOL International Association (USA) for 2024–2025. His work focuses on strengthening professional communities of English language educators, particularly in under-resourced and post-conflict contexts. Dr. Abdi holds a PhD in World Literature and Cultural Studies and completed advanced ESL and teacher training at the University of Texas at Austin as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar (2018). He also earned TESOL Certificates from Arizona State University (2016). His research interests include ELT leadership, teacher development, and integrating critical and cultural literacy into EFL contexts.
- 2024 PhD in World Literature – Cultural Studies,, Slahaddin University, Kurdistan, Iraq
- 2018 Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
- • Currently serving as the Chair of Affiliate Network Professional Council- Int. TESOL Association-USA Organized and Moderated Association's Affiliates' Assembly on Aug 21, 2026. LAMSIG Award Recipient, IATEFL April, 2026 Brighton – UK.
- • Presented at TESOL International Association's Convention, Long Beach - California- US on March 2025
- • Presented at IATEFL Conference, Edinburgh - UK on April 2025
- • Organizer, and Panel Moderator: TESOL Kurdistan's International Symposium, Duhok Nawroz University, 11 Feb 2026. (English Language Education and the Shaping of Cultural and National Identity).
- • Organizer, TESOL Kurdistan's International Conference, ERBIL UKH, 10-11 Dec 2025. (Empowering Educators, Transforming Learning: Rethinking English Teaching in a Changing World)
- • (Symposium Chair, TESOL Kurdistan International Symposium: Interculturality and New Trends in Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language, 25 Nov 2024)
- • Emerging Scholar Award, Twentieth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities, Jun 20 - 22, 2022 at Department of Mediterranean Studies, School of Humanities, University of the Aegean, Rhodes, Greece
- • International TESOL Convention and Language Expo, 22-25 March 2022, Pennsylvania: in person presentation, “Prospects of MOOCs in Iraq’s Education”
- • Recipient of 2022 Meral Güçeri TESOL/TEFL Award for International Participant March, 3, 2018 International Conference on Literature in University of Osijek, in person presentation.
- • Fulbright Alumnus , University of Texas at Austin -USA Fulbright Program-Iraqi Visiting Scholar , June - September 2028
- • October 25-27, 2017 - Presented "Online Education for Professional Development", in fhi30 Sustainability Conference.
- • September 9-12 Assisted as a Session Lead and Mentor in TASAWI Alumni Regional Workshop (Erbil).
- • August 2017 - Completed more than 150 hours of online instruction 10 hours of observation in; Theories of Second Language Acquisition and Technology-Enriched Teaching and received the TESOL Certificate from Arizona State University.
- • May 14-16, 2017 -Attended in fhi360, (TASAWI) Best Practices Regional Workshop (Erbil). August 7- September 25, 2015 - Completed online course in American Poetry; Emily Dickinson (EDX)
- • March 9-12 2015- Completed the TASAWI English Teacher Training Course, sponsored and conducted by the fhi360 and the US. Consulate in Erbil.
- • World literature
- • Cultural studies
- • TESOL
- • Multilingualism, and intercultural communication, with a particular focus on integrating literary texts into language education.
- • Current interests also explore how literature can enhance learners’ critical literacy, cultural literacy, intercultural awareness, and engagement with diverse perspectives.