The MRN (Muslim Researchers' Network) is a platform that aims to promote progress and excellence in academic research conducted by Muslims spanning all subjects in the sciences and humanities.      
                                                                                                       
The objectives of MRN are threefold:
The advancement of education and the advancement of Islamic faith by:
1. Supporting academic research across all fields by Muslims in the UK
2. The provision of grants, non-financial support, and advice to Muslim students to access higher academic education in the UK and
3. Developing a collaborative network of Muslim academics and students alongside academics and students of all other faiths

Meet Our Team

MOHAMADY EL-GABY

MRN Chair

Mohamady is a postdoctoral Neuroscientist at the University of Oxford. His research involves investigating the neural mechanisms underlying memory and abstraction.  In addition, he teaches cellular and circuit Neuroscience to undergraduate students.

DANYAL KHAN

​Research Officer

Danyal is currently pursuing an MPhil in Economics at the University of Oxford, having graduated with a BSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics at LSE. His dissertation sought to estimate the effect of competition between charities on the returns to fundraising. Danyal also serves as the Graduate Chair for the Oxford University Islamic Society.

​ NADA ALFAHAD

 Graphic Design Officer

​Nada is currently completing her studies at the University of Birmingham and is interested in widening participation and increasing Muslim representation in research spaces.

​AYSHA KHALID

Events Coordinator

Aysha is a dentist who qualified at Barts and the London. Alongside teeth, she is involved in several volunteer and charity organisations. Whilst a dental student, Aysha co-founded An Naba Network, a women's organisation aiming to inspire women by providing workshops, tea parties, careers fairs and themed events.

​HASSAAN ABDULLAH

Social Media Officer

​A Public Speaker and Intellectual Thought Builder, dedicated to building intellectual thought among Pakistani youth. With a focus on today's global challenges. Empowering the next generation to take on the world's most pressing problems through critical thinking and innovation and also a tech savant, for promoting digital literacy and empowering others to take advantage of the vast opportunities that technology offers.

HEBA YONIS

​Communities Officer

​Heba completed her undergraduate degree in History and English at the University of Bristol and has a passion for Islamic History and Literature. She aims to facilitate connections among Muslim academics specialising in the humanities.

REFIKA ARABACI

Lead Researcher

​Refika Arabacı is a doctoral researcher in Education at Brunel University London, currently undertaking research on citizenship education in England (funded by the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye). Refika holds a BA in Social Studies Teaching for Secondary Schools from Selcuk University, Konya and an MA in Education from Oxford Brookes University.
She is currently finalising her thesis corrections following her viva. Her research interests lie in citizenship education and social studies, with a particular focus on the concepts of citizenship and identity.

SAMIHA MOHSEN
Events Chair

​Samiha completed her undergraduate degree in History at the University of Oxford. Although broad, her interests lie primarily in late medieval intellectual and social history. For her undergraduate thesis, she wrote on the history of grief through an analysis of Ibn Qayyim's Madarij Al Saalikeen.​

​LIAM CHALCROFT

Engagement Officer

Liam is an MRes/PhD student at the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London. His research focuses on the application of deep learning to medical image analysis, with a particular focus on semantic segmentation of clinical brain scans for prognosis of aphasia in stroke patients. Prior to this, Liam completed an MSci in Chemical Physics at University of Bristol.

​             JULIE KALMONI

Events Coordinator

Julie is currently pursuing her PhD at University College London. Her research involves fabricating robust and fluorine-free superhydrophobic materials using aerosol- assisted chemical vapour deposition. She also hopes to tune the surfaces of these films using various vapour deposition techniques.

​DHUHA AL-FAHAD

Social Media Officer

 Dhuha is a final year Law LLB with Year Abroad student studying at the University of Birmingham. Her interests lie in international human rights, environmental law and how International Public Law has shaped the Middle East in the present day.

AISYAH MUMARY ​

​Communities Officer

​Aisyah Mumary Songbatumis is an Indonesian and currently a teacher at an elementary school in Warsaw, Poland. She holds a degree both in English Education and International Relations and have had her research articles published in TEFL and Political Science journals. Off MRN, she is a founder of a community-based learning in West Sumbawa, Indonesia called Iruristic and an active member of FEMYSO (Forum of the European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations).

​ASMA LEBBAKHAR

Lead Researcher​

​Asma was awarded her PhD in 2023, having dedicated her research to exploring Equality and Diversity in Secondary Schools in England. Her academic journey began with the completion of a Master's degree in Education in 2018, further strengthened by a foundational degree in Sociology from the Open University. Bringing over a decade of experience in secondary education as a Modern Foreign Language Teacher, Asma has significantly contributed to the educational field with her expertise and passion for fostering inclusive learning environments.
Currently, Asma is engaged in educational research projects, where she applies her deep understanding of educational dynamics to investigate and influence positive changes within the system. In addition to her research, she has taken on the role of a lecturer in Critical and Creative Thinking Skills at Brunel University London. 
Asma's interests are broad yet focused, encompassing educational policies, curriculum development, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Her work reflects her commitment to creating educational environments where diversity is celebrated and all students have the opportunity to succeed.
​

​SAFIA KHAN

​Podcast Manager

Safia is a medical student at the University of Oxford. She has academic interests in clinical neuroscience and medical humanities, particularly social determinants of health.

​HAMZA DALVI

Communities Officer

Hamza coordinates the MRN Research Communities. Hamza is a Politics graduate from Lancaster University. He currently works as a Widening Participation practitioner at Lancaster University, supporting students through their academic journey.

AYSE GUR GEDEN​

Research Fellow​

​Ayşe Gür Geden completed her undergraduate studies in Western Languages and Literature at Bogazici University, subsequently serving as an EFL instructor at several higher education institutions. She earned her PGCE from Yildiz Technical University, a Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults from Cambridge University, an MA in Sociology from Istanbul University, and an MA in Applied Linguistics from King's College London. An Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she holds a PhD from the UCL Institute of Education, where she also undertook roles as a quality reviewer and community-engaged learning coordinator.
Presently, Dr. Geden is a Senior Research Fellow at UCL and an Assessment Manager at Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CUP&A). Her previous professional engagements include a tenure at Oxford University Press.

AALIYAH SHAIKH

Psychology, Mental Health & Islam Research Group Lead

Dr Aaliyah was awarded a PhD in Health Psychology by City St George's, University of London School of Health & Medical (formerly psychological) Sciences, where she was subsequently given an Honorary Research Fellowship. She also holds an Honorary Research Fellowship at University of Liverpool where she was a Research Consultant on an AHRC funded project on Chronic Illnesses. Her thesis explored British Muslims’ experiences of the perinatal period, through a decolonising approach that centred Islamic epistemology. Aaliyah graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Master’s in Education in Psychotherapeutic Counselling. Prior to that she completed a Masters in Muslim Community Studies with chaplaincy & spiritual care at The Markfield Institute. She is Certified as a Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), trained in Psychotherapeutic Counselling and has completed various Islamic Psychology courses and engages ongoing with Islamic studies programmes. Aaliyah has extensive experience in writing, research and consultancy on academic projects, working with a number of academics as part of multi-disciplinary teams advising and consulting on all aspects of research, focusing on bridging the gap in health inequalities and connecting with marginalised communities. She founded the Muslim Academic Mentoring Support Service to support fellow Muslims in academia after her challenging academic journey. She also developed a research model: "An Islamic Ontological Paradigm for Research in Psychology and related fields: A Muslim researcher’s process-based perspective (11 point model)", as a result of her PhD research process. Aaliyah completed the Advanced Maqasid Methodology course with the Maqasid Institute in 2023. 
​Her interests include: experiences of human distress, Islamically rooted psychology, decolonial and Islamically informed research, neurodiversity and chronic illness, intergenerational trauma, adverse childhood experiences and drawing on the Islamic tradition for healing particularly through the rich stories of the Prophets, names of Allah and the power of sajood. Aaliyah has trained in and studied psychodynamic, integrative, trauma informed, and Islamic approaches to therapy and psychology.

​Past Team Member

IMRAN NAVED ​

Programmes Coordinator

Imran was our co-founder and previous Events coordinator.

MINAHIL MUJAHID

Conference Chair 2021

Minahil was our conference chair in 2021.
​

HANNAH RANA

Operations & Finance

Hannah completed a DPhil in space cryogenics at the University of Oxford. Her research focused on developing Stirling pulse tube cryocoolers for astrophysics detectors. A full prototype of a spaceflight cryocooler has been built and tested in her lab.

MOUSTAFA MOUSTAFA​ ​

Project Manager

Moustafa was our Projects manager and inspired the formation of the MRN after organising the first research conference with FOSIS.

USMAN MALIK

Social Media Officer 2022

Usman was our Social media officer in 2023. 
​

​MARWA EL-GABY

Communities Manager

Marwa is the manager of the Mentorship and Research Communities’ team at the MRN. She also leads the Social Sciences research community. Marwa has a BSc and MSc in Economics, and a PGDip and MA in Education. She is currently an Educator and the Founder of Studious Muslimah.

HATICE SARE TEMEL ​

Mentorship Manager

Hatice was our Mentorship manager and initiated the Research Communities project.
​

NOOR QURASHI

Secretary 2021

 Noor was our secretary in 2021. ​

​ ABUBAKR KARIMABADI​

Communities Officer

​Abubakr is a barrister graduating from the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary. His interests lie in public international law and Islamic history and is keen to advance Muslim contributions in these areas. He is currently working in the mentorship team connecting academics and doctors with mentees in the UK and in Palestine.