As we celebrate NLU’s 140-year legacy, we’re also celebrating the scholars who will shape our next 140 years. This year, we shine a spotlight on several faculty who joined the university during the 2022–2024 academic years. Faculty arrive at NLU with diverse experiences and at different stages of their scholarly journeys. Some are launching new programs of research, while others bring well-established expertise that continues to grow in new directions. In future annual reports, we will continue to spotlight newer faculty as they grow their scholarly careers at NLU, showcasing the growing depth of scholarship across NLU while celebrating the future of thought leadership at our university. EMERGING VOICES: Looking Forward: Emerging Voices in Thought Leadership
Dr. Abdullah Alshboul, Undergraduate College Advancing AI-driven cybersecurity and intelligent computing
Dr. Alshboul’s research applies artificial intelligence and machine learning to address emerging cybersecurity challenges. He has served as an active facilitator for NLU’s implementation of the NASA Transform to Open Science (TOPS) Workshops, advancing the core principles of Open Science. His recent publications explore innovative approaches to detecting vulnerabilities in blockchain smart contracts and improving cybersecurity threat recognition through advanced deep learning models. Through his work, Dr. Alshboul is contributing to the development of more secure, intelligent, and resilient digital systems and the development of science literacy.
Dr. Blanca Gamez-Djokic, National College of Education. Advancing community-centered research-practice partnerships
Dr. Gamez-Djokic’s scholarship supports the enactment of research-practice partnerships as collaborative, relationship-centered endeavors that elevate the voices and lived experiences of communities. Her recent work includes a publication in Qualitative Inquiry introducing new ways of understanding the emotional and cultural dimensions of research-practice partnerships. Reflecting her collaborative approach, she quickly became an active member of NLU’s research community, joining an interdisciplinary seed grant team within her first year and co-authoring major grant proposals to advance inclusive, community-engaged research.
Dr. Magda Giurcanu, Undergraduate College Strengthening civic engagement and democratic participation
Dr. Giurcanu’s scholarship bridges political science and community engagement, advancing research that helps strengthen democratic participation both locally and internationally. She has presented her work on civic engagement, European politics, and public policy nationally and internationally. She has enacted her commitment to increasing civic engagement through an NLU Seed Grant designed to build young people’s civic knowledge and commitment to addressing social issues. She has also expanded opportunities for civic dialogue by organizing NLU’s “ Growing Democracy” conference and podcast series, and contributes to the university’s research culture as an active member of the Research Support Group.
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