To recognize their continuous commitment to contributing meaningfully to higher education in Pakistan, Habib University has appointed nine distinguished faculty members to senior ranks within their programs. This is a testament to their profound impact on students, their pioneering research, and their dedicated service to the university community.
In a historic milestone for Habib University, Dr. Shah Jamal Alam has been appointed to the position of Full Professor of Computer Science, becoming the first ladder faculty member to ascend from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and now to Professor. This is a testament to his profound and multifaceted contributions to the institution. Beyond his distinguished scholarship and teaching, Professor Alam has been a cornerstone of the university’s administration. He has served as University Registrar, Director of Academic Systems, and currently as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Accreditation. His academic impact is uniquely interdisciplinary, having taught a wide range of courses, including cross-listed offerings with the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, while making sustained contributions to the Habib Liberal Core. Through his mentorship of new faculty and his valuable intellectual leadership, he has consistently enriched the student experience and set a benchmark for academic excellence, innovation, and dedicated service.
In recognition of her impactful educational leadership, Dr. Nahrain Al-Mousawi has been appointed to the position of Associate Professor of Comparative Humanities. Since joining Habib University in 2022, Dr. Al-Mousawi has rapidly become an invaluable intellectual force, enriching the curriculum with a diverse range of courses in rhetoric, literature, and critical theory. She has demonstrated exceptional pedagogical innovation by redesigning the foundational Rhetoric & Communication course around the theme of Karachi, thereby making critical theory immediately relevant and deeply engaging for students by connecting it to their local context. This contribution, alongside her robust scholarly output, which includes a monograph, peer-reviewed articles, and published poetry, has substantially advanced the academic vitality of the Comparative Humanities program and the broader intellectual life of the university.
Dr. Muhammad Qasim Pasta’s appointment to Associate Professor of Computer Science celebrates his dedication to Habib University which has deepened since his official appointment in 2022. An exceptional educator and the recipient of the 2024 Teaching Excellence Award, Dr. Pasta has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to pedagogical excellence. His influence, however, extends far beyond the classroom. As an accomplished scholar, he has published extensively and secured numerous research grants, enhancing the university’s academic reputation. Furthermore, his significant service contributions, made through active participation on several university committees, underscore his deep investment in the institution’s governance and communal well-being.
Ms. Haya Fatima Iqbal has been appointed to the position of Associate Professor of Practice in Communication & Design honoring her time at Habib University. As an Emmy and Academy Award-winning filmmaker, she brings an unparalleled level of real-world excellence into the academic sphere, focusing her powerful work on critical issues such as gender justice, climate change, and civic resilience. Her unique pedagogy masterfully bridges theory and practice, immersing students in fieldwork that transforms learning into tangible action. Through her dedication, Ms. Iqbal challenges her students to achieve intellectual rigor and deep critical engagement, consistently inspiring them to grow not only as scholars and filmmakers but as conscientious and socially responsible citizens.
Mr. Farhan Anwar’s appointment to the position of Associate Professor of Practice in Social Development & Policy recognizes his exceptional ability to translate decades of high-impact expertise into transformative educational experiences. Since joining Habib University, he has enriched the curriculum by teaching foundational and advanced courses in urban planning, sustainability, and development, drawing directly from his over two decades worth of consulting work with organizations like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, through which he has helped shape major urban initiatives in Karachi. By seamlessly integrating this real-world practice into his teaching and mentoring, Mr. Anwar provides students with an invaluable bridge between academic theory and the complex, current debates shaping the field, preparing them to become the next generation of pragmatic and informed development practitioners.
Mr. Mohammad Moeini Feizabadi’s appointment to Senior Lecturer II in Social Development & Policy is a testament to his eight years of dedicated and impactful service at Habib University, where he has become a cornerstone of the program’s curriculum. Over this period, he has enriched the academic landscape by teaching a wide and diverse array of courses in economics and political economy, including innovative interdisciplinary seminars. His pedagogical approach is distinguished by its success in fostering critical inquiry and a deep sense of civic responsibility among students. An active scholar who consistently integrates his research, evidenced by published articles and conference presentation into his teaching, Mr. Feizabadi ensures that his pedagogy is dynamically informed by the latest scholarly debates, thereby providing a rigorous and contemporary learning experience for all his students.
The appointment of Ms. Sajal Sohail Rana as Senior Lecturer in Integrated Sciences and Mathematics celebrates her extensive experience and dedicated leadership within the foundational mathematics curriculum. She has skillfully guided students through some of the program’s most challenging core courses, including Calculus and Linear Algebra. Ms. Rana’s teaching philosophy, which prioritizes deep conceptual understanding and the development of critical thinking skills, ensures that students build a robust and lasting mathematical foundation. Furthermore, her commitment to adapting her pedagogy to meet diverse learning needs demonstrates a student-centered approach that makes advanced mathematical concepts accessible and engaging for all learners, thereby upholding the highest standards of academic excellence.
Mr. Syed Ali has been appointed to the senior position of Lecturer II in Communication & Design recognizing his dual role as both an educator and a vital technical architect of the program’s creative environment. He has taught a multitude of film production courses, covering direction, editing, and cinematography, thereby equipping students with critical hands-on skills. Simultaneously, in his capacity as Technical Manager for the CND Studios, he has profoundly strengthened the student experience by meticulously curating and managing the Film Studio spaces. His dedicated efforts in this role have provided an essential, professional grade infrastructure that empowers students to produce exceptional and ambitious work, not only for their coursework but also for their culminating final projects, directly elevating the quality and scope of creative output at Habib University.
Ms. Maria Samad’s appointment to the position of Lecturer II in Computer Science acknowledges her multifaceted and deeply engaged contributions since joining Habib University in 2021. As an educator, she has skillfully taught foundational and core courses while providing crucial supervision for capstone projects, enriching her pedagogy with innovative, activity-based learning methodologies. Beyond the classroom, Ms. Samad has demonstrated a commitment to the community through her active participation in the Khidmat Committee. Furthermore, her dedication to experiential learning is evidenced by her supervision of several student projects that extend beyond academic exercise to achieve tangible, real-world impact, thereby bridging the vital gap between theoretical computer science and its practical, societal applications.
Habib University President Wasif Rizvi congratulated the newly appointed faculty, expressing faith in their commitment to revolutionizing higher education in Pakistan. He also thanked the external reviewers, the Provisional Committee on Faculty for their input, and the Office of Academic Affairs for their diligent work on the appointments.
