People
Director & Chair of IPGS
Dr. Amy Malek
Assistant Professor of Global Studies
Endowed Chair and Director of Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies
Dr. Malek is a sociocultural anthropologist specializing in the intersections of migration, citizenship, and culture in the Iranian diaspora.
Professorships
The School of Global Studies offers four IPGS endowed professorships with the purpose of developing focused educational and research efforts in and about the Iranian and Persian Gulf region.
The annual support these professorships provide allow faculty to explore their disciplines - whether in the liberal arts, engineering, agriculture, or otherwise - from the perspective of Iran and the Persian Gulf. Open professorships are filled through a competitive call for proposals; any tenured or tenure-track faculty member at Oklahoma State University is eligible to apply for a professorship, which is awarded on a three-year basis with the possibility of renewal.
Dr. Hamed Gholizadeh
Assistant Professor of Geography, IPGS Endowed Professor
Project Title: Mapping Biodiversity in Hyrcanian Forests of Northern Iran
Dr. Pouya Jahanshahi
Associate Professor of Graphic Design, IPGS Endowed Professor
Project Title: Metamorphosis of Tiger Nastaʿlīq script
Dr. Ali Mirchi
Assistant Professor of Geography, IPGS Endowed Professor
Project Title: Protecting Water and Food Security in Iran and the Persian Gulf Region through Sustainable Water Management Research, Education, and Outreach
Dr. Adel Pezeshki
Associate Professor of Animal and Food Sciences, IPGS Endowed Professor
Project Title: Regulation of Glycemic Control by Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Farzaneh Family Foundation
The IPGS Program was established through the generous support of the Farzaneh Family Foundation, established by Mohammad and Jalal Farzaneh. The brothers recalled their father’s encouragement that all his children pursue a higher education: “Our late father believed education not only built a person’s character, but was also crucial to building society.”
The Farzaneh brothers immigrated to the United States in 1978 and made Oklahoma their
home. They graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1981 with bachelor degrees
in environmental design. Immediately following graduation, they began their own construction
business, Home Creations, which grew to become Oklahoma’s largest home-building company.
In 1984, they returned to OU to earn masters’ degrees in architecture.
Through the Farzaneh Family Foundation, the brothers are giving back to the Oklahoma
community that gave them so much.