IAMCR Webinar "Pathways to Excellence"

Insights from the Islam and Media Working Group Awardees

This is an inspiring session to celebrate the outstanding researchers recognised at the IAMCR Galway 2026 Conference. Having earned the highest ratings from the Islam and Media Working Group jury, these award-winning scholars will share the behind-the-scenes stories of their academic journeys. In this interactive webinar, the speakers will reflect on the critical challenges they encountered while conducting groundbreaking research at the intersection of Islam and modern media. From navigating complex methodological frameworks to overcoming data collection hurdles, they will reveal what it truly takes to produce excellent scholarly work.

When: Friday, 20 November 2026, at 12:00 UTC / 12:00 London / 13:00 Paris / 14:00 Cairo / 15:00 Nairobi / 17:30 Kolkata / 20:00 Beijing / 22:00 Brisbane. The event will last 90 minutes.

Pre-registration is required by 18 November. Pre-register here.

Organised by: IAMCR Islam and Media Working Group Head: Fatma Elzahraa Elsayed (Cairo University), Abida Ashraf (University of Punjab) and Saima Shahid (Independent researcher)

Moderator

Fatma Elzahraa Elsayed

Cairo University, Egypt
Chair of the Islam and Media Working Group

Opening remarks

Karen Arriaza Ibarra

IAMCR's Vice President
Professor in Audiovisual Communication at the Faculty of Communication of Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain.

Speakers

Huixuan Qin

I am a student in International Journalism and Communication with academic interests in migration governance, gender politics, and global media narratives.

My work explores how identities, inequalities, and political meanings are constructed, contested, and communicated across borders. Through research projects on refugee policy, urban poverty, gender representation, and digital cultures, I have examined how institutions, media platforms, and local communities shape experiences of belonging, exclusion, and social justice.

My research experiences include studying migrant solidarity and urban sanctuary initiatives in Canada, investigating gendered narratives in global media discourse in Poland, and conducting fieldwork on informal settlements and housing precarity in the Philippines. These projects have strengthened my interests in migration, humanitarian governance, and the relationship between media and public understanding.

Alongside research, I have worked in photography, visual documentation, and cross-cultural communication, including supporting international cultural productions through bilingual translation and media storytelling. I am particularly interested in combining research and communication to make complex social issues more accessible to diverse audiences

Maram Al Turky

I am a senior at Wayne State University majoring in Communication Studies with a minor in Global Studies. As a Communication Studies student, I've developed a deep interest in understanding how communication processes impact individuals. My minor has also provided me with cross-cultural communication skills and inclusivity knowledge, which are crucial in today's diverse and globalized world.

The knowledge, skills, and training I have gained have proven to be invaluable not only as a student but as an English-as-Second-Language (ESL) teacher's assistant where the fascinating insights I gained have allowed me to approach teaching in a unique way and provide my students with a more effective learning experience that is best adapted to their needs. This has also proven fruitful as a non-profit worker where I was able to effectively communicate with fellow volunteers and the community we served.

In addition to understanding communication processes, the most valuable lessons I have learned during my time at WSU center around research and writing. The research-based courses I've taken and my participation in Wayne State's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program have fueled my passion for conducting thorough research and presenting my findings clearly and compellingly. Through these experiences, I have gained skills in research methodology and data analysis using applications like SPSS. These skills have been valuable in both written and data-driven communication, and I hope to use them to become a better student, educator, and human being in the future.

Jing Song

Song Jian, researcher at the School of International Journalism and Communication at Beijing Foreign Studies University, is a member of IAMCR and the ISM group. He presented a keynote paper at the ISM group of IAMCR 2024 in Christchurch, New Zealand, and has published papers at the international communication conference at Linnaeus University in Sweden and delivered speeches at the Beijing Foreign Studies University online publishing international conference. Song was also a visiting scholar at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, where he received the Best Paper Award. He is proficient in Chinese, Arabic, English, and Japanese, and is currently participating in the PHD group of the dean of his school.

Registration

Pre-registration is required by 18 November. Pre-register here.

Location: The meeting will take place on Zoom. Pre-registered participants will receive their personal invitations 24 hours before the webinar begins.

Who can participate: The webinar is open to all IAMCR members but space is restricted. A limited number of guest invitations for non-members may be available. Fill out this form to request being added to the guest list.

Not sure if you're a member? Check the membership directory.

If you are not a member of IAMCR, you can join here.


About the series

The IAMCR Webinar Series aims to open-up channels for engagement and participation in addition to the annual conference, while echoing the great work that is done by Sections, Working Groups and IAMCR members. The series includes presentations, debates, book and project launches. The format is flexible, the connection is what matters. Join us!