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NU-Q announces Miriam Gamoran Sherin as the speaker for its 2025 convocation
Tribune News Network
Doha
Northwestern University in Qatar has announced that Miriam Gamoran Sherin, associate provost for undergraduate education at Northwestern University, will deliver the keynote address at its 2025 convocation ceremony. The ceremony will be held on August 21st, 2025, to welcome the university's 18th incoming class — the Class of 2029 — marking the start of the new academic year.
As convocation speaker, Sherin will join Northwestern Qatar dean and CEO Marwan M. Kraidy in addressing the Class of 2029, one of the most accomplished and dynamic incoming cohorts in the school's history. Representing many nationalities, the incoming students bring talents in writing, filmmaking, debating, content creation, and screenwriting.
Sherin has served as Northwestern's associate provost for undergraduate education since 2018, where she oversees initiatives to enhance the undergraduate academic experience through close collaboration with schools, Student Affairs, and specialized undergraduate education units. Her leadership emphasizes enriching the educational journey of Northwestern's 8,000 undergraduate students, with a special focus on fostering success for first-generation and low-income students and those from under-resourced schools.
A member of the Northwestern faculty since 1997, Sherin is the Alice Gabrielle Twight Professor of Learning Sciences in the School of Education and Social Policy. Over more than two decades, she has held leadership roles, including Director of Undergraduate Education and Associate Dean for Teacher Education. Her research has advanced understanding of teacher thinking and learning, particularly in the area of 'teacher noticing' — how educators identify and respond to key moments in instruction. She has also pioneered the use of video as a tool for teacher professional development.
Sherin earned her B.A. and M.A. in Mathematics from the University of Chicago and the University of California, San Diego, respectively, and holds a Ph.D. in Science and Mathematics Education from the University of California, Berkeley.
In welcoming Sherin, Dean Kraidy said: 'We are delighted to welcome Miriam to Northwestern Qatar. She embodies the academic excellence and collaborative spirit that connect our campuses in Evanston and Doha, and her dedication to enriching the student experience makes her the perfect voice to welcome the Class of 2029 into our global community.'
The annual Convocation is a cherished tradition that follows a week-long orientation program, including the traditional 'March Through the Arch,' during which new students are formally welcomed into the Northwestern community. The ceremony marks both an academic milestone and the beginning of a lifelong connection to the university.
