Al-Mahdi Institute is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2025 AMI Doctoral Scholarship, awarded to three outstanding researchers whose work promises to make significant contributions to the field of Shīʿī Studies and beyond.
This year’s awardees, Faezeh Izadi, Omid Hadian Bersiani, and Adam Ramadhan, represent a diverse and dynamic range of scholarly interests, from philanthropic ethics and comparative philosophy to the intellectual history of early Islam.
Faezeh Izadi — University of Calgary
Faezeh Izadi is a PhD candidate and Sessional Instructor in Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, specialising in Shīʿī intellectual history, philanthropic studies, and new religious movements. Her doctoral research undertakes an innovative ethical investigation into the effectiveness of Imāmī Shīʿī charitable practices through a dialogue with the principles of the Effective Altruism (EA) movement.
Her study not only evaluates how EA’s rational and evidence-based approaches can enhance the impact of Shīʿī philanthropic initiatives but also offers a critical assessment of the limitations of EA’s utilitarian framework. By highlighting the moral, communal, and cultural dimensions of religious giving, Faezeh’s work enriches current discussions on ethics, spirituality, and social responsibility within both Islamic and interdisciplinary contexts.
Adam Ramadhan — Leiden University
Adam Ramadhan is a PhD candidate at Leiden University and a researcher within the ERC-funded Embodied Imamate project, which examines the formation of early Shīʿī communities between 700–900 CE. Adam previously completed a BA in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Leeds followed by intensive seminary (ḥawza) studies at Al-Mahdi Institute. He also completed an MSt in Islamic Studies and History at the University of Oxford.
His current research investigates the networks of associates surrounding the Shīʿī Imams in the early Islamic period, examining how these relationships influenced the development of the Imamate and shaped communal boundaries. Alongside this project, Adam maintains an active interest in Islamic legal studies, contributing to a richly textured understanding of Shīʿī intellectual history.
Omid Hadian Bersiani — University of Erfurt
Omid Hadian Bersiani is a scholar of comparative philosophy and religious studies, with a particular focus on the intersections of Islamic and Western thought. His academic background includes bachelor’s degrees in English and Islamic Law, along with master’s degrees in Shīʿī Theology and Religious Studies.
Omid’s recent research at the University of Erfurt explores compelling philosophical parallels between Mulla Ṣadrā and Carl Jung on the theme of self-knowledge—bridging classical metaphysics with modern psychological theory. He has taught widely in Isfahan, offering courses in Greek and Islamic philosophy, Arabic literature, and English. His interdisciplinary work contributes to a deeper understanding of how Islamic intellectual traditions continue to resonate within contemporary discourses on human identity, psychology, and spirituality.
We congratulate all three and wish them every success in their doctoral journeys.
