Keynote Speakers

Professor Steven J Zani is the Dean of the Office of Academic Support Services at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates.  A recognized teacher, scholar and administrator, he has served as department chair, a director of faculty development and first year experience programs, and in multiple dean roles, currently specializing in Academic Support and Globalization.  He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English, philosophy, and French from the University of South Alabama in 1992, a Master of Arts in philosophy from Binghamton University in 1997 and a doctorate degree in Comparative Literature from Binghamton University in 1999.

As a Comparative Literature scholar, his teaching and research ranges over multiple fields, from Gothic Romanticism to Philosophy, from Hermeneutics to Linguistics, from traditional scholarship in 19^th century poetry, to cutting edge studies in contemporary film, postmodernism, and popular culture. His teaching experience is diverse, with work in private universities, faith-based institutions, government and state universities, as well as instruction to inmates in American prison systems. Writing about angels, zombies, poets, girl detectives, the Bible and more, Dr. Zani has given over 50 scholarly presentations, including work on American and Latin American literature, European literature, and Asian and Islamic literature, with interdisciplinary work including lectures on Psychoanalysis and Film at Yale University, on Cybersecurity and Social Engineering at the world-leading DEFCON computer conference, and he has an international book on freshman composition as well as numerous articles and book chapters in national and international publications.

Golam  Sarwar Chowdhury is at present Professor, Department of English and Humanities, Notre Dame University, Bangladesh. Before which he worked at Department of English and Humanities, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and the British Council Teaching Center, Dhaka, in various capacities including Instructor of English as a Second Language and Training Consultant.  Before moving to British Council in 2004 he was Professor and Chair, Department of English, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Professor Chowdhury began his academic career at Chittagong University, Bangladesh, as Lecturer, Department of English in August 1981.

 Prof. Golam  Sarwar Chowdhury received his B.A. (Honours) and MA in English from Chittagong University; MA in Studies in Literature from The University of Texas at Dallas (Two-year Research Program) in 1990.  Thereafter, completed Doctoral course work between 1990 and 1992 from the same University.

Prof. Golam  Sarwar Chowdhury has won Vice Chancellor’s Award for Contribution to Teaching and Learning at ULAB: 2014; Fulbright, Salzburg and Nippon Fellowships.  Chancellor’s Gold Medal for Proficiency in English as a student: Chittagong University. He has attended more than 30 international conferences in Asia, Europe and America.

His research interests are Modern American theatre; 19^th. Century American Literature;  19^th and 20^th Century American Novel; Diaspora Writing; Postmodern and Postcolonial Studies; South Asian Writings in English; Sociolinguistics; English Language Teaching (ELT).