Ashleen Williams is an Instructional Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi. At the university, Ashleen has been recognized for her work with first-generation college students. She completed her PhD in History there. Ashleen is a 2013 Mitchell Scholar. She received a Masters Degree in Applied Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ulster Magee. In addition to her studies Ashleen worked with the Cathedral Youth Club in the Fountain Estate, a non-profit organization that engages with Protestant youth in Derry. She facilitated group dialogue sessions as well as Healing Through Storytelling initiatives. Her experiences studying in Derry and working in the community gave Ashleen deep insight into the culture of the region and a skill set that is invaluable in her academic research. After finishing her Mitchell year, Ashleen moved to Doha to work as a Research Assistant at the Center for Gulf Studies at Qatar University. Her academic work is focused on studying the Arabic language and conducting research into martyrdom, petitioning culture, and citizenship. In particular she focuses on the Arab Shia community in the Persian Gulf. Ashleen obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Montana.