I teach Arabic language and literature at Yale University, in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, which I chair. I have taught at Cornell University, the University of Mauritius, Duke University, and the University of Pennsylvania, where I received my BA (Hons), MA,
and PhD.
I write and think about classical and medieval Arabic literature, the Qur'an, the Indian Ocean, modern poetry, and literature generally.
I am a member of RRAALL, an executive editor of the Library of Arabic Literature, and a Director of the School of Abbasid Studies. I serve in an editorial or advisory capacity on the boards of the Journal of Abbasid Studies, the Journal of Arabic Literature, the Journal of Qur'anic Studies , the Journal of the International Qur'anic Studies Association, and Middle Eastern Literatures. I am a series editor for Cultural Legacies, and for the series, Resources in Arabic and Islamic Studies.
I drink P.G. Tips tea. I watch Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Supergirl. I listen to public radio. I read as much as I can.
And I am undeservingly blessed with a fabulous wife, two lovely daughters, and an awesome cat.
