The Gates Cambridge Trust has recently interviewed one of the Centre of Development Studies' former PhD students about her work with Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Dima Krayem, who conducted her doctoral research as a Gates Cambridge Scholar under the supervision of Dr Maha Abdelrahman, Reader in Middle Eastern Politics and Development, is now a Senior Project Manager at Lebanon One Unified Inter-Organisational System for E-Cards, a role which sees her co-ordinate life-saving aid from three United Nations agencies: the UNHCR, the World Food Programme and UNICEF.
You can read more about her fascinating intellectual and personal journey, and her vital work, here: Refugee aid in a collapsing state | Gates Cambridge
Reflecting on her time in Cambridge, Dima recalls that Dr Abdelrahman was 'more than an academic supervisor to me. She was an inspiring, supportive and compassionate mentor and friend in every sense of the word.' and that concludes that 'doing the PhD has changed and shaped the way I think and a big part of that is due to her.'
Dima will shortly take up a new position as an economist for the UN in Lebanon. We congratulate her on her achievements and wish her every success.