Coronavirus Information
Until further notice, the University of Arizona, in accordance with the guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, encourages all employees to work remotely. Our office in 440 Marshall Building is closed to the public, but you can reach the School of Middle Eastern & North African Studies, Monday–Friday 8am-5pm:
- Director: Ben Fortna bcfortna@arizona.edu 520-873-7008
- Program Coordinator: Sergio Cañez canez@arizona.edu 520-260-0837
- Administrative Assistant: Randa Abdu randaabdu@arizona.edu 520-561-2098
Get COVID-19 updates and information for the University of Arizona community. Also, see SBS resources for continuing instruction and learning.
Jie (Jalil) Gao
Ph.D. Student
Jalil is a Ph.D. student of North African Studies. He is interested in political economy of Maghreb, Sino-Maghrebi Relations, the "Belt & Road" Initiative in North Africa, and foreign migrants in Maghreb. He is currently focusing on the transcultural and political significance of the Chinese presence in Maghreb states in forms of labor migrants, entrepreneurs, and professionals; the "Belt & Road" Initiative in Maghreb and its international ramifications.
He is also a certified translator accredited by the Chinese Ministry of Human Resources. His professional area is Chinese-Arabic-English translation.
Language Proficiency: Mandarin Chinese (native), English (advanced), Standard Arabic (advanced), French (intermmediate in reading/speaking), Mordern Hebrew (intermmediate in reading)