Dr. Neda Khodaverdi and the H.H. Humphrey Fellowship in Nashville | EP-24

Recorded: June 13, 2019 Iranian scholar Dr. Neda Khodaverdi is completing a year as a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow at Vanderbilt University. Global Tennessee spoke with her about her year in Nashville as a fellow. The purpose of the fellowship, how she got involved, what was her experience with the fellows from around the world and what she has seen and done in Nashville and the United States. Dr. Khodaverdi was joined in the Podcast with her husband Saed Sahebjamee, who runs the SAED Cultural and Educational Institute in Tehran and Terry Rustan, a TNWAC volunteer and a Humphrey Fellowship "Friendship Family." Dr. Khodaverdi thanked Nancy Dickson, Humphrey Fellowship Coordinator at Vanderbilt University and Dr. Eric Carter, Professor of Special Education at Vanderbilt University. We also talked with Dr. Khodaverdi about her work in Iran teaching English as a second language to children on the autism spectrum. About Dr. Neda Khodaverdi Neda Khodaverdi, from Iran, is an adjunct university lecturer at Islamic Azad University and an Educational Supervisor and English teacher at SAED Educational and Cultural Institute in Tehran. Her professional focus includes training new teachers of English language, and teaching English as a foreign language to Persian-speakers, including children with special needs. She has developed her own teaching methodology for students with high-functioning autism, and is currently in the process of developing professional development resources to train more instructors to work with special-needs populations. Her previous appointments include English teacher and supervisor at schools and private language centers, and lecturer at Allameh Tabataba’I University. Ms. Khodaverdi holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in TEFL from the Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature, Tehran, Iran, a Master’s in TEFL from Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran, and a Bachelor’s in English Language Translation from Islamic Azad University, North Branch, Tehran, Iran. She also holds honors certificates in IELTS Teacher Preparation and Knowledge of English Language Teaching Test from TESOL Arabia Testing, Assessment, and Evaluation. About Saed Sahebjamee Saed Sahebjamee is a Petrochemical engineer who was born in Tehran, Iran in 1983. He got his BS from Islamic Azad University in 2006. Since then he has worked in his field study. Besides, he established his own language institute in Tehran in 2011 under the title of SAED Cultural and Educational Institute. His mission is teaching English to Persian speaking students and more importantly, help the Iranian students to get familiar with other countries and their cultures by registering students in summer camps of international schools around the world. He is so passionate about his job. About Terry Rustan Terry is a Humphrey Fellowship "Friendship Family" and a volunteer with the Tennessee World Affairs Council staff in addition to many other service activities in the community. She has worked in China at the Zhejiang Ocean University and at the University of Washington Program on the Environment. Terry holds a Master of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington. About the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship The program brings accomplished educational leaders from developing nations and emerging democracies to the United States for an academic year to study, gain related professional experience, build their leadership capacity and foster mutual understanding. The program provides a basis for lasting ties between US citizens and the Fellows while strengthening the global exchange of knowledge and expertise. Humphrey Fellows are selected based on their potential for leadership and their commitment to public service in either the public or the private sector.