Faiz Elahi Mohammed

Experience

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  American University of Sharjah

  Jan 2018 - Jun 2018

  Teaching Assistant - Physics

  I was hired for this position after receiving exceptional grades in my 100-level Physics courses. I have always wanted to teach - even if I knew deep down that I wanted to teach writing some day in the future - so I had to start somewhere. So, I started here.My responsibilities were:- Grading 80 test papers and assignments weekly, evaluating the students on their problem-solving skills and conceptual understanding of the Physics course.My only regret is that I didn't try to continue this job. It was quite exciting to be involved in some aspect of teaching. But I had to put all hands on deck for the following semesters of Mechanical Engineering, which I was struggling to be "good" at. It would be a year before I fully committed to being a member of the Arts and Humanities by starting my minor in English. Show less

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  American University of Sharjah

  Sept 2018 - Jun 2019

  I took on the Social Media Manager role because I saw something missing in the social media club space at the time. This was early days when Wendy's and very few other companies were doing the Gen-Z intern social media strategy of using irony, humor, and memes to generate engagement. I did the following:- Increased engagement by 100% and followers by 15%- I did this by implementing a humorous content strategy using memes and witty audience interaction- Our team also created a space for students to submit their work, creating a community for the appreciation of the artform.We needed eyes on our little club, and during that semester we created a niche, little space through humor and art. By the mid-way point of the semseter, there were a lot of people asking who was handling our social media. More than that, we were able to bring members who were interested in our field trips and events. Show less I joined the photography club because I have always had a creative streak. I have always been expressing, creating something within the possibilities afforded to me. I had not reached the point where I could dream of becoming a writer or a English scholar, so at the time I was very creative with my social media. Much of that was based around photography. Before I fully committed to the Arts, I became a member of this club's managing committee.My work included:- Coordinated 12 events in 2 semesters as a key member of the managing committee- Increasing participation in club activities by 20%Our first semester we struggled to garner much real interest, even if people came for our events. By the end of our tenure, we created a little community of photographers and art enthusiasts. Some of that is thanks to my work as the club's social media manager. Show less

  • Social Media Manager - Photography Club

    Feb 2019 - Jun 2019

  • Treasurer - Photography Club

    Sept 2018 - Jun 2019
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  1 Byte Elephant

  Apr 2020 - Jun 2021

  Editor In Chief

  1 Byte Elephant was a social media initiative that explored youth issues. It was a pandemic project, everyone was doing it, with some colleagues and friends from university. We all had different skillsets that they brought to create a social media page where we brought guests to asks them about issues ranging from climate change to procrastination. My work included: - I did script review, performed as Editor and provided creative content on our platform.While I created a lot and worked with a great team, I do not include my work at 1 Byte Elephant in my portfolio or resume. But I keep it here for the story! It was some of my first public-facing writing after earning my English minor, but it was before I had decided to do my Master's degree in English. It was also my first time working in a creative team. And I was not very good at it! So I've kept it in because that's not something people doenough on LinkedIn. I learnt how to be part of a team here. I was not a good team member. I hadn't found my footing as a writer-editor-researcher, I had no confidence or understanding of what I was good at, and I was no good at communicating my creative ideas. I had no idea how to stand up for myself without stepping on someone else's toes. The good thing about failing is that you can learn from it. Show less

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  Groombox

  Jul 2020 - Sept 2020

  Content Writer and Social Media Manager

  Groombox was a pre-launch startup that would provide Men's grooming products periodically. I handled the social media, blog writing, and communication. My work invovled:- I wrote 11 blogs and copyedited 4 on men’s grooming, lifestyle, and fashion, generating 50 initial readers in 2 months- I created 45 engaging posts, specifically infographics and memes, for @groombox.ae, driving a 40% increase in likes, comments, and sharesThe startup didn't going very far, and I have often struggled with keeping or removing my work from my resume and portfolio. However, I keep it in, mostly because I was asked to be creative, informative, and prolific, and I was! The work itself is worth retaining in my portfolio, because I learnt a lot from it, which I have carried to later work. Show less

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  Phileo PM Aircondition & Refrigeration Trading

  Nov 2020 - Jun 2021

  Content Writer and Marketing Intern

  Phileo PM was the bridge between my Bachelors and my Masters, from Engineering to Masters, from confusion to vocation.My work included:- I co-authored a technical article published in Climate Control Middle East, a leading industry publication in the region- I increased website and online store traffic by 30% through editing and writing high-quality copy for the company’s landing page and website- I boosted the company's LinkedIn engagement by 30% by publishing 19 targeted posts highlighting product lines, promoting the brand, and delivering company updates- I conducted in-depth market research to identify and engage prospective clients- Assisted supervisors with developing their conference presentationsThis was the perfect transitionary job. I have a background in Engineering, and I was an aspiring writer. My writing helped the company, which was in its early years, establish greater visibility and credibility. Here, I also learnt what a good manager/supervisor looks like. Show less

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  McGill University

  Sept 2022 - Dec 2022

  Teaching Assistant

  My pitch for why I deserved this job: I failed the pre-requisite exam for Writing. I started from 001 and reached the Master's level, at a top-50 in the world insitituion, no less. However, I started at the bottom, completely outside of the discipline. I know what it's like to take a writing class as a non-Humanities major. I can get through to Business students. As a Teaching Assistant: - I delivered 10 lectures/tutorials to classes of 30 students each on the topics of critical thinking, analysis, and writing, facilitating a clearer of understating of the course concepts- I facilitated 9 peer-review workshops for groups of 30+ students each, enhancing their understanding of course concepts and fostering collaborative learning environments- I graded 40-60 student papers monthly, using a detailed rubric to assess content, structure, and grammar, offering line-edits and detailed feedback, which contributed to improved student performance by an average of 20% in subsequent assignments- I provided one-on-one tutoring to 5-10 students weekly, improving their writing skills, critical thinking, and confidence, resulting in students showing a 15-30% increase in graded performanceThis is one of the most important experiences of my life. I love teaching so much. I was not perfect for this job, but I was committed, naive, passionate, and fully invested in my students. I pestered my Instructor after every session with questions about how create slides, control the room, retain attention. While I love writing, research, editing, storytelling, I can't wait to do this again someday. Show less

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  McGill University

  Sept 2023 - now

  Research Assistant

  As I was coming to the end of finishing the very arduous research process for my thesis, I joined Professor Katherine Zien as an assistant for her research.My work includes:- Copyedited and proofread the academic manuscript Bodies on the Front Lines (University of Michigan Press) for clarity, grammar, and format, contributing to its successful publication in April 2024- Conducted extensive literature reviews and synthesized research from over 2000 scholarly articles, books, and archived files, providing support for research on U.S. military history in Latin America - Reviewed and analyzed 800 newspaper issues from a digital archive to identify articles based on specific criteria, thus extracting critical insights that supported ongoing research- Organized and digitized a historical archive by identifying, collating, and categorizing 10,000 JPEG files into PDF files and folders, streamlining archival resources for future research- Liaised with external parties to assist in event planning and organization, contributing to the seamless execution of an academic conference Some of the work is extremely challenging, such as the search for the field operations of a tiny research team contracted by the US military in Panama in the 60's. I have had to follow this thread to several physical archives across the US. Show less

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  Freelance

  Aug 2024 - now

  Freelance Writer

  I am an essayist. I am a staff writer for the film publication Film Obsessive, and my essays have also been published at The Film Magazine and Wig-Wag Magazine. While working on my thesis, I tried pitching several essays to web publications, but they were all rejected. In a most LinkedIn-post turn of events, I had to finish the thing I was distracting myself from, the thesis, graduate with my degree, and work on my essay writing to finally get my shot 1.5 years later. Fortuitously, by the time I was allowed to put my writing out, I had already found my voice as a writer. I am writing at a higher level than I could have had I gotten that win earlier. Show less

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  Assisted Lab, a living archive of assisted dying

  Nov 2024 - now

  Research Assistant

  ASSISTED LAB is a transnational research project funded by the European Research Council. Their main project is creating an archive about the artistic, legal, and political conversations around assisted dying.My work includes:- Creating archival entries by summarizing films, books, and documentaries that influence law, politics, and discourse of assisted dying in the Indian context- Researching legal, political, medical, and textual references to situate stories in relevant social, historical, legal, medical, and cultural contexts to facilitate interdisciplinary scholarship on the subject- Collaborating with editors to align archival entries through rigorous review processes and editorial standardsI write about the how law, politics, and art has shifted in India regarding the concept of euthanasia, assisted dying, and terminal illness. Show less