2026 Scheidt Undergraduate Research Fellowship Awarded to Mariya Shareef

The USC Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide Research has awarded its 2026 Charles E. Scheidt Undergraduate Research Fellowship to Mariya Shareef, a third-year student at the University of Southern California pursuing dual degrees in Biotechnology and Religion. 

The Charles E. Scheidt Undergraduate Research Fellowship enables an outstanding USC undergraduate student from any discipline to conduct research in residence at the USC Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide Research for two semesters, focusing on unique research resources in Holocaust and Genocide Studies at USC, including the Holocaust and Genocide Studies book collection, the Special Collections at USC Libraries, and the Visual History Archive (VHA).

Her research examines how Muslim survivors of genocide and mass violence describe their experiences, with particular attention to the impacts of the timing of the testimony. By analyzing Rohingya Muslim survivors of an ongoing genocide alongside testimonies from Bosnian Muslim survivors reflecting on post-conflict violence, she will explore how trauma narration shifts over time. Her research will also explore the role of religion in survivor narratives, examining how Islamic language and concepts may influence the ways survivors understand, endure, or communicate their experiences of suffering and healing.

Shareef’s interdisciplinary interests reflect a broader commitment to medicine, religion, and humanitarian service. Following graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in medicine with Doctors Without Borders, applying the listening skills she gains through this fellowship to treat patients who have experienced extreme violence, displacement, and loss. Her previous research experience includes working as a research assistant at the Oghalai Lab at Keck School of Medicine. She serves as a resident assistant and volunteers with USC Flying Samaritans, providing clinical support in underserved communities. Among other distinctions she has earned in her academic career, she is the recipient of USC’s Presidential Scholarship.

Watch her discuss her research below: