| In addition to the Faculty, American University of Sovereign Nations is honored to have Research Fellows as members of its community. We welcome more fellows to join the research teams under each of the Schools. | |
| Mahta Baratipour, B.Sc., CCP, MBGPH AUSN Research Fellow, School of Sustainability Science and Knowledge Traditions Mahta is dedicated to making peace and deepening the understanding between peoples of different views, different ethnicities and nations. As a Youth Looking Beyond Disaster (LBD) Ambassador, she wants to help turn challenges into opportunities, while promoting disaster resilience. We need to take this positive attitude because without this spirit of hope and love we cannot move beyond ourselves. Her research includes the way that art and design are used to express opinions and to contribute to enhanced social dialogue. She also wants to bridge the divide between those who love technology too much and those who have technophobia, finding a balance between all things. Mahta has a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering, from Islamic Azad University of Karaj, Iran; a Postgraduate Certificate in Community and Peace, and a Masters of Bioethics and Global Public Health (MBGPH), from AUSN. She continues work from her dissertation on Exploration of Some Ethical and Social Implications of Art, and is working also on fashion and design, and environmental and social sustainability. |  |
| Esra Bilir, M.D., CEEGH AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine Esra is a physician who has been passionate about becoming an obstetrician and gynecologist since age 5! She graduated from Koc University School of Medicine in 2019 as a full-merit Anatolian Scholar. As a future female health specialist, she is aware of the WHO’s health definition, briefly, which has three components for well-being: physical, mental, and social. To promote women’s health socially, she completed the “Gender Studies Certificate Program” at The Center for Gender Studies at Koc University during medical school. She also completed “Postgraduate Certificate in Epidemics and Ethical Global Health (CEEGH)” at AUSN to further widen her horizon in social sciences and ethics. Dr. Bilir completed various clinical and laboratory internships in Turkey, France, the UK, Australia, and the USA. She received numerous grants for these internships and many other professional activities. For example, she is the first student to receive a merit grant from “Turkish Female Physicians’ Education Support Foundation. She has published several peer-reviewed articles on women’s health. Currently, she is a member of many international societies, including AAAS, AACR, ASCO, AWIS, ESGO, ESMO, ESHRE, ISGE, and SGO. Her research focuses on women’s health, so-called obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) in the medical field. She is highly enthusiastic about involving in international studies on gynecology. She aims to start her OBGYN residency soon. At AUSN, she aims to initiate projects promoting women’s health and investşgating the disparities in gynecology, for example, due to the cultural differences. She is looking forward to collaborating in projects focusing on gynecology. She is also a member of the Subcommittee on COVID-19 and Gender of the World Emergency COVID19 Pandemic Ethics Committee (WeCope). |  |
| Tayebeh Kharestani, BA, MBGPH AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Sustainability Science and Knowledge Traditions Tayebeh’s motivations include: Children by bringing hope to my life; Change making by being the change I want to see in the world; Design by creating; Innovation by thinking, talking and taking action outside the box; and Learning by being an engine of my development. Tayebeh has a Master’s degree in Bioethics and Global Public Health from AUSN and a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from the University of Tehran, College of Fine Arts and Tabriz Islamic Art University, Iran. Her research and action are in the fields of environment, children’s rights, public health and raising environmental awareness. Tayebeh is on the Board of Governors of Youth Ambassadors International and she is a UNESCO Youth Peace Ambassador. |  |
| Mireille D’Astous, Ph.D., CEEGH AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Indigenous Peoples and Global Studies Mireille D’Astous holds a PhD with a specialization in Bioethics, from Laval University (Université Laval). She has experience in discussion of ethical frameworks and criteria in sensitive debates. She conducted analysis of public health policies (end-of-life), and is a member of the World Emergency COVID19 Pandemic Ethics Committee (WeCope).. Her epistemological considerations in health and ethics aim to promote fair, reasonable actions and good decision-making based on scientific literature, scientific evidence and public consultation. She is involved in her community and committed to promote gender equity. Mireille’s central project as a senior research fellow is to promote peace and non-violence, in order to respect health integrity. Non-violence and humility in bioethics are core structural health competencies. Mireille is also an International Public Health Ambassador. |  |
| Laura Ballantyne-Brodie, LLM, MBGPH AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Sustainability Science and Knowledge Traditions Laura is an Australian environmental and climate change lawyer, and United Nations “Harmony with Nature” Continental Facilitator for Australia and the Pacific since 2015. Admitted to practice to the Supreme Court of Victoria and High Court of Australia in 2010, Laura holds a Bachelor of Law with Honours and a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University, a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Bioethics, and a MBGPH from AUSN. Laura is passionate about engaging in new conversations on legal education, and public interest lawyering. Laura is a passionate educator, having lectured at New York University and Yale University from 2013-2016 in a course she developed in Disaster Law and Ethics. As well as working in legal practice in Australia she is a current AUSN PhD student. In the Laura past worked for organizations including UNESCO, and Laura is an International Youth Looking Beyond Disaster Ambassador. |  |
| Carmela Roybal (Tewa Nation), M.S., MBGPH AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Indigenous Peoples and Global Studies Carmela is a graduate of the AUSN MBGPH degree program as well as being enrolled in the PhD program at the University of New Mexico, specializing in Medical Sociology and Race and ethnicity, with a focus on indigenous populations and health Disparities. Carmela is a member of the AUSN Board of Governors as well as being a senior research fellow. |  |
| Dr. Najood A. Issa al-Shareeda AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine Research on medical tourism, the biomedical industry, as well as on epidemiological research on various indigenous tribes and their chronic diseases. Dr. Najood has worked for the international department at Burumgrad International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand for over a decade. |  |
| Dr. Carolyn A. Conti, Ph.D. AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Health Sciences Dr. Conti is a retired computer Systems Engineer who returned to the academic environment for personal enrichment. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theological Studies & Classics and a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA. She graduated with a Ph.D. in Health Care Ethics at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Dr. Conti is interested in health care policy, particularly in regard to improving access to health care. Her published doctoral dissertation, American Health Care: Justice, Policy, Reform (2011) argued for a practical approach to achieve comprehensive reform of the American health care system. Dr. Conti is currently researching the relationship of Peace and Public Health, focusing on how the experience and expertise of Public Health professionals can be joined with ongoing efforts to bring about a more peaceful and happy world. |  |
| Rimesh Khanal, MBGPH, CCP, CPH AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Indigenous Peoples and Global Studies Rimesh was born in Nepal. He completed his Bachelor of Business Studies in Nepal, and then his MBGPH degree at AUSN. He is President/Founder of Youth’s UNESCO Club in Nepal, and also an International Youth Peace Ambassador, Youth Looking beyond Disaster Ambassador and has long participated in Eubios Ethics Institute youth programmes. His social work and youth ethics interest brought to him to AUSN. His volunteer work in Values, education and importance of Peace made him Olympic Truce Peace Campaign leader in Nepal. He has continued this passion since moving to California. |  |
| Tsuyoshi Sotoya, M.S., M.A., MPH AUSN Senior Research Fellow, School of Health Sciences Tsuyoshi is a Senior Research Fellow at American University of Sovereign Nations (AUSN). He received a M.S. in Bioethics from KU Leuven as Erasmus Mundus Master of Bioethics (Adv), a M.A. in Social Sciences from Hitotsubashi University, and a B.A. in Human Sciences from Waseda University. He is a MPH alumni of AUSN. His research is concerned with Ethical, Legal, and Social issues regarding advanced medical and health science and technology, including assisted reproduction and organ transplantation. He is currently conducting a research on the Japanese concept of Human Dignity, its implication for Bioethics, and the value of family in decision-makings in comparison with other society. He is also a Japanese Youth Peace Ambassador (YPA) and has been engaged in peace activities, including ‘Rakugo for Peace’ and ‘Haiku for Peace’. “Desire and Hope, Existing in the whole world, Peace will come” |  |