The University of Houston Department of English Professor Hosam Aboul-Ela has been unanimously selected as the inaugural appointee for the Arab-American Educational Foundation Dr. Burhan and Mrs. Misako Ajouz Endowed Professorship in Arab Studies, an honor accompanied by an associated affiliated appointment in The Arab-American Educational Foundation Center for Arab Studies (AAEFCAS). Through this recognition, Aboul-Ela will be able to deepen his research and research-related activities on Arab countries and culture.

The Arab-American Educational Foundation Center for Arab Studies, housed in the University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, is the only academic center in Texas, and one of only two in the nation, focused specifically on education about the Arab region.

The professorship will allow Aboul-Ela to explore and continue to learn about an ever-evolving culture and to maintain a substantial research agenda, participate in AAEFCAS activities and increase societal awareness and student involvement through the funding of essentials such as fellowships for research, equipment for study and outreach activities.

Along with Dr. Burhan and Mrs. Misako Ajouz, philanthropic community leaders of The Arab-American Educational Foundation have endowed the research and programming that sustain the Center. Founded in 1985, The Arab-American Educational Foundation is a Houston-based non-profit organization created to advance education about the Arab world through language, history and cultural exposure. By sponsoring academic lecture series, scholarships, research and programs, it instigates awareness and understanding of cultural similarities and differences.