Curriculum Vitae

John Daniel Martin III

29. November 2008

Mailing Address: 1463 Lynton Ave. Flint, MI 48507, USA
Current Residence: 94, Mohie el-Din Abou el-Ezz, #5, Mohandessin, Giza 12411, EGYPT
Phone: [us +1]269.216.9126; [eg +2(0)]016.558.5960
E-mail: john.d.martin.iii@gmail.com

Current Status:

• MA student in the Department of Arab and Islamic Civilizations at American University in Cairo. MA candidate in the Department of Comparative Religion at Western Michigan University. Currently living in Cairo, Egypt doing coursework and completing work on WMU thesis project.

Education:

• American University in Cairo, MA, Islamic Studies (Expected graduation 2010)
  (Emphasis: [Major] Arab and Islamic Civilizations: Islamic Studies)
• Western Michigan University, MA, Comparative Religion (Expected graduation 2009)
  (Emphasis: [Major] Comparative Religion: Islamic Studies: History and Theology; Islamic Mysticism/Sufism)
  GPA: 3.94
  MA Thesis: Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order (Expected defense January 2009)
  MA Thesis Committee Members: Dr. Kevin Wanner, Dr. Mustafa Mughazy, (Dr. David Ede, recently deceased)
• Western Michigan University, BA, Classics (2006)
  (Emphasis: [Major] Classics: Latin/Ancient Greek Language, Literature, Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric; [Minors] Philosophy, Arabic)
  GPA: 3.19; Major GPA: 3.37

Areas of Interest and Specialization:

• Islamic Thought and Theology, Comparative — Classical Islamic philosophy, fiqh, tafseer, Hadith and sira (both in Arabic and in English translation)
• Modern Islamic and Sufi Movements
• Islamic Mysticism/Sufism — Research on Sufi orders in the United States and Abroad
• Arabic and Arabic Linguistics — Modern popular literature and classical religious literature

Qualifications:

• Arabic skills: Experience with colloquial Egyptian and Saudi dialects, reading and writing Modern Standard Arabic and reading Classical Arabic
• Translation skills: Training in text translation from Arabic into English
• Study and travel abroad
• Training and experience in critical thinking and problem solving
• Computer skills:
  • Linux and Unix based systems: shell scripting, command-line interfaces, PHP, Python, PERL, MySQL, optical character recognition (OCR), computer-aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDA), enabling technologies, GUI-based software for data-management, word-processing, text and layout formatting/typesetting (OpenOffice.org, LaTex, Scribus, virtualization and virtual-hardware environments, remote/network storage and printing applications (FTP, SSH, NFS, CUPS), VPN/PPTP, desktop and server system-management and maintenance.
  • Windows and Microsoft based systems: command-prompt interface, Microsoft Office, database management, optical character recognition (OCR), enabling technologies (screen readers, text-to-speech, voice-command, voice-typing), network storage and printing applications, basic system-management and maintenance.
  • Web: Web-design (graphic and front-end design), WordPress, Drupal, OSCommerce, podcast engineering and maintenance, PHP, JAVA (dhtml), html (xhtml), XML, RSS, AJAX, LAMP stack management, basic mail server management (SMTP, exim, squirrelmail).
• Understanding of basic linguistic principles
• Interest in religion, terrorism research, and current geopolitical events

Teaching Positions:

• Substitute Teacher, Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kalamazoo, MI (2007)
• Teaching Assistant, Western Michigan University, Dept. of Comparative Religion, Kalamazoo, MI (August 2004 — April 2005)
  Courses:
  • REL100, World Religions
  • REL307, Islamic Traditions

Media Coverage:

• Radio:
  •  
  • “Modern Religion and Spirituality Series II,” Just Friendly Advice, WKMI TalkRadio 1360AM, Kalamazoo, MI, Invited Guest (29 July 2007)
  • “Modern Religion and Spirituality Series I,” Just Friendly Advice, WKMI TalkRadio 1360AM, Kalamazoo, MI, Invited Guest (24 June 2007)

Talks Given:

• “Whose House is It?: Evaluating Misconceptions of Islam and Muslims World-Wide,” First Presbyterian Church of Richland, Richland, MI, Invited Speaker (4 February 2007)

Additional Experience and Training:

• Private Arabic Lessons (Tajweed, Classical and Qur’anic Arabic), Cairo, Egypt (2008)
• Arabic Study Abroad (Egyptian Dialect / Modern Standard Arabic), Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt (Planned for September — December 2007)
• Intensive Arabic Study (Egyptian Dialect), Alexandria Center for Languages, Alexandria, Egypt (Summer 2004)
• Archaeological Field Work, Rauzet, France (Summer 2000)

Awards:

• Graduate Work Scholarship, CLT, AUC Main Library, American University in Cairo, Amount awarded: 15% of tuition for Fall semester 2008
  
  
• President’s Grant for Study Abroad, Diether H. Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Western Michigan University, Amount awarded: $4544 (2007)
• President’s Scholarship for Study Abroad, Dept. of Foreign Languages, Western Michigan University, Amount awarded: $1000 (2007)
• Graduate Assistantship, Department of Comparative Religion, Western Michigan University, Amount awarded: 50% tuition remission, $3500 stipend (2004-2005)
  
  

Conferences:

• Twentieth Annual Symposium on Arabic Linguistics [Annual Conference of the Arabic Linguistics Society] at Western Michigan University (3-5 March 2006)

Other Activities:

• President, AUC Graduate Research Organisation, American University in Cairo, [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=40944652655&ref=ts], Cairo, Egypt (Fall 2008)
• Tutor, private, Cairo, Egypt (January 2008 – Present)
• Volunteer, SmartShop Metal Arts Collective, [http://www.smartshopkalamazoo.com], Kalamazoo, MI (Summer 2007)
• Finance Coordinator/Co-Founder, Kalamazoo Pride, Kalamazoo, MI (February — August 2007)
• Volunteer Computer Tech (Summer 2007) / Youth Group Facilitator (2006 — 2007), KGLRC, Kalamazoo, MI (September 2006 — Present)
• English Language Editor, My Arabic Story [http://www.myarabicstory.org], Toronto, ON (Telecommuting) (May 2006 — Present)
• Conversation Partner and Tutor (for 2 Saudi students), Career English Language Center for International Students (CELCIS), Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI (Spring 2006)
• Administrative Assistant to the Priest, Parish Church of Christ the King, Portage, MI (May 2005 — May 2006)
• Proprietor, Your Name Here Promotions, Kalamazoo, MI (June 2002 — January 2004)

References:

• References will be made available upon request.