Mahbubeh Moqadam has made a lifelong commitment to transnational feminist activism. A fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the sociology department, this commitment was recently recognized with an International Fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW). The fellowship supports international women pursuing master’s or doctoral studies in the U.S. who demonstrate academic excellence and dedication to empowering other women and girls.
Mahbubeh’s commitment to education and equity for women and girls is at once academic, professional, and personal. Growing up in a working-class family in Iran, she overcame significant educational barriers to earn a bachelor’s degree in sociology. While acutely aware of the lack of rights for women in her home country, she was also inspired by tenacious women seeking societal change. “They do not quit. They do not give up. They use any type of space you can imagine to fight for their rights,” she says. Inspired by such resilience, Mahbubeh committed to helping alleviate the everyday struggles of women. She has worked with refugee women and girls in Iran, LGBTQI+ refugees in Turkey, refugee children in the U.S., and become firmly embedded in transnational feminist networks. After earning master’s degrees in women and gender studies and sociology, she enrolled at Illinois, where her dissertation research explores the role of “Generation Z” women and their interactions on and with digital platforms within the broader women’s rights movement in Iran.
Mahbubeh finds the most rewarding aspect of her research to be the deep engagement with marginalized communities. “Women are 50% of society, but when it comes to their rights, they are marginalized and overlooked,” she notes. Her research at the intersection of gender, youth, and digital activism not only contributes to academic debates but also supports transnational feminist solidarity.
Mahbubeh learned about the AAUW International Fellowship through the Graduate College Office of External Fellowships. She honed her proposal-writing skills by utilizing the Office’s core services, including an information session on AAUW awards, proposal-writing and personal statement workshops, and one-on-one advising on her draft application.
Although she was not selected for the AAUW fellowship on her first attempt, Mahbubeh applied the lessons learned to other applications and was awarded the Rita and Arnold Goodman Fellowship from the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity (formerly the Women and Gender in Global Perspectives Program) that same year. This support enabled her to publish multiple papers during the fellowship year, highlighting the immense value of dedicated research time and motivating her to reapply for the AAUW fellowship.
While preparing her second application, she continued to seek guidance from her advisor, the Office of External Fellowships, and previous AAUW fellows. This feedback helped Mahbubeh realize the importance of confidently sharing her achievements. "As women, we are taught to be so humble about our achievements. You should not be humble when you are writing the application,” Mahbubeh advises. “To many people, your struggles are extraordinary. Your experiences and motivations all lead back to your trajectory through your family, community, and society, bringing you to this point. It is good to share that.” After revising her application to fully convey her experiences and emphasize her accomplishments, Mahbubeh was awarded the AAUW fellowship.
After completing her doctorate, Mahbubeh plans to continue her research and collaborations with transnational feminists and aims to turn her dissertation into a book. She hopes the book will inspire other women, especially younger generations, to recognize shared experiences and build transnational feminist solidarity.
For more information about the AAUW International Fellowship, visit the Fellowship Finder listing. AAUW also offers American Fellowships, Selected Professions Fellowships, and Career Development Grants for Master’s and Professional Studies. Applications for the 2026-2027 cycle are due September 30.
Brooke Kadel worked with the Graduate College Office of External Fellowships as a Career Exploration Fellow. As a doctoral student in the Psychology Department, her research focuses on gender diversity and creating more inclusive measures of gender. In their free time, you can find them serving as the Secretary and a Psychology Steward for the Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) or on long walks with their three-legged dog, Ellie.
