Q&A with Dr Shahd Alshammari

A teacher of literature at the Gulf University for Science and Technology, Dr Alshammari has published widely, including research in peer-reviewed journals and creative writing. Her works have been featured in numerous venues, including the Emirates Literature Festival and the Malta Book Festival. Dr Alshammari’s interest in women and disability studies places her at the forefront of young early-career researchers in the Gulf region.

Dr Alshammari won the Social Impact Award at this year’s British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Kuwait. These prestigious international awards celebrate UK higher education and the achievements of alumni from UK universities all over the world.

What do you do?

I teach literature and women’s studies as Assistant Professor of English Literature. I’m also a writer.

What led you down this path?

The love of words. The representation of life, the human condition, the desire to find a compass for it all. I believed that I would only find meaning to life through words, through literature. Studying literature for me gave me the tools to survive the world. I knew I wanted to transfer that love for words to others and I knew teaching would give me that opportunity.

What or who inspires you?

Everything that spells ‘perseverance’ and dedication. I’m inspired by people who keep going. Those who survive. The ones who know that they need to survive and tell their stories. Most of my favorite authors inspire me, but only because of their dedication to the craft.

What do you work towards in your free time?

I enjoy life – the silent moments. I don’t work for an outcome, for success, I work for contentment. Satisfaction. So in my free time, I can journal, I can self-reflect, I can read, I play with my dog, I spend time with friends and family. These moments are what make up life for me.

What’s the proudest achievement in your working life?

Being called ‘Dr Alshammari’ and having that actually happen for me. I never thought I would have that. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 18 and doctors gave me a really horrible outcome and prognosis. I got my PHD and I only did it because I wanted to – for the love of words. Not because I was challenging anyone, not because I was ‘fighting’ the illness, none of that. It was really about passion.

What is your favourite memory of Kent?

Meeting both of my PHD supervisors changed my life. I was so lucky. I was supervised by Professor Donna Landry (School of English) and she later introduced me to my second supervisor, Dr Stella Bolaki who I adore. She was my inspiration, my support system, and she introduced me to a whole new world of Disability Studies. She gave meaning to my struggle with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) and helped me find my path in academia and creative writing.

What do you wish you knew while you were a student, that you know now?

That it’s not about how soon you graduate, how well you do, that it would be okay in the end. That these memories would be part of my journey and I would look back and think I was so lucky! I am grateful that I even had the privilege of studying. Not everyone does and I think we often forget that.

We’d like to express our congratulations for your success at the Alumni Awards in Kuwait this year – what advice would you give to students and recent alumni looking to make an impact in their own fields?

Localise anything you learn. Make it relevant to the community and to new generations. Everything looks great in theory. Make it real. Bring it to reality. I wrote a collection of stories on disability and love. It’s the first of its kind, it’s called Notes on the Flesh (2017). The book was the outcome of my academic and personal labour. Everything I ever read has become part of my life’s compass.

‘What’s the most trivial hill you’re willing to die on?’ What is the one thing you believe that you will never concede, no matter how much people argue with you?

When people say “No, this is hopeless and I am just being realistic”. No such thing as a realist. You’re either an optimist or a pessimist. I truly believe that we shape a lot of our realities. How we interpret our lives, our obstacles, our journeys – it all becomes a way of reading. How we read our lives depends on our mindset. I don’t think that’s idealistic at all. I think we haven’t even begun to unlock the power of the mind, our cells’ ability to reprogramme our thought patterns, and make sense of who we are and what happens to us.