Laila Hussein Moustafa, Associate Professor and Middle East and North African Studies Librarian at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Library, received her Ph.D. in Information Studies from Dominican University. Her dissertation, “Policy Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Academic Library and the Challenges of Users’ Data Privacy,” used mixed methods to examine the gap between libraries’ institutional commitments to privacy and the practical challenges of adopting emerging AI technologies. By identifying governance and privacy vulnerabilities, her research provides an evidence-based foundation for policy development and ethical decision-making. Moustafa is also applying the findings in her professional practice, developing practical frameworks to protect user rights while integrating AI into library services that support students and faculty.

Moustafa’s broader scholarship and teaching examine the impact of war, displacement, and technological change on libraries and archives across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. She is conducting research to connect AI governance and privacy frameworks with long-term strategies for safeguarding the documentary heritage of indigenous populations of the Middle East and Africa, ensuring that cultural memory and heritage remain accessible, safeguarded, and represented.

“I welcome collaboration and dialogue to deepen and critically examine shared research interests that enhance problem-solving and knowledge translation. As well, I am happy to share my experiences balancing doctoral studies with a full-time career,” said Moustafa.

Moustafa, who joined the University Library in 2012, has a master’s degree in the History of Near Eastern Studies from New York University and a master’s in library science from Long Island University. She holds additional faculty appointments with the Center for African Studies, the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity, and the Center for Global Studies. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Information Sciences. Congratulations to Moustafa on this landmark achievement!