Contact
m.attia@ajman.ac.ae
06 705 6685
Ajman Campus
Maha Abdelmegid Salah A. Attia

  • Maha Abdelmegid Salah A. Attia

  • Professor
  • Ext: 6685
  • CV

Dr. Maha Abdul Majeed specializes in online media and has over 20 years of experience in media research, academic teaching, training, and consultancy across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. She is a professor at AU and the chairperson of the Research Committee in the Mass Communication College. Dr. Maha is also the principal investigator for the international research project Global Risk Journalism Hub (GRJH) and serves as a co-investigator and active member of the international research project Journalistic Role Performance Project (JRP). Dr. Maha has practical experience in online learning, having delivered an online course in Interactive Media Research in collaboration with Edraak Organization. Additionally, she earned a Digital Media Professional Diploma from the American University in Cairo, Egypt. Dr. Maha participated in the second round of the National Media Training program, offered by Dubai Press for media practitioners and students in the UAE. Dr. Maha has been honored twice with the Excellence in Research Award. Her research interests and contributions include new media, online journalism, security media, communication research methods, crisis management, and journalism education. She has also worked as a senior media expert at the National Center for Social and Criminal Research in Egypt.

Education
  • Ph. D in Mass Communication, College of Mass Communication, Cairo University, 2008.
  • Master's Degree in Mass Communication, College of Mass Communication, Cairo University, 2005.
  • Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communication, College of Mass Communication, Cairo University, 1998.
Experience
  • Associate Professor, College of Mass Communication, Ajman University, 2014-2021.
  • Senior Media Expert, National Center for Social and Criminal Research, Egypt, 2013.
  • Chairperson of the Research Committee, College of Mass Communication and Humanities, Ajman University, since March 2013.
  • Coordinator of Printed and Electronic Journalism Track, College of Mass Communication and Humanities, Ajman University, March 2013 - March 2015.
  • Coordinator of the Monthly Scientific Seminar for Students, since 2012.
  • Coordinator of Staff Scientific Symposium, College of Mass Communication and Humanities, since November 2016.
  • Coordinator of Mass Communication Students' Participation in the Scientific Annual Students Conference, Ajman University, May 2014.
  • Editor-in-Chief, National Social Magazine, National Center for Social and Criminal Research, 2010-2011.
  • Lecturer at the Scientific Research Training Program for Postgraduate Students, College of Mass Communication, Imam Muhammad bin Saud University, Riyadh, 2010.
  • Researcher at the National Center for Social and Criminal Research, June 2006, and Media Expert since March 2008.
  • Part-time Teaching Staff at a number of Egyptian Universities from 1999 to 2012, including Ain Shams University, Modern Science and Arts University, Misr International University, 6th of October University, and Akhbar Al-Youm Academy.
  • Trainer of Specialized Training Courses and Workshops from 2007 to 2016 for various organizations in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Digital Media Professional Diploma, American University in Cairo, Egypt, 2020.
  • Principal Investigator of the international research project Journalistic Role Performance, since January 2020.
  • Active Researcher in the international research project Global Risk Journalism Hub, since October 2020.
  • Professor, College of Mass Communication, Ajman University, August 2021 - present.
Teaching Area
  • Media Research Methods, Communication Theories, Online Journalism, Specialized Journalism, New Trends in Electronic Communication, Online Media, News Writing, and Special Topics in Journalism.
  • Communication Theories - Research Methods - Online Media - Life Coaching.
Research
  • Data Journalism
  • Online Media
  • Media and Terrorism
  • Social Media Consumption and Its Impacts
  • Journalism Practice and Training
Publications
Conference Presentation
  • "Road Map for the Egyptian Mid-Career Training Ecosystem," paper presented at the World Journalism Education Congress, Paris, 7-9 July 2019.
  • "Social Media Usage in Enhancing Cultural Identity and Intercultural Communication: A Case Study of Cultural Organizations in the UAE," presented at the Cross-Cultural Communication Conference, 23-24 January 2019, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
  • Data Journalism Practice in the Arab World: Field Approach. The 7th International Conference of Journalism and Mass Communication, Singapore 20-22 October 2018.
  • "Sharing News on Social Media – Studying the Sociology of News Consumption," paper presented at the 18th International Annual Conference of the Arab-U.S. Association for Communication Educators (AUSACE), 11-15 November 2016, in Tangier, Morocco, at King Fahd School of Translation, under the theme: "New Horizons of Communication in a Time of Crisis."
  • "Media Discourse of Terrorist Organizations on Social Media," peer-reviewed paper presented at the 40th Conference of Statistics, Computer Science, and Applications, "Media and Society Issues: Professionalism and Social Responsibility," organized by the National Center for Social and Criminal Research (NCSCR), Cairo, Egypt, 28-29 April 2015. The paper was also published in the conference's annual book.
  • "The Effectiveness of Linguistic Academic Preparation of Media Students in Arab Universities," paper presented at the First International Scientific Conference of the Linguistics Center, Jordanian University, Amman, April 2014.
  • "Violence Against Women in New Media – Case Study of Sexual Harassment," paper presented at the 3rd International Conference on "The State of Arab Women in Law," Asefy, Morocco, April 2013. "New Media and Security Crisis Management," paper presented at the Second Annual Arab Police Symposium, The League of Arab States and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, Amman, Jordan, 22-24 June 2012.
  • "Media and Police Image Repairing," paper presented at the First Annual Arab Police Symposium, The League of Arab States and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, Amman, Jordan, 3-5 January 2011.
  • "Challenges and Insights of Social Media Research in Public Opinion in the MENA," presented at the WAPOR 76th Annual Conference, 19-22 September 2023, Salzburg, Austria.
  • "One Role, One Voice, Different Platform: Examining the Loyal Facilitator Role in Arab Countries," presented at the ICA Conference, Toronto, 25-29 May 2023.
  • "Comparative Content Analysis of Journalists' Sourcing Practices in Reporting COVID-19 in Egypt and the UAE," presented at the ICA Conference, Toronto, 25-29 May 2023.
Memberships, Awards and Honors
  • The Laureate of the Community Leaderboard Contest (1st Place) of the Whova App, World Journalism Education Congress, Paris, 7-9 July 2019.
  • Excellence in Research Award, First Place. Paper presented at the 20th Annual Conference of AUSACE, hosted by Qatar University, 24-26 October 2015. Co-authored with Prof. Nagwa Fahmy.
  • Supervisor of the First-Place Winner in the Fifth Undergraduate Research Competition, Abu Dhabi University, Category of "Mass Communication and Public Relations," 8 May 2017.
  • Supervisor of the Second-Place Winner in the Research Competition organized by Dubai Press, 16 November 2017.
  • Winner of the "Excellence in Academic Work Award," College of Mass Communication and Humanities, Ajman University, 2013.
  • Best Individual Research Paper Published in 2008-2009, in the peer-reviewed National Social Journal, the National Center for Social and Criminal Research (NCSCR).
  • Member of the Council for Graduate Students Research and the Delegation Committee, Ajman University, since January 2017.
  • Member of the Scientific Committee of the International Conference “Media in the Age of Social Changes,” College of Mass Communication and Humanities, scheduled to be held in April 2017.
  • Member of the Academic Accreditation Committee, College of Mass Communication and Humanities, Ajman University, since March 2013.
  • Member of the Scientific Unit of “Media Monitor,” National Center for Social and Criminal Research, 2011-2012.