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60 seconds with …

18 June 2008

 

Name: Waleed Aly
Org. Unit:  School of Political and Social Inquiry
Dept:  Arts

How long have you been with Monash University?

Just approaching a year now.

Prior to working at Monash, where were you located and what was your role?

I was working as a lawyer at Maddocks, a commercial law firm in the city.

What exciting challenges are ahead in your current role?

Marking! No, obviously the biggest challenge will be knocking over my PhD. That's not to say that I've mastered the lecturing side of what I'm doing, but it's not quite as daunting.

What is it about your job that holds your interest or is particularly satisfying?

With my focus on global terrorism, I'm always dealing with something that is of obvious relevance and considerable public interest. It's very difficult because you're trying to hit a rapidly moving target, but observing my own understanding of this phenomenon evolve and deepen is thoroughly rewarding. You're always discovering something new.

What is your favourite destination and why?

There are too many options here. Granada in Spain is stunning and I have an irrational love of London. But I've always said there's no place like Rome, so I suppose I should stick to it. I just can't think of another place that has such a rich, well-preserved history and which today remains a sophisticated modern metropolis. It has everything.

What is the best piece of advice you have received?

Don't touch that unless you're going to eat it!

What is something about yourself that most of your colleagues wouldn't know?

See, this is difficult, because I have to come up with something I don't mind other people finding out! How about that I wrote a 4000-word harmonic and structural analysis of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in Year 12 which got an A.

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