professor
Atefeh Shahmirz

Professor Akbari is engaging, accessible, and kind. I have taken World Literature Revisited I and Critical Writing with her and thoroughly enjoyed both. She creates comfortable environments for discussion and encourages students to bring their outside interests and texts into class and essays. Ati's style of teaching is hands-on and respectful of all voices. My comfortability articulating my own opinions about literary texts grew so much in Critical Writing. I encourage all English majors and others to take a class with Ati. She truly creates an enjoyable learning environment and rejects learning driven by ego and formality, both of which I view as unapproachable and discouraging forms of teaching.

Dr. Akbari is a hidden gem within Barnard's English department. She's one of the few professors that seem to want to keep learning both effective and fun. There is never a dull moment in class because Dr. Akbari doesn't allow it! The conversations are engaging, interesting, and you truly leave every class knowing that you have learned something.