Description

Personality

Her students describe her as fair. Those who work with her on research projects know her as a knowledgeable, insightful advisor, one describing her as innovative and inspirational. Her neighbors often see her participating in community events and in civic life. Having authored several authoritative texts in her field, Alia has spoken at several conferences and as a guest lecturer at world-renowned universities, where her audiences describe her as enrapturing.

Equipment

Photo Credit: "Amazigh Moroccan Woman" by Ethami Zokhrouf as ~Zokhrouf from Deviant Art. If you do not grant permission for your work to be used, kindly inform me and I will remove it promptly.

History

Alia Rauf is John P. Lancaster Professor of Pure and Applied Physics and Lecturer in Theoretical Science at Davenport University, where she was first an adjunct lecturer, and later an associate professor on a tenure track. She was awarded tenure in 2002, and given an endowed chair in 2004 when the previous holder retired.

Alia was the fifth of eight children born in Oujda, Morocco. The family immigrated to America when Alia was thirteen. Attending high school in Brooklyn, New York, Alia quickly learned English, though she was often mocked by her peers for her thick Arabic accent. She excelled in math and science, and was awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire as a sophomore.

Alia applied to several colleges, but she matriculated at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was an undergraduate researcher in applied physics. She graduated from Harvard in 1980. As a graduate student, Alia was awarded several fellowships and research grants. Some of her work was used by governmental defense programs at the end of the Cold War in missile systems.

Alia is single with no children. She lives outside the Twin Cities in the suburbs.