Meet the Institute


Kerby Goff
Kerby Goff

Associate Director of Research


Aishwarya Lakshmi
Aishwarya Lakshmi

Associate Director of Operations

Rachel Schneider
Rachel C. Schneider

Associate Director of Academic Programs Director, Religion and Public Life Program


Hayley Hemstreet
Hayley Hemstreet

Assistant Director of Operations


Kate Eubanks
Kate Eubanks

Communications and Marketing Specialist

Jessica McVey
Jessica McVey

Senior Research Administrator


Josiah Taru
Josiah Taru

Postdoctoral Fellow


Azizou Atte-oudeyi
Azizou Atte-oudeyi

Graduate Scholar (In Memorium)

Jauhara Ferguson
Jauhara Ferguson

Graduate Scholar


Eduard van der Merwe
Eduard van der Merwe

Graduate Scholar


Adrienne Bradley
Adrienne Bradley

Undergraduate Scholar

Kennedi Macklin
Kennedi Macklin

Undergraduate Scholar


Aditi Velgekar
Aditi Velgekar

Undergraduate Scholar


William Wang
William Wang

Undergraduate Scholar

External Advisory Board

The Boniuk Institute External Advisory Board is appointed by the Rice University president and provost in conjunction with the Institute director and serves as a resource to the Institute director in the formulation of goals, direction and objectives of the Institute, and provides advice to the director. The External Advisory Board also advises the Institute's leadership on external relations, including issues of marketing and communications, public affairs, and community affairs.

Charles Landgraf
L. Charles Landgraf

(Board Chair) Senior Counsel, Arnold & Porter


Dr. Milton Boniuk
Milton Boniuk

Founding Donor


James Crownover
James W. Crownover

Retired, McKinsey & Company

Hyder Kazimi
Hyder Kazimi

Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company


Justin Sable
Justin Sable

Director, EY-Parthenon

Faculty Advisory Board

The Boniuk Institute Faculty Advisory Board is comprised of interdisciplinary Rice University scholars. In conjunction with the External Advisory Board, the Faculty Advisory Board serves as a resource to the Institute director in the formulation of the goals, direction and objectives of the Institute. Faculty advisors also select fellowship winners, and contribute advice and oversight to Institute centers and programs.

Elaine Howard Ecklund
Elaine Howard Ecklund

(Board Chair) Director, Boniuk Institute Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences


Mustafa A. Amin
Mustafa Amin

Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy


Elias Bongmba
Elias Bongmba

Harry & Hazel Chavanne Chair in Christian Theology; Professor of Religion

Niki Kasumi Clements
Niki Kasumi Clements

Watt J. and Lilly G. Jackson Associate Professor of Biblical Studies


Mahmoud El-Gamal
Mahmoud El-Gamal

Professor, Economics & Statistics Chair, Islamic Economics, Finance & Management


Michael Emerson
Michael Emerson

Harry and Hazel Chavanne Fellow in Religion and Public Policy

Jeffrey Fleisher
Jeffrey Fleisher

Professor & Department Chair, Anthropology Director, Center for African & African American Studies


Eric Huntington
Eric Huntington

T.T. & W.F. Chao Assistant Professor of Transnational Asian Studies


Matthias Henze
Matthias Henze

Isla Carroll & Percy E. Turner Professor of Biblical Studies Director of the Program in Jewish Studies

Ashley Leeds
Brett Ashley Leeds

Radoslav Tsanoff Professor of Political Science Department Chair, Political Science