Mona Abo Zena
About Mona Abo Zena
Mona Abo Zena is an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston, specializing in the religious and spiritual development of immigrant-origin children and families. Her research emphasizes cultural funds of knowledge and equity-based perspectives in development.
Work at UMass Boston
Mona Abo Zena has been serving as an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston since 2017. In this role, she focuses on the religious and spiritual development of immigrant-origin children and families. Her academic work emphasizes equity-based perspectives of development, contributing to the understanding of cultural funds of knowledge. Abo Zena engages in family engagement and teacher preparation, reflecting her commitment to enhancing educational practices and outcomes.
Education and Expertise
Mona Abo Zena has a robust educational background. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Chicago, where she studied from 1989 to 1993. Following this, she obtained a Master of Education from Harvard University Graduate School of Education in 1996. Abo Zena further advanced her studies at Tufts University, where she completed her Ph.D. in Applied Child Development from 2005 to 2010. Her academic training provides a strong foundation for her research interests.
Background
Before her current position, Mona Abo Zena held various academic roles. She was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Brown University from 2013 to 2016, where she contributed to the academic community in Providence, Rhode Island. Additionally, she worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at TERC in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from 2011 to 2013. These experiences have shaped her research focus and academic approach.
Research Focus
Mona Abo Zena's research centers on the religious and spiritual development of immigrant-origin children and families. She emphasizes the importance of cultural funds of knowledge in her studies. Her work aims to provide insights into equity-based perspectives of development, addressing the unique challenges faced by immigrant families. Abo Zena's scholarship also includes a focus on family engagement and teacher preparation, highlighting her commitment to improving educational practices.