Majid M. Naini is a leading scholar of Rumi, the 13th century Persian mystic (Sufi), who has been the best-selling poet in the U.S. for the past several years. [1]
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majid Naini received his B.S. Degree in Electronics Engineering and his Master's Degree in Computer Science. He has a PhD in Computer and Information Science from the University of Pennsylvania, the birthplace of ENIAC, the first general purpose electronic computer. For most of the past 25 years Dr. Naini has been a Professor, Program Director, Laboratory Director, Department Chair, and College Dean at several universities throughout the world, such as University of Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Colorado, Florida, Oman, and Cairo in the fields of Computer Science, Engineering, and Information Technology. Professor Naini has been a researcher and the designer of computer and information technology projects with multi-national corporations. He has obtained grants and contracts from funding organizations and industries for research and development of high-tech products.
Professor Naini has lived and taught in four continents. For over 30 years Dr. Naini has been a student of mysticism, Sufism, poetry, literature, history, traditions and cultures.
Professor Naini has been a keynote speaker at over 500 national and international conferences, seminars, workshops, symposia, and talk shows. In the U.S., he has presented workshops and lectures at the United Nations[2].
He has spoken at higher education institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, George Washington University, Rutgers University, Stanford University, UCSD, UCLA, UCSB, Ventura College, Caltech, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, John Carroll University, University of Tennessee, University of New Mexico, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida International University and Florida Atlantic University.
Religious and cultural institutions that have hosted him include the Molana House [3], IMAN, Kashi Center [4], Chaplain Associations, Unity Churches, Science of Mind Centers, Milagro Center, and the Museum of Art and Science in Melbourne, in addition to cultural centers and organizations in the U.S. and throughout the world.
He was the keynote speaker at Shiraz University School of Medical Sciences Alumni Association (SUSMA) annual conference in New Jersey, where he was honored for his career and efforts in spreading Rumi’s teachings and Iranian culture and heritage, and at the Iranian American Medical Association (IAMA). Professor Naini was honored by the City of Tallahassee for his talk, "Rumi's Teachings on Global Peace and Harmony" at the Mayor's Summit for Race, Cultural, and Human Relations. [5] [6][7] Dr. Naini has made a tour of Turkey , where he was invited as a keynote speaker at an international conference in Antalya and in Konya in honor of the Year of Rumi. [8]
In Iran, Dr. Naini was honored as the Special Keynote Speaker at the two-day Rumi Celebration of 2007 The Sun of Love (KHORSHIDE ESHGH) at the Niavaran Palace in Tehran. At UCLA, Dr. Naini was the Distinguished Keynote Speaker for the program commemorating Rumi's Wedding Night (night of passing). [9] Dr. Naini was also chosen from among all of the Rumi scholars in the U.S. by American composer Shawn Crouch (http://shawncrouchmusic.com) to collaborate on a musical work, “The Garden of Paradise,” for which he selected and translated some of the most beautiful of Rumi’s poetry about love and peace. The Grammy Award winning ensemble Chanticleer performed this piece five times as part of their "Composer/Our Age" program in Berkeley, Santa Clara, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music in March, 2009.
Dr. Naini is the author of books and papers in the fields of science, technology, mysticism, and spirituality. Dr. Naini’s latest book, “The Mysteries of the Universe and Rumi’s Discoveries on the Majestic Path of Love,” contains Dr. Naini’s own translations from Rumi’s original Persian texts. It is being used as a text and reference at universities and organizations, including Hawaii Pacific University, Toki University in Honolulu, Kent State University in Ohio, Rutgers University, University of Esfahan, College of Literature, and Rumiyoga Center. This is the first book which looks at Rumi’s poetry from the perspective of science and technology.
Dr. Naini has been featured in U.S. and international websites, newspapers [10] [11][12],[13], [14], [15], [16] and TV and radio shows, including a new PBS program, “Iran: A Celebration of Art and Culture,” hosted by the Emmy award winner and Oscar nominee Ms. Shohreh Aghdashloo, and an 18-part series, “Mysteries of the Universe” on an international TV station. Professor Naini is also the main speaker and consultant for a documentary film and movie about Rumi which is being produced in California.