As the daughter of a police officer, my passion for the science of criminology grew from an early age. Born and raised in Dubai, I pursued a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, where I found myself increasingly fascinated by criminal psychology. My internship with the Child Protection Department at the Community Development Authority of Dubai exposed me to the real, often painful, consequences that crimes have on victims and their families. Witnessing this firsthand strengthened my resolve to focus my studies on the perpetrators, especially those who harm children, in hopes of contributing to a more effective understanding of child abuse. As I prepare to graduate from Penn, I am excited to bring both the theoretical knowledge and practical experience I have gained to the field of criminology in the Middle East. I am particularly motivated to explore how integrating psychology into criminology can help modernize approaches to crime and criminal behavior in the region.