Biography
Yusuf Lenfest was born and raised in Vermont. He completed his B.A. in Literature and Philosophy from the University of Vermont and his M.Sc. in Political Theory from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He then spent 8 years studying with scholars in Damascus, Abu Dhabi, Hadramawt, and the Hijaz before returning to complete a second Master’s, focusing on Islamic Philosophy and Intellectual History at Harvard University.
Awards
Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics
Graduate Student Fellowship, Harvard Law School, 2017-2018
Presidential Scholar & Honorary Guest of the United Arab Emirates
General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, 2018
Kathryn Davis Fellow for Peace, Middlebury College, 2016
Curriculum Vitae
Professional Experience
Research Fellow, Religious Freedom Institute
April 2020 to present
Research Fellow, Harvard University
Jan 2017 to June 2018
Research Fellow, Kalam Research & Media
Sep 2014 to May 2016
Lecturer, King Abdul-Aziz University
Sep 2012 to May 2014
Education
PhD Candidate, Religion and Political Theory
University of Southern California
2020-present
MTS, Philosophy of Religion
Harvard University
2016-2018
MSc, Political Theory
The London School of Economics and Political Science
2007-2008
BA, Literature and Philosophy
University of Vermont
2001-2005
Volunteer Experience
Harvard Global Health Institute
Global Health Ambassador
2017-2018
Languages
Arabic (fluent)
English (fluent)
French (reading)
Judeo-Arabic (reading)
Carpe diem
“Non intratur in veritatem nisi per caritatem.”
