About Soudi

Dr. Soudi is a sociolinguist interested in the interplay between language and society and the way people use language in different social settings. He is a Teaching Associate Professor in the department of Linguistics in the Dietrich School, a Faculty Fellow with the Honors College, and a Faculty Affiliate with the African Studies Center at Pitt. Dr. Soudi is the primary investigator of a project on Humanities @ Work in the Community, Health, and Tech Industries which is part of the Pitt Strategic Plan (2025). He has been co-directing a master’s level course on cultural competency offered through the Institute for Clinical Research Education for 15 years. In 2019, he was recognized as an “Honorary Employee” by M*Modal and gave the keynote speech at their ClosedLoop Conference. He is also the founder of the Linguistic Internship Program, and he collaborates with diverse community and tech industries.

Soudi is passionate about teaching humanities and social sciences and firmly believes that they are vital to an informed and engaged society. He is also passionate about preparing his students and interns for challenging careers where both humanities and social sciences are part of the solution, training them in a structured and supportive environment, and strengthening his institution's industry partnerships for the greater benefit of everyone.

He has partnered with the School of Medicine, School of Education, Business School, the School of Computing and Information, community organizations, and industry partners to research across traditional academic lines and to lead several conferences and projects (topics have included: humanities in health, cultural and linguistic diversity, family and healthy U, and most recently, Humanities at Work in the Community, Health, and Tech Industries). His diverse personal and interdisciplinary experiences have contributed to his approach to research and teaching, building an open and safe learning environment for his students, and work with under-served and diverse communities.

Research & Inventions

His research interests include Electronic Health Records, Arabic Linguistics, Medical Discourse, Cross-Cultural Communication, and Sociolinguistics. He is a Lead Innovator of The Cultural Engagement Playbook™ which is focused on creating culturally and linguistically inclusive spaces for living and working together while embracing cultural differences. He has published his research in several journals and magazines. He co-edited a volume called Diversity Across the Disciplines in 2020.

Awards, Service & Support of Underrepresented Student Population

With a true dedication to sharing knowledge, he has educated and inspired countless people inside and outside of the classroom. His approach to diversity in teaching, research, and service has been recognized several times. He was honored to be a recipient of the 2017 Inaugural Diversity in the Curriculum Award which showcases excellence in creating a learning environment for students that recognizes diversity and is inclusive of all. In 2022, he established a new internship grant to attract a diverse student population to Pitt Linguistics, and help strengthen the pipeline for underrepresented students.

He is also a winner of the first ever Pitt seed grant for a proposal that contributes directly and actively to Pitt's strategic transformation (2025).

Soudi serves on the board of directors for the Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute. He has recently served as a mentor for refugees and immigrants, Allegheny County Department of Human Services. He is a member of the Dietrich School Faculty Diversity Committee, ad hoc Chair of the Moroccan Cultural Committee, and he is very engaged with his children's school. Soudi and his wife are members of the Chancellor's Circle at Pitt.

Soudi lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and two children (Binney Aicha and Laith Mubarack). He grew up in a remote village in the southern part of Morocco where water and electricity were not the norm, and comes from a family of nine children. His parents are illiterate. Learning and teaching are not only important, but defining aspects of his life.