Professor and alumna receive DFI grant for AI-animated docuseries on Islamic Golden Age
November 16, 2025
Northwestern University in Qatar Professor Spencer Striker and alumna Maha Al-Naemi have been awarded a competitive USD 30,000 grant from the Doha Film Institute (DFI) to support their AI-animated historical docudrama web series, Legacy of Light: The House of Wisdom, which brings to life the scientific achievements and cultural legacy of the Islamic Golden Age.
The six-part series traces groundbreaking innovations from the House of Wisdom along the Silk Road, highlighting the profound contributions of Islamic civilization to global knowledge. It spotlights pioneering figures whose discoveries shaped the world, from Al-Khwarizmi’s development of algebra in 9th-century Baghdad to Ibn Sina’s revolutionary advances in medicine, Al-Zahrawi’s surgical innovations in Córdoba, and Fatima Al-Fihri’s founding of the world’s oldest university in Fez.
The six-part series traces groundbreaking innovations from the House of Wisdom along the Silk Road, highlighting the profound contributions of Islamic civilization to global knowledge. It spotlights pioneering figures whose discoveries shaped the world, from Al-Khwarizmi’s development of algebra in 9th-century Baghdad to Ibn Sina’s revolutionary advances in medicine, Al-Zahrawi’s surgical innovations in Córdoba, and Fatima Al-Fihri’s founding of the world’s oldest university in Fez.
“This project beautifully captures the uniqueness of what we do at Northwestern Qatar: the fusion of rigorous scholarship, creative experimentation, and generative collaboration. Seeing a faculty member and an alumna come together to illuminate a pivotal era in human history through AI-powered storytelling is deeply inspiring. It reflects our community’s commitment to amplifying the region’s stories using evidence-based research and multimodal storytelling”
- Marwan M. Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar
Striker, serving as screenwriter and producer, is also the creator of “History Adventures: World of Characters,” an award-winning digital learning series that reimagines history education through immersive design and interactive storytelling. His work spans AI-driven cultural heritage projects, digital literacy games, and interactive documentaries, earning recognition and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Qatar National Research Foundation, and DFI.
“This project embodies our mission of evidence-based storytelling in the Global South,” said Spencer Striker, professor in residence at Northwestern Qatar. “We are combining research rigor, creative innovation, and AI-driven production to bring the history of the Islamic Golden Age to a new generation of global audiences.”
Al-Naemi, who co-leads the project as director, is a Qatari digital media artist and animator whose work explores the intersection of culture, technology, and storytelling through visually striking narratives. Her previous works, including The Boy’s Wrath and The Omega Vault, have been celebrated for their artistic sophistication and cultural resonance.
“I’m honored to collaborate on a project that celebrates the scientific and artistic legacy of our region,” said Maha Al-Naemi. “This experience—combining historical research, creative exploration, and AI animation—has allowed us to bring the past to life in new ways, redefining how stories from the Arab world can be told and experienced by audiences today.”
“This project embodies our mission of evidence-based storytelling in the Global South,” said Spencer Striker, professor in residence at Northwestern Qatar. “We are combining research rigor, creative innovation, and AI-driven production to bring the history of the Islamic Golden Age to a new generation of global audiences.”
Al-Naemi, who co-leads the project as director, is a Qatari digital media artist and animator whose work explores the intersection of culture, technology, and storytelling through visually striking narratives. Her previous works, including The Boy’s Wrath and The Omega Vault, have been celebrated for their artistic sophistication and cultural resonance.
“I’m honored to collaborate on a project that celebrates the scientific and artistic legacy of our region,” said Maha Al-Naemi. “This experience—combining historical research, creative exploration, and AI animation—has allowed us to bring the past to life in new ways, redefining how stories from the Arab world can be told and experienced by audiences today.”
The grant, part of DFI’s Spring 2025 Grants Program, supports emerging filmmakers and creative projects from the Arab world and beyond. It will fund the production phase, translating scripts, storyboards, and visual designs into cinematic sequences using advanced AI tools to reimagine the architectural, cultural, and scientific vibrancy of the era.
Alongside Legacy of Light: The House of Wisdom, Northwestern Qatar faculty and researchers are leading several funded projects that span digital citizenship, digital media innovation, and other topics in media, communication, and journalism, demonstrating the University’s role at the forefront of creative and scholarly exploration.
