She completed her Ph.D. in Mass Communication at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communication, where she focused on media effects research. She is interested in media effects as applied to religion, and is also interested in examining routine factors impacting the media industry. Her research appears in Journal of Media and Religion, Journal of Religion, Media & Digital Culture, Journalism: Theory, Practice & Criticism, and Health Environments Research & Design Journal. Most recently, Mariam signed a contract to write a co-authored book on Kuwaiti media law. She has received several awards for teaching and research, and is currently serving as newsletter editor for the Religion and Media Interest Group of the Association for Education of Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC).