Dr. Zahid H. Bukhari is currently working as Director, American Muslim Studies Program (AMSP), and Fellow, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (CMCU) at Georgetown University, Washington, DC. From 1999-2004, he also worked as Director, Project MAPS: Muslims in American Public Square, which examined the role and contribution of the Muslim community to the American public life. The Pew Charitable Trusts awarded a grant of $1.25 million for this purpose. Dr. Bukhari is also serving as Executive Director of the Center for Islam and Public Policy (CIPP), Washington, DC.

Dr. Bukhari’s research interests focused on religion and politics in the United States and South Asia. He has a vast experience in all aspects of survey research. From 1978-1983, he worked as executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Public Opinion (PIPO), Islamabad, a member of Gallup International. He has published and presented papers on Islam and development, Muslim public opinion in the US and other related topics in national and international forums. He is also editor of three volumes of the Project MAPS: Muslims’ Place in the American Public Square: Fears, Hopes and Aspirations (published in 2004); Muslim in America: Engaging Polity and Society in Post 9/11 Era (forthcoming); and Prominent Muslims in the American Public Square: A Who’s Who Compendium (forthcoming).    

Dr. Bukhari has an extensive experience of working with various Islamic organizations and also with other religious groups of USA. He was one of the founders of the National Islamic Shura Council, a representative body of the American Muslims consisting of four national Islamic organizations. Since 1996, he has been a member of Mid-Atlantic Catholic-Muslim Interfaith Dialogue sponsored by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB). Dr. Bukhari has also been serving as president of The World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations (WCMIR) for the term, 2004-05. From 1990-1995, He served as Secretary General and from 2003-04 as Vice President of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA). Dr. Bukhari has also worked as Chairman of ICNA Relief/Helping Hand, a not-for-profit relief organization, which operates national and international projects.

Dr. Bukhari has a Masters in Economics from the University of Karachi and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Connecticut.