My research revolves around studying the impact of leadership development programs and community engagement efforts. Using mixed-methods, I am particularly focused on developing assessment tools and methodologies to measure the impact of leadership interventions. Moreover, as a former urban planner and current leadership scholar, I am also interested in studying how leadership emerges in the public sphere, particularly urban spaces.

• United Nations Human Settlements Program, UN-Habitat office in Iran

Dissertation

• Shams, K. (2024). Bridging the Gap Between Learning & Practicing Leadership: Developing New Instruments to Evaluate Leadership & Adaptation. [ Doctoral dissertation, Kansas State University].

Books

• Reid,j. & Sietchiping, R. (2022). National urban policy: A guiding framework (J. Kordestani, K. Shams, H. Marashi, & N. Zivdar, Trans.). Tehran Urban Planning & Research Center. (Original Work Published 2016)
• Shams, K. & Kordestani, J. (2016). The city Iranians need. UN-Habitat Iran.
  UN-Habitat (2016).
• International guidelines on urban & territorial planning (Translation Team). UN-Habitat Iran (Original Work Published 2015).

Book chapters

• Salehi, E., & Shams, K., Gott, T. (In press). Hijab, habitus, hysteresis: Unveiling Iranian women’s somatic leadership. In R. J. Thompson & L. Topuzova (Eds.), Embodied somatic leadership for peacebuilding and protest: Women’s counteroffensive to violence and injustice. Emerald.
• Shams, K. & Gott, T. (2023). Iran’s Women Life Freedom: How leadership emerged. In J. Barnes, M. Stevens, B. Z. Ekelund, & K. Perham-Lippman (Eds.), Inclusive leadership: Equity and belonging in our communities. Emerald.
  
  

Articles

• Shams, K. & Steffensmeier, T., & Wefald, A. (2024). Bridging the assessment gaps: The engaged validation of adaptive leadership behavior and self-awareness scales. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/15480518241296665

• Shams, K., Dailey, S., & Steffensmeier, T. (2024). Unveiling the impact: A mixed-method inquiry into the impact of leadership development programs. Journal of Leadership Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOLE-01-2024-0029

• Shams, K., Barahouei, M., & Priest, K. L. (2023). Enabling social change: A case study of complex adaptive leadership within an informal settlement in Iran. International Journal of Public Leadership, 20(1), 15-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPL-01-2023-0001

Reports

• Shams, K. & Steffensmeier, T. R (In press). 2023 leadership development path evaluation study. Kansas Leadership Center.
• Shams, K., Steffensmeier, T.R, Dailey, S., Mauricio, D. (2023). Your Leadership Edge 2021 program evaluation study. Kansas Leadership Center.
  
  

Blog/web posts and articles

• Shams, K. (2024, July 15). Third Floor Research unveils the impact of leadership programs on individuals. Staley School Blog Series (Loop)

• Shams, K. & Gott, T. (2022, Dec 12). The unusual voice that rings in the world’s ears. Kansas Leadership Center Journal.

• Shams, K. (2021, Dec 8). Leadership 911: Responsive practices for community development in Iran. Staley School of Leadership Blog Series (Loop).

• Ph.D. in leadership communication, Kansas State University
• M.Sc. in regional planning, Shahid Beheshti University
• B.A. in urban planning and design, University of Tehran
• Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement Graduate Certificate, Kansas State University
• Qualitative Research Graduate Certificate, Kansas State University

• Fredric M. Jablin Doctoral Dissertation Award, International Leadership Association and Jepson School of Leadership Studies, 2024
• Staley School of Leadership Robert Shoop Student Research Award, Kansas State University, 2023

I really enjoy walking, especially in historical cities to discover the urban legibility. I also love reading Molana’s (Rumi) poems and anecdotes.