Ekta Shaikh is a Pakistani anthropologist and gender studies scholar with a concentration in South Asian studies from Grinnell College. Before joining the Oral History Master of Arts (OHMA) program, she spent two months in her hometown of Karachi as a Projects for Peace recipient. During this time, she served as a developer and organizer of workshops with the local transgender community, focusing on dance and mental health. Ekta also received the Jeanne Burkle Award at Grinnell College for her pedagogical contributions to the Gender Studies major.

As an undergraduate, Ekta worked as a research assistant on Shuchi Kapila’s book "Learning to Remember," which ignited her passion for decolonial thought and memory studies. Through the OHMA program, she is continuing her exploration of migrant precarity, refugees, and transnational feminist thought.