Nouf Ali S AlGazlan is a PhD candidate at St. George’s, University of London, specializing in intellectual property law. Currently a visiting student researcher in the School of Law at UC Berkeley, AlGazlan’s work sits at the intersection of law, art, philosophy, and technology.
“My research is interdisciplinary. It looks at law, art, philosophy, and technology. I study what kinds of things get copyright protection and why some cases don’t go through,” AlGazlan explains. “Is it because of the subject at hand? Because it’s not art-related? Or for other reasons? I’m trying to find a solution to that”.
After finding that no concrete definition existed in existing literature, AlGazlan proposed that subject matter in copyright law should be understood as a “cluster concept.” “It's more about looking at what comes from the author or creator: their intention to create art, whether the subject matter is functional, whether it communicates something, AlGazlan relays. “I developed my own guidelines and criteria that could be useful to policymakers when facing unusual cases.”
During her time at Berkeley, AlGazlan says a meeting with faculty sponsor, Professor Pamela Samuelson, proved transformative. “When I talked to her about my research, she opened doors for me, connecting me with others who’ve written on similar topics…it gave me new ideas and perspectives, and really expanded my research.”
Her journey hasn’t been without challenges. She explains that coming from the Middle East, she found it hard to find others with similar backgrounds in this field, which is very male-dominated. “When I came to America, though, I noticed a lot more women in the field, especially at Berkeley, where everyone feels free and creative. That’s been really good for me and my research.”
Outside of academia, AlGazlan’s creativity flourishes through visual art. “I actually had my own art exhibition, which was very personal because I’m far from my family. Most of my paintings are self-portraits or depictions of my family, things that mean a lot to me,” she shares. That personal connection to art is what drew her to intellectual property law, she explained.
Looking ahead, AlGazlan plans to bridge theory and practice. She recently accepted a job offer from a U.S. law firm. Once she qualifies as a lawyer, she hopes to return to teaching full-time.
Reflecting on her time in California, AlGazlan expresses deep gratitude: “For me, the main thing is that I’m really happy to be here. I love the sense of freedom, how people express themselves, and how open and accessible everything is. If someone isn’t happy about something, they speak up, and people listen. Even though I’m only here for four or five months, I’ve learned and grown so much, both professionally and personally, because of the people around me.”