Maryam Sayyad, Ph.D. is an independent scholar of mythology, translator, and producer of culturally and mythologically informed work.

She is the founder of The Garden of Noetic Arts, an interdisciplinary platform for myth, art, and philosophy, through which she conceived, curated, and hosted the second Mythos of Iran conference (2025).

During her graduate studies, she was named a Joseph Campbell Scholar by the Joseph Campbell Foundation. In 2024, she was appointed Contributing Scholar at the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), where she hosted two Mythos of Iran conferences (2023, 2025). She continues to serve on the Board of Directors at PRS, present work regularly, and consult on curriculum development. 

Dr. Sayyad holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the American College of Greece, with a minor in Art, and a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She lectures in the Mythological Studies department and teaches through Pacifica Extension. She also chairs the Committee on Scholarship and Events for Pacifica Alumni Connections.

She is currently translating Where Is a Thousand Afsān? by Bahram Beyzaie, a major scholarly work forthcoming with Bisheh Publications and supported by the Iranian Studies department at Stanford University.

She serves as Executive Director of the Parviz Sayyad Foundation, dedicated to preserving the cultural and artistic legacy of Parviz Sayyad and supporting the completion of his unfinished works.

Previously, Dr. Sayyad was Director of Art and Education at Cross Cultural Expressions, developing programs that brought myth and folklore into dialogue with psychology. As Event Director of Namah Ensemble, she co-created Twilight of the Empress, a multimedia mythological musical that premiered in May 2024.