Abdul Aziz Said is the senior ranking professor at American University and the first occupant of the endowed Mohammed Said Farsi Chair of Islamic Peace. He founded the American University Center for Global Peace which undertakes a wide range of activities domestically and internationally aimed at advancing our understanding of world peace. He is the founding director of the International Peace and Conflict Resolution Division, in the School of International Service at American University.

Professor Said deeply involved with a number of professional associations and Service Academies. His past and current public service includes consulting the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Defense, the United Nations and the White House Committee on the Islamic World.  He advises and serves on the Board of Directors for various international non-governmental organizations including Search for Common Ground, Global Education Associates, the National Peace Foundation, PAX International, International Youth Advocate Program, The Omega Institute, Nonviolence International, the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, and the Jones International University-University of the Web. He also serves on the editorial boards of Human Rights Quarterly and Peace Review. He served as advisor to the Democratic Principles Working Group of the United States Department of State's “Future of Iraq Project” in 2002-2003 and was an advisor to the members of the Iraqi Governing Council.