Let's make this birthday one to remember.

57 years old (Born on November 24, 1967)

Happy Birthday, Ali Ansari! From Italy to Scotland, you've certainly traveled far—both geographically and intellectually. Who knew that pasta-loving roots could lead someone straight into the heart of Iranian studies? Your insightful works like "The Politics of Nationalism in Modern Iran" (2012) have enlightened many minds—and probably confused a few who thought nationalism was just about football matches.

Your founding role at St Andrews' Institute for Iranian Studies has made you an academic rockstar; students whisper your name with awe—or perhaps they're simply struggling through chapters from "Iran, Islam and Democracy." Either way, cheers to another year filled with scholarly brilliance and witty footnotes!