Ayda's research interests center around forced migration studies, critical humanitarian studies, and anthropology of religion. Ayda has currently finalized her field research in Gaziantep, Turkey. Her dissertation project examines the emerging conceptual deployments around Islamic humanitarianism that affect the accommodation and recognition of Syrian refugees in southeastern Turkey. In her dissertation, she focuses both on the role of Turkish faith-based humanitarian organizations in providing religious solidarity for the displaced communities and how these communities utilize the social support of local humanitarian networks.