The year began with tidings of change and remembrance for Pakistani women. Judge Ayesha Malik was sworn in as the first female Supreme Court judge in the country’s history. Dr Syeda Arfa Zehra generated waves with her commencement speech at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). While addressing young graduates, she quoted Iqbal Azeem Abadi: “badalna hai agar tou rindoun say kaho apna chalan badlein; faqat saki badal jany say meh khana na badlay ga […]” Arfa Karim, our lost jewel of the tech world, was remembered in nationwide prayers for her impeccable grit. “When you have a thought or a dream, share it; persevere and build on it”, Arfa once said.
The "National Dialogue” organized in 2019, by the UNESCO, UN-WOMEN, Pakistan Alliance for Maths and Science and Lahore College for Women University LCWU; should have been a trendsetter in Pakistan for acknowledgement of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. It raised awareness regarding women facing greater hurdles, challenges, stereotypes and biases during their professional journey; with little guidance and support to rely on. The event highlighted underrepresentation of women in STEM careers and how this issue had transcended beyond gender and human rights disparity to the “loss of human resource” at National level. I hereby emphasize upon the need of many such dialogues in future, ‘to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership, at all levels of political, economic and public life.’(i.e. Sustainable Development Goal 5; SDG5). Just as greater good came from this effort in terms of skills, innovation and science; I believe thousands of ‘mini dialogues’ in trusted environments can yield ground breaking outcomes in channeling the untapped potential of women and girls in STEM.
As I look forward to this event, I emphasise the need for many more such dialogues in the future, to ‘ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership, at all levels of political, economic and public life,’ as per the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5). I believe thousands of ‘mini dialogues’ in safe environments could yield ground-breaking outcomes in channelling the untapped potential of women and girls in STEM.
Targeted mentoring by our ladies at the top of their careers could drastically uplift the status of women in STEM and other professions in Pakistan. I hereby urge leading women and their respective organisations to usher forth a practical implementation of the ‘dialogue’. This can be in the form of a recognised forum or a support organisation, actively receiving and purposely answering queries from Pakistani women in STEM. Let us share our thoughts so that we find motivation, opportunities, and the right direction in which to persevere.
‘Sheroes’ in academia
There are many unrecognised women in academia who have had an international impact, including Dr Asifa Akhtar, Dr Talat Shehenaz Rehman and Dr Bushra Mirza.
The first female Vice President of the Max Planck Society’s Biology and Medicine in Germany, Prof. Dr. Asifa Akhtar originally hails from Karachi. The ‘Akhter lab’ at Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics is led by Dr Akhterm, who is also an editor of the Journal of Cell Science.
Another inspiring academic is the Humboldt prize winner Prof. Dr Talat Shehenaz Rehman, who is a Fellow at the American Physical Society and the American Vacuum Society, two leading fraternities in the realm of physics.
I must commend Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza (Tamgha Imtiaz) the Vice Chancellor of Lahore College for Women University LCWU and Board Member of the Board of Governors at the International Islamic University Islamabad IIUI.
Leading ladies of physics, space science and engineering
We should take pride in women scientists hailing from Pakistan who are recognised around the world for their contributions to Physics, Space science and Engineering.
Dr Mavalvala Nergis, a physicist and Dr Tasneem Zehra Husain, an established author, are two big names in physics. Prof. Dr Mavalvala is the Dean of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Science. Dr Tasneem Zehra an alumna of Kinnaird College and Quaid-i-Azam University is an active participant of the World Year of Physicist (WYP) project, a Physics Olympiad trainer and a senior trustee of the Alif Laila Book Bus Society.
Two names of national pride in space science are Dr Mariam Sultana and Zartaj Waseem. Dr Sultana has a significant body of work upon extragalactic astrophysics. Zartaj Waseem is the CEO of Pakistan Space Science Education Centre, a ‘edu-preneur’, a robotics focal person, a STEM specialist at Haque Academy and the first Pakistani to be designated as Global STEM Corps Advisor.
A praiseworthy effort by Dr Ramla Qureshi to enable female participation in STEM is the ‘Women Engineers from Pakistan’ (WEP) organization. WEP advocates for better and safer STEM workplaces for women in Pakistan. Ramla is also a Fullbright alumna and a 2020 finalist for the “Science Engagement Breakthrough of the Year Award” in Berlin.
Female power in scientific policy and entrepreneurship
Among the few leaders working on environmental conservation from Pakistan, Dr Aban Markar Kabraji is the most eminent. A regional director of the Asian International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Office, a co-chair for ‘Ecosystems for life’ committee, and an advisory member for both the Yale Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry and the United Nations Centre for Regional Development. Through her work, Aban highlights how depletion of natural resources affects poor populations the most.
A commendable effort to empower women in energy sector is the “Women in Energy” WIE Pakistan organisation founded by Nameerah Hameed from Global Women's Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET). WIE and WEP are strategic partners of the South Asia Women in Power Sector Professional Network (WePOWER), a platform driving female participation in energy and STEM education. WIE aims to link professionals within the industry, hence it maintains ties with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Engro Energy Limited, K-Electric, and the Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
In the field of science journalism, ‘Scientia,’ a digital magazine founded by the National Science Award 2019 winner Sadeeqa Khan, is making waves. It explores topics related to humanities and general sciences and uses the art of storytelling to convey scientific phenomena and findings to the readers. An entrepreneurial venture by the name of ‘Communique Collective’ is known for its innovation in dealing with local and international enterprises. ‘Communique Collective’s’ founder and director is Salaina Haroon, also is the Editor in chief of CIO Pakistan.
Super women of the cyberworld
Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES (P@SHA) and the tech incubator NEST I/O are both headed by Jehan Ara, who works for cybercrime legislation and spreads awareness via her “Bolo bhi” campaign. “Code for Pakistan”, founded by Sheba Najimi is another nonprofit organization aiming to promote digital literacy and data reframing for the government. “Women’s Digital League” (WDL), founded by Maria Umar provides digital services to encourage remote work for women. These are just some of the prominent organizations that are our hope for a revolutionized, digitally strengthened Pakistan in coming years.
As said by Syeda Arfa Zehra, “taleem ka kaam yeh hai, keh who khulli ankhon say khawab dekhna sikhaye, jo khulli ankhon say khawab nahi dekhtay, meray khayyal mein inko tabeer bhi kabhi nahi miley gi”
The "National Dialogue” organized in 2019, by the UNESCO, UN-WOMEN, Pakistan Alliance for Maths and Science and Lahore College for Women University LCWU; should have been a trendsetter in Pakistan for acknowledgement of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. It raised awareness regarding women facing greater hurdles, challenges, stereotypes and biases during their professional journey; with little guidance and support to rely on. The event highlighted underrepresentation of women in STEM careers and how this issue had transcended beyond gender and human rights disparity to the “loss of human resource” at National level. I hereby emphasize upon the need of many such dialogues in future, ‘to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership, at all levels of political, economic and public life.’(i.e. Sustainable Development Goal 5; SDG5). Just as greater good came from this effort in terms of skills, innovation and science; I believe thousands of ‘mini dialogues’ in trusted environments can yield ground breaking outcomes in channeling the untapped potential of women and girls in STEM.
As I look forward to this event, I emphasise the need for many more such dialogues in the future, to ‘ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership, at all levels of political, economic and public life,’ as per the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5). I believe thousands of ‘mini dialogues’ in safe environments could yield ground-breaking outcomes in channelling the untapped potential of women and girls in STEM.
Targeted mentoring by our ladies at the top of their careers could drastically uplift the status of women in STEM and other professions in Pakistan. I hereby urge leading women and their respective organisations to usher forth a practical implementation of the ‘dialogue’. This can be in the form of a recognised forum or a support organisation, actively receiving and purposely answering queries from Pakistani women in STEM. Let us share our thoughts so that we find motivation, opportunities, and the right direction in which to persevere.
‘Sheroes’ in academia
There are many unrecognised women in academia who have had an international impact, including Dr Asifa Akhtar, Dr Talat Shehenaz Rehman and Dr Bushra Mirza.
The first female Vice President of the Max Planck Society’s Biology and Medicine in Germany, Prof. Dr. Asifa Akhtar originally hails from Karachi. The ‘Akhter lab’ at Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics is led by Dr Akhterm, who is also an editor of the Journal of Cell Science.
Another inspiring academic is the Humboldt prize winner Prof. Dr Talat Shehenaz Rehman, who is a Fellow at the American Physical Society and the American Vacuum Society, two leading fraternities in the realm of physics.
I must commend Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza (Tamgha Imtiaz) the Vice Chancellor of Lahore College for Women University LCWU and Board Member of the Board of Governors at the International Islamic University Islamabad IIUI.
Leading ladies of physics, space science and engineering
We should take pride in women scientists hailing from Pakistan who are recognised around the world for their contributions to Physics, Space science and Engineering.
Dr Mavalvala Nergis, a physicist and Dr Tasneem Zehra Husain, an established author, are two big names in physics. Prof. Dr Mavalvala is the Dean of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Science. Dr Tasneem Zehra an alumna of Kinnaird College and Quaid-i-Azam University is an active participant of the World Year of Physicist (WYP) project, a Physics Olympiad trainer and a senior trustee of the Alif Laila Book Bus Society.
Two names of national pride in space science are Dr Mariam Sultana and Zartaj Waseem. Dr Sultana has a significant body of work upon extragalactic astrophysics. Zartaj Waseem is the CEO of Pakistan Space Science Education Centre, a ‘edu-preneur’, a robotics focal person, a STEM specialist at Haque Academy and the first Pakistani to be designated as Global STEM Corps Advisor.
A praiseworthy effort by Dr Ramla Qureshi to enable female participation in STEM is the ‘Women Engineers from Pakistan’ (WEP) organization. WEP advocates for better and safer STEM workplaces for women in Pakistan. Ramla is also a Fullbright alumna and a 2020 finalist for the “Science Engagement Breakthrough of the Year Award” in Berlin.
Female power in scientific policy and entrepreneurship
Among the few leaders working on environmental conservation from Pakistan, Dr Aban Markar Kabraji is the most eminent. A regional director of the Asian International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Office, a co-chair for ‘Ecosystems for life’ committee, and an advisory member for both the Yale Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry and the United Nations Centre for Regional Development. Through her work, Aban highlights how depletion of natural resources affects poor populations the most.
A commendable effort to empower women in energy sector is the “Women in Energy” WIE Pakistan organisation founded by Nameerah Hameed from Global Women's Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET). WIE and WEP are strategic partners of the South Asia Women in Power Sector Professional Network (WePOWER), a platform driving female participation in energy and STEM education. WIE aims to link professionals within the industry, hence it maintains ties with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Engro Energy Limited, K-Electric, and the Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
In the field of science journalism, ‘Scientia,’ a digital magazine founded by the National Science Award 2019 winner Sadeeqa Khan, is making waves. It explores topics related to humanities and general sciences and uses the art of storytelling to convey scientific phenomena and findings to the readers. An entrepreneurial venture by the name of ‘Communique Collective’ is known for its innovation in dealing with local and international enterprises. ‘Communique Collective’s’ founder and director is Salaina Haroon, also is the Editor in chief of CIO Pakistan.
Super women of the cyberworld
Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES (P@SHA) and the tech incubator NEST I/O are both headed by Jehan Ara, who works for cybercrime legislation and spreads awareness via her “Bolo bhi” campaign. “Code for Pakistan”, founded by Sheba Najimi is another nonprofit organization aiming to promote digital literacy and data reframing for the government. “Women’s Digital League” (WDL), founded by Maria Umar provides digital services to encourage remote work for women. These are just some of the prominent organizations that are our hope for a revolutionized, digitally strengthened Pakistan in coming years.
As said by Syeda Arfa Zehra, “taleem ka kaam yeh hai, keh who khulli ankhon say khawab dekhna sikhaye, jo khulli ankhon say khawab nahi dekhtay, meray khayyal mein inko tabeer bhi kabhi nahi miley gi”