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* This article is part of a press release distributed by SMEC (Member of the Surbana Jurong Group)  SMEC Senior Programmer Mobina Zafar was named Young Female Professional of the Year at the Surbana Jurong (SJ) International Awards held in Brisbane, Australia in December 2018. Based in Lahore, Pakistan with her husband Husnain and one-year-old son Rayyan, Mobina has been working with SMEC, a member of the Surbana Jurong group of companies, since 2012. The annual SJ International Awards recognise the most outstanding employees, projects and innovations of the Surbana Jurong Group, which operates in more than 40 countries. From a number of exceptional nominees, Mobina was chosen for her technical skill, innovation and dedication. “Mobina played a key role in pioneering the development of a Project Management and Monitoring Information System (PMIS) for our water resources projects here in Pakistan”, said Ahsam Arshad, SMEC Director Pakistan. “These systems are key to monitoring progress and risk on very significant infrastructure and energy projects.” “Thanks to Mobina’s skill, dedication and hard work, this system has largely been developed in-house, under the supervision and guidance of technical specialists.” For her part, Mobina says she is ‘humbled and honoured’ to have been named Young Female Professional of the Year. “We are a global group of companies with thousands of experts – to have my efforts be acknowledged is a really great feeling.”  Mobina grew up in a family that values learning, with both parents working in Pakistan’s education sector. “My mother has worked as a secondary school principal and education development officer. She’s a real source of inspiration and, along with my father, has been a role model for me throughout my life.” Her siblings opted to study engineering and information technology, and she recalls being excited by digital transformation from a young age. “Information technology has changed our world and this fascinates me! It’s why I chose to do my graduate degree in Computer Sciences and later completed a Master of Science in Software Engineering.” One might imagine that, sitting behind a computer working with digits and software, Mobina is removed from the project coalface. In reality, she says that one of the most rewarding aspects of her role is seeing the direct link between her work and the community. “Pakistan is an agriculturist country, so irrigation systems are really the backbone of our economy. Our project management team used the Project Management Information System to effectively monitor progress and manage project deadlines and resources on a significant water infrastructure project for the Government of Punjab. The project supports irrigated agriculture which accounts for 28% of Punjab's gross domestic product (GDP) and is making a difference to over 275,000 rural households in the area who derive their livelihood from crops.” Mobina also had the opportunity to work on project sites, which she describes as ‘thrilling’ and a ‘life-long learning experience’. The Project Management Information System has now been implemented on several major projects in Pakistan and has been recommended for implementation across the South Asia and Middle East region. “I’m really excited to see my work being leveraged across the world and am looking forward to implementing more innovative ideas in 2019.” Reflecting on her career success, Mobina names several factors that have been fundamental to successfully managing her roles as wife, mother and senior software programmer.  “I’ve been very consistent and focused in my work, but I’ve also had the constant support of my supervisors and my family throughout my career. This has made a huge difference. My current manager at SMEC, Mr. Abdul Mussawar Waqar, has mentored and guided me throughout my professional carrier. And I couldn’t have done it without the support of my husband, Husnain Ishtiaq, who is always standing beside me.” “It’s not always easy, especially when my son Rayyan was born. But I manage all my roles with the great support of my family, parents-in-law, and my company. After returning from maternity leave I was able to benefit from the day care facility that SMEC provides at the office.” “My son is my real motivation and aspiration at work. Every day when I come home and he receives me at the door with his smile and sparkling eyes, it’s like I’ve regained all my energy.” Mobina is keen to see more females study for and take up careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). “We should support and motivate more females in Pakistan to enter STEM fields. Information technology is such an exciting sector with tremendous opportunity for innovation and learning.” Training to be a female programmer in a traditionally male-dominated industry has not been without its challenges. “There are certain perceived barriers for females in STEM fields, mostly based on stereotypes and cultural ethos, and I was not an exception. I accepted and overcame these challenges with the encouragement and support of my parents, husband, friends and colleagues at SMEC. It is true there are barriers, but I feel the way to break them down is to demonstrate our true potential and quality contribution to our fields.” “I want to encourage young women to identify their potential and add their valuable contribution to the industries that are shaping our world.” Mobina Zafar is a senior software programmer at SMEC, a global a global engineering, management and development consultancy Article courtesy:
Liz Shi, Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager, SMEC (Member of the Surbana Jurong Group)
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Did you think that Pakistani women are not passionate about science? Well, you were wrong. Meet Zartaj Waseem, a STEAM Education specialist (a software engineer by profession) focused on transforming the methods of teaching and learning Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). Zartaj is the CEO and Co-founder of Pakistan Space Science Education Centre. She is pioneering & spearheading Pakistan's first ever Space Science Education initiative focused on exploration of Mars. And that's not half of it! She is leading Destination Imagination (DI), a US-based STEAM Program at Haque Academy, focal person of National Organizer in Pakistan for World Robot Olympiad (WRO) on behalf of STEM360, and is the first Pakistani STEAM Education Professional to be designated as Global STEM Corps Advisor for FIRST Global and also as an International Award Judge. Zartaj, you are truly a Role Model for many women and girls in Pakistan! Women Engineers Pakistan got in touch with Zartaj, and of course we couldn't wait to share her incredible achievements with all of you! Here is what Zartaj had to say about her path as an engineer and as an educator:  I was born in Karachi and belonged to a middle class family. My father is a Mechanical & Electrical Engineer (retired) and I studied Science/Computer Science because I liked it. My grandfather wanted me to be a doctor however my parents gave me the liberty to pursue the career of my choice but they wanted good grades. My cousin who is associated with the field of IT (currently in the US) guided me towards the field of Computer Science and I ended up doing Software Engineering. My favorite subject was English and Science. I didn’t like Math until I did Math in college and it was my math teachers because of whom I actually started liking the subject. I firmly believe that teaching strategies and imparting subject knowledge in an engaging way is a vital element for inspiring students. Many people have content/subject knowledge but not all of them can teach. I certainly feel that studying Science and Mathematics was a very good decision, as it helped me apply subject knowledge while I was doing my degree in Software Engineering. I truly realized the importance of studying these subjects when I entered my professional life. I am a STEM Education Professional, currently the CEO & Co-Founder of Pakistan Space Science Education Centre (PSSEC). My Co-Founder, Nahyan Farooq, Chief Design Officer (CDO) of PSSEC came up with the idea of introducing Space Science Education in Pakistan. He confided in my capabilities to join hands with him in inspiring and educating our young generation and present them with the quality STEM Education opportunities available to the children in the developed countries. In addition to my corporate experience in the field of IT, I have enjoyed being in the STEM Education field since 2010. STEM Education was quite a novel idea back then and I have always wanted to do something different, something unique, and not just follow the trends. I find myself as more of a leader and trendsetter, somebody who confidently spearheads initiatives. I founded the Robotics & STEM Studio at Haque Academy, followed by a leading role in establishing Pakistan’s first STEM Education organization, Robotics Labs. Becoming a coach/trainer for school kids Robotics teams and representing Pakistan at International Robotics Competitions with my teams namely, FIRST Lego League and Destination Imagination and as International Judge at FIRST Global. This experience has led me to enjoy facing challenges when I try to execute and implement a new idea. I realized that Computer Science is a very diverse field, be it in the education or the corporate sector, it gives one the autonomy and flexibility to make almost everything possible. Yet, Software Engineering is a male dominated field. Although the team members I have worked with have always been very supportive and respectful, I feel that people do not have enough faith in a woman’s capabilities that she will be able to handle matters independently in such fields. Good news is that this has certainly improved over the years now. STEM Education has been quite a game changer for me. I have been on a roller coaster ride all these years struggling to strike a balance between home/family and work. At the same time, I have been blessed with opportunities that I had never thought would come my way. My family has been quite understanding and supportive particularly my kids. As far as where I derive inspiration from; Bill Gates has been my role model. His character trait of being innovative in ideas and introducing newer and better technology to the world has always inspired me. I consider barriers as challenges to overcome, just like in a game you progress by overcoming obstacles and you keep trying until you succeed. I don’t think that these challenges are meant to stop us. I feel that barriers are there to make us change our strategy about approaching something and becoming better at it. Girls are a miraculous creation of Allah. We have a very powerful role be it at home or outside home as a professional. First of all, it is very important to get education and then something that I have assimilated and found very useful is the skill of self-learning. If you are good at self-learning and you are self-motivated you are unstoppable. Our girls should be adaptable, assertive and committed to what they dream to achieve. Inspired? Tell us about your Role Models in STEM! Women Engineers Pakistan had the chance to speak to the amazing Engr. Dr. Shehla Saleem, a truly inspiring role model for Pakistani women in STEM fields, and in general as well. Shehla completed her engineering degree from Military College of Signals, NUST and followed her dream to complete a PhD from the prestigious University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. And she didn't stop, reaching all the way to work at Apple, California where she works in Wifi Engineering!! A true role mode, Shehla rose against all challenges to become the face of talented Pakistani women everywhere in the world. One question many women face during the progress of their career and education is how would they ensure a "work-life balance"? Dr. Shehla is a shining example of having done a phenomenal job at just that, and we think you should read on and be just as inspired as we are!  "Being the youngest of four sisters and a brother, I grew up in a big, busy family. A lot of my motivation to do well came from seeing how hard my parents worked every single day to provide for us. Each time any of us did well at school or elsewhere, I could see a unique sense of joy and pride in my parents’ eyes and I would resolve to always make them feel that way. I was always taught that we must try to be good at whatever comes our way. Our approach to problems in life can be influenced significantly by how we learn to handle stress, success as well as boredom and failure from a young age. I enjoyed most subjects at school but when I found something disinteresting, rather than complain, I’d try to identify exactly what I didn’t enjoy about it. Thinking this way helps you learn what excites you and what your strengths are, and gives you clarity and conviction when you’re in a position to actually choose your path. I chose engineering because I found mathematical topics stimulating and challenging. However, at the time, engineering was still a very “male-dominated” path in Pakistan and people had doubts regarding the place of women in that field. Rather than be deterred by it, I took it as an opportunity to change a widely held perception and I feel humbled at having played my small part in doing just that. I graduated at the top of my undergraduate engineering class and was the first girl to do that. For some, it was hard to accept that a girl engineer was finishing ahead of all the males, but I am thankful for the many more supporting and encouraging voices. The struggle didn’t end with graduation though. I was once employed at a telecom company in Islamabad that did not have a women’s restroom in their whole office space. I am glad that I had the courage to bring it to their attention and have them create a safe and healthy work environment where both men and women can thrive professionally. I do not subscribe to the idea of having one or even a couple role models. I believe that everyone who crosses our path in life, offers a new lesson, a new perspective, and we are essentially a weighted combination of all of those lessons. I have many role models, some taught me kindness, some humility, others taught me resilience and bouncing back from failure. If I were to choose one character trait, that can make a superior contribution to success, I would call on “grit” and the idea of not giving up, but at the same time, knowing when to walk away. I believe in the power of collaboration, sharing of ideas and building meaningful relationships. I try to take initiative and raise my voice wherever I find it can be useful. It helps being thorough, because it gives you the right amount of confidence that you can be assertive without being combative. I had two kids during my PhD and their father and I were equal partners in everything related to our children. I believe girls must be sure of their rights and abilities and be prepared to stand-up against the status-quo to make sure they are neither silenced nor denied their rights. I would end by saying that while I strongly believe that ambition to succeed professionally is a noble pursuit, we must also feed our ‘human’ side all along. Find a cause that matters to us and commit to it, stand-by for family and friends, and always be willing to lend a helping hand. In my work-life, I go through periods of high-stress but that human connection gives me the support I need to keep going and see things through. Life is all about finding joys in the middle of any amount of chaos."  Who inspired you to STEM forward?Do you know any extraordinary Woman in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine? Help us Nominate Role Models for the coming generation!
Pakistani Women in Engineering: Meet Engr. Dr. Maria Riaz, Senior Software Engineer at Google23/6/2018 We had the privilege of speaking to Engr. Dr. Maria Riaz, a truly stellar engineer from Pakistan who has shattered glass ceilings and reached all the way to Google. Maria graduated from NUST (MCS Rawalpindi) as a software engineer, and later received a PhD from North Carolina State University. She is a true role model in both academic and career streams, and her story is sure to inspire many more superstar women in STEM fields from Pakistan. Following is Maria's story, and her very inspiring message to the women both already in the field and those aspiring to join in:  "I grew up in a closely knit family with two sisters and one brother. The strong bond that I have with my family is a blessing and provides me with a lot of positive reinforcement. I am thankful that growing up, I was never compared with others and was rather expected to do the best I can in a given situation. This has helped me feel empowered to learn and grow without any external constraints. My favorite subjects in school were Mathematics and Physics. I was always encouraged to develop an understanding of the subject over rote memorization. Later in undergrad, I really enjoyed logical reasoning and programming related courses. All of these provided a strong foundation for analytical thinking and problem solving. The knowledge itself, but more so the underlying skills to understand the requirements and constraints of a given situation and figure things out, definitely helps in day to day situations. Growing up in Pakistan, we are not exposed to a lot of the career options that are out there. I was motivated to be an engineer as I felt inclined towards subjects and concepts that are closely associated with engineering. This was not the most popular choice for girls and many individuals encouraged me to choose a different career path. Initially, the biggest barrier was that people were constantly questioning my choice and I had to justify why I would rather not be a doctor or something deemed more suitable for women. I think it is important to realize that engineering is not one profession, there are many options available and many type of career paths and job opportunities to meet different types of interests within engineering. There is room for everyone to explore their individual strengths and passion when choosing a STEM career. I am thankful to have had strong role models in all walks of life, be at home, school or as part of other social / professional interactions. I feel inspired by individuals who are kind and compassionate as providing a little encouragement and reassurance can go a long way. I think it is very important to have a support network as no one individual has all the answers. The most trusted way to create a support network is to be of support to others where and when you can. I would like to see newcomer girls, and all newcomers in general, to develop strategies that help them be resilient in the face of challenges and not be afraid to seek guidance and opportunities that can lead to personal growth and excellence."  Who inspired you to STEM forward?Do you know any extraordinary Woman in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine? Help us Nominate Role Models for the coming generation!
Zainab is from Lahore. She completed her high school (O-levels) from Beaconhouse School System, Defence Campus in 2008. Then she moved to the USA with her family, where she studied ‘Engineering Science’ at Hudson Valley Community College, from where she got Associate of Science degree in Engineering science with a stellar 4.0 GPA. Later, she got her Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She is a member of the Pi Tau Sigma (International Mechanical engineering honor society). In her junior year, she interned at an Automotive company "Honda R&D America's", in their Interior Design department, and following two summers she did internship at their Materials Research department. As she graduated, the firm offered her a full-time job at their Materials Research department. Now, as a Material Research Engineer, she works on new material technologies, concept cars, and materials strategy. Zainab has been a friend of WEP and an avid supporter for a very long time. Her constant push towards betterment, not just of herself but of others around her, makes her an amazing role model and mentor for many young girls. Here is an excerpt from an interview with Zainab:  The Interview: Women Engineers Pakistan: What were your favorite subjects in school? Did these subjects help you do the job that you do today?
Zainab Imtiaz: Math and Physics. Basically, what we learn from school is to develop problem solving skills. It is the most important skill for engineering professionals! WEP: What motivated you to choose the career that you have today? What were the biggest barriers? ZI: My father was an entrepreneur, he had small gloves factory in the basement of our house. So we grew up playing with tools, watching dad fixing machines, and not shying away from dirty hands. This was the main motivation for me for choosing engineering as my career, specifically mechanical engineering. Another reason was that I was good in math and science (common for most engineers). I didn't have as many barriers in pursuing my career, as I have been lucky that I always got good mentors in school, college, and in my current company. WEP: Did you have any role models growing up? What was the one important character trait in them that inspired you? ZI: Yes, I had role models while growing up. Initially, my father was my role model as I learnt perseverance and math skills from him. During college years, my engineering professor Prof. Ernest was my role model. I learnt how being female is not an obstacle in any STEM career. I learnt to be strong in men majority fields from her, as well as self confidence, and believing in one's career goals. She always encouraged me. At my workplace, my role model is my chief engineer, as he has a trait of having a challenging spirit, as well as dedication towards his dreams for the company and for himself. WEP: How do you handle barriers towards progress now that you are in the professional field? What would you like to see newcomer girls excel at? ZI: Perseverance is THE major tool for me for my progression. I remember, while looking for an internship, I gave 12 interviews in the same semester and only one company offered me an internship. In work field also, there are many challenges. Key is to be flexible, and to be open to learn any new technologies, tactics, skills etc. Don't be afraid of failure. For newcomer girls my advice is to work hard and keep your GPA high, in competitive market it is important. Also it paves the path for further education like MS and PhD. Do internships no matter if they are paid or unpaid in your field. Internships are a very powerful tool, which give you insight of the real world. And lastly, develop soft skills like networking, communication, management etc. while developing STEM skills. Interview with Sadaf Ahmed, Director at Robotics Club Pakistan - Female Role Model in STEM21/2/2018  Sadaf grew up in the small city of Sheikhupura. Earlier in her life, she was told to confine her education towards English Literature as a core subject (as this is considered as a predominantly feminine subject in the country), but her passion was always directed towards science and computers. She had to fight for her passion, and only after a struggle was she able to join computer science. Barriers for women in I.T. are very common. Pakistan has few universities that offer CS graduation. It's even more difficult for girls not coming from urban areas, as they were often not allowed to stay in hostels. But Sadaf kept raising herself and her family, and ultimately she achieved her dream of STEM education. Reminiscing about 1996, she says, "I don't know how, but computers always fascinate me. I bought my first computer from family friends and learned how to use a mouse from them. I explored every single thing in the computer myself." Now, Sadaf runs her own Robotics Club in Lahore, Pakistan. Women Engineers Pakistan find Sadaf immensely inspiring. We feel that many young girls in Pakistan go through what Sadaf did, and her example of unrelenting passion sets her apart as a role model for many. So we sat down for an interview with her, and we're sure her answers will encourage many young girls towards tech fields. The InterviewWomen Engineers Pakistan: What were your favorite subjects in school? Did these subjects help you do the job that you do today? Sadaf Ahmed: In school days I had one favorite subject, and that was Math. Yes, mathematics helped me a lot in becoming what I am today. Math skills helped me in CS, Programming and Analysis. I consider myself as a "self-made learner". I learned Visual Basic programming by using tutorials. It helped me a lot in understanding logic behind every code. WEP: What motivated you to choose the career that you have today? What were the biggest barriers? SA: Motivation, hmm... "STEM" was a new word for me when I heard about it in 2012 during my visit to Sydney. There, I explored many institutes and learned how I can use my education and training and be helpful for next generation. Throughout my career, I have worked in different organizations, like Warid, Wateen and Shaukat Khanum, and I believe that STEM fields are magical. They provide deep-learning and hands-on training, and so I stuck with it. When I started my endeavor towards establishing "The Robotics Club Pakistan" in 2017, I faced many difficulties especially as a female entrepreneur. But I believe I am successful as I am able to show I CAN DO it! It's never easy, learning process stays in every step of one's life; so I am still a learner :) WEP: Did you have any role models growing up? What was the one important character trait in them that inspired you? SA: The genius, Arfa Kareem always inspired me. At such a young age she achieved so much! I think we need to build this capability in other children as well. I believe I can be part of this change, and teach as many children as possible the many ways how they can learn skills that suit the progressive nature of the 21st century. We need more people like Arfa, and I am sure it's possible to do so! WEP: How do you handle barriers towards progress now that you are in the professional field? What would you like to see newcomer girls excel at? SA: Well, some or the other barriers will always be there. Personally, I never thought it's impossible to achieve what I want. With enough struggle, I crossed all barriers in my field, and learnt to take the right steps by taking a few wrong ones. I stuck to my plans and made sincere efforts. With that, Allah always helped me! What I see in newcomer girls is they are moving more towards science and math. The conceptual segregation that "girls can't code" or "girls can't do engineering" is changing. But we have to boost this positivity much more. We need to bring more girls into science and math. Few Words from the Nominator:Miss Zainab Amin nominated Sadaf for WEP "Nominate a Pakistani Female Role Model in STEM" Program. She says, "Sadaf aims to be the flag bearer in making STEM education a part of regular education in Pakistan, and equipping the new generation with 21st century skills. For the accomplishment of her passion, she has started her own robotics club in which multiple courses are being offered from robotics and related fields. I see her as a role model for so many who want to come forward & put their contribution." If you would like to hear more from your Role Model, let us know by nominating them here!
 Hibah Rahmani is an an Avionics and Flights Control Engineer at NASA, working on rockets such as the Pegasus XL and Falcon 9. She hails from Pakistan, and spent some part of her life in Kuwait. Previously, she worked for the Boeing Company at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) as a Systems Engineer working on International Space Station (ISS) processing.
At NASA, she provides technical expertise, follows launch vehicle testing, performs data reviews and provides technical assessments of engineering issues. She has also obtained a Graduate Certificate in Space Systems Engineering from Stevens Tech and participated in the 2012 Space Studies Program offered by the International Space University. Interview with Iba Masood, CEO and Co-Founder of TARA.ai. Pakistani Role Model in Technology7/2/2018 Iba Masood is the co-founder and CEO of TARA.ai, the Intelligent Product Builder. Iba is a YC Alum, and was part of YCombinator's Winter 2015 class. She was recently awarded Forbes 30 under 30, for the 2018 list, under the field of Enterprise Technology. In August 2017, Iba became a permanent resident of the United States, through the EB-1A award, which presents individuals of outstanding ability with the green card. She is also a past winner of the MIT Global Business Plan competition, and a recipient of the UN ITU Young Innovator's Award. Iba has been featured in TechCrunch, Wired and Huffington Post for her work in algorithmic pre-screening mechanisms for recruiting, and is passionate about machine learning in the world of work. She has spent the last seven years building mechanisms for pre-screening and project deployment in software, for hundreds of enterprise customers. Iba is the youngest winner of the Cartier Women's Initiative Award, and has an undergraduate degree in Finance from the American University of Sharjah, graduating magna cum laude at the age of 19. She has also previously worked at McKinsey & Co, and GE. Iba is originally from Karachi, Pakistan and was born in Sharjah, and brought up in the UAE. Women Engineers Pakistan asked Iba some questions as we are sure her answers will make young Pakistani girls relate to her story better, and hopefully, attempt STEM education themselves. The Interview:Women Engineers Pakistan: What were your favorite subjects in school? Did these subjects help you do the job that you do today? Iba Masood: Biology and Computer Science were one of my favorite subjects in school- however I think that learning is a continuous exercise. Several topics we learn in school become outdated fairly quickly (for example I learned a very early programming language in school- Visual Basic- which is irrelevant today) and it’s important that we continue to learn throughout our lives whether we are 12, 22 or 62 years old. WEP: What motivated you to choose the career that you have today? What were the biggest barriers? Iba: So, what motivated me to choose the career that I have today - (I mean) I would honestly say it started at the age of ten or eleven when I started coding at a very young age, when I was primarily was working with HTML and CSS, which were just pretty basic languages. I think my biggest barriers were that growing up my family didn’t think I really should study computer science and computer engineering, because they imagined that I'm just going to be sitting in front of my computer during my entire career. Which is pretty funny considering the fact that most careers now involve sitting in front of a computer. I actually ended up studying finance, because they thought banking would be a very stable field which was funny, because I graduated right in the middle of the economic crisis in 2010. The career that I chose, I think, was really out of the path of necessity. It was also something that I was obviously primarily interested in - specifically within computer science and computer engineering. Just by becoming someone essentially self-taught in coding; technically in my career; I didn’t pursue what I studied. But I don’t think that’s really relevant, I think a lot of people end up doing that. I think what is important is to continue to learn on an ongoing basis. WEP: Did you have any role models growing up? What was the one important character trait in them that inspired you? Iba: One of the things that I tended to gravitate towards was having a role model; just looking for role models within family. When I grew up, we were lower middle class in terms of income. What I found really inspiring was just seeing my mom - she was someone who actually studied Biology (Iba laughs) when she was younger and she got into the family business, and really tried to take reigns on the accounting and book-keeping fronts. I think that really inspired me; just seeing my mom, who didn’t have a career (or didn’t ever have a job in her entire life), just kind of take the reigns and try to grow the family business, I thought that was really inspiring for me! Of course there have been business role models that I have had when I was growing up, but I think today the role models that I have are really different from whoever I would have had when I was younger. For example Therese Tucker. She's currently running a billion dollar company specifically within IT. It's kind of inspiring to see female founders that have public companies within the same field that I'm in. We're seeing more and more female founders move forward, which I think is really important. What I want the girls to understand that in the school is that sky is the limit, and you should keep pushing and moving forward. I think the most important character trait would be grit and resilience overall. WEP: How do you handle barriers towards progress now that you are in the professional field? What would you like to see newcomer girls excel at? Iba: Honestly I think, being who I am, and where I am from, obviously there are barriers I see on a day to day basis. But I think one of the biggest barriers for me was to actually get my career started in the (Silicon) valley. Now that I’ve been here for three years, I think in terms of however many barriers toward progress, you try to take it in stride. For every 10 "No's" you will receive one "Yes". That was what happened with me, and I just kept going. My family wasn’t (happy initially), but now my family is incredibly happy about me being in the US, they are coming as well! But early on when I packed my bag and just left for Boston on a tourist visa they weren’t very happy about that! So I just kind of one against the grain in that regard. What I like to see girls excel at: I think one of the things that's really interesting is girls tend to be interested in math and science in young age, but they kind of get distanced over time, as they're told it's more of a masculine field. Which is completely ridiculous; because the earliest computer programmers were all women. So I think what I like to see girls excelling in is taking more interesting in math and science. At the end of the day, having a strong grasp of your numbers, and just being quantitative in general, is really important. Just having a strong grasp for math and science can set you up for any career!  Nominated by: Dr. Kendra Sharp (Oregon State University USA) What makes her a trail-blazer?Ms. Batool is currently a teaching fellow in the Department of Computer Science at the Information Technology University (ITU) and is also the Director of the Innovation for Poverty Alleviation Lab (IPAL) at ITU. She was a technical and research lead of a DFID funded project "Har Zindagi, Every Life Matters" that aims to improve kids' immunization coverage and retention across Punjab. Early results of the study demonstrate the value of incentives for and tracking of vaccinators; the results also demonstrate how ICT can be utilized to push positive social change. Ms. Batool also worked as an organizer for an International Development Design Summit in Lahore in 2016 where she served as a design mentor and community liaison. This summit brought together approximately 30 participants and 10 organizers from all over the world to apply the design process to co-create prototype ICT solutions for problems the "ahead" team (including Amna) identified with lady health workers, school teachers, artisans, and other community partners. Few Words from the Nominator:I have known Amna for several years and am seeing her mature into both a leader and a respected researcher/mentor in Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICTD).
While I am a professor in the U.S., I have been involved with several projects in Pakistan, including the Design Summit in Lahore. It was a joy to work with Amna and I am so pleased to hear of her growing professional success. She is an excellent role model for women in computer science in Pakistan! Pakistan's child prodigy, Arfa Karim Randhawa became the world's youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at the age of nine. Her incredible achievements at such a young age prove that given the resources; girls of Pakistan are extremely intelligent, and can succeed in even the so-termed hard fields. Such was Arfa, with a passion to help promote IT within all social classes of the country. Her brilliance shone worldwide, and Co-founder of Microsoft Mr. Bill Gates met Arfa personally to present her with the certified Microsoft Application Certificate. Tragically, Arfa passed away on January 14, 2012, after suffering from an epileptic attack.   Women Engineers Pakistan strongly believe that #rolemodels are extremely important for inspiring #womeninSTEMM and #GirlsInTech.
Tasneem Zehra Husain is a theoretical physicist, #LUMS Founding Faculty, Harvard University Alumna, and role model for young #Pakistani girls! She went to Trieste, Italy on a scholarship awarded by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) for a yearlong post-graduate degree in the field of High-Energy Physics. Tasneem obtained her PhD in Theoretical Physics from Stockholm University in 2003, after which she went to Harvard University for a two-year-long post-doctoral research position. Her book, "Only the Longest Threads", talks passionately about physics and all its beauties. |
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