Meet Our Experts

I am Farkhanda Afzal, a passionate advocate for gender equality in STEM education and an accomplished mathematician. My journey began in a small village in Kasur, Pakistan, and I spent my early years in Okara, where I discovered a love for sports. Despite societal expectations and my father’s vision of a career in medicine for me, I chose a different path, fuelled by my disinterest in biology and a growing passion for mathematics.

I pursued my BS and MS degrees in Mathematics at the University of Punjab, overcoming societal resistance to co-education and proving my dedication to breaking traditional norms. My experiences during these years ignited a lifelong commitment to women’s empowerment and challenging societal barriers.

In 2006, I had the honor of becoming the youngest speaker at an international conference at LUMS, a milestone that marked the beginning of my journey as a changemaker. Later, I joined the Irraj Education and Development Foundation, where I became a certified Teacher Trainer for the Punjab Education Foundation in Lahore. In this role, I conducted numerous training sessions for secondary and higher secondary teachers, emphasizing the importance of STEM education and encouraging female educators to embrace it.

My passion for women’s empowerment extended beyond local boundaries. In 2016, I proudly represented Pakistan at the Women in Mathematics Day at Microsoft Research Cambridge as the youngest speaker. Two years later, I was selected among the top 200 mathematicians and computer scientists worldwide to attend the Heidelberg Laureate Forum, which reinforced my resolve to address the gender gap in STEM fields in Pakistan.

To further my mission, I founded STEMWomenPK, a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the gender gap in STEM education. Through prestigious funding secured in 2021, I initiated awareness campaigns, conferences, and workshops aimed at empowering women in STEM. Despite not receiving the UNESCO-Russia Mendeleev International Prize in Basic Sciences in 2022, I remained steadfast in my efforts.

Recognizing the transformative potential of robotics and AI, We together with Eureka Robotics Centre, launched Partnership in Equality (PIE) in 2023, a UK-Pakistan collaborative initiative focused on empowering Pakistani women in these emerging fields. PIE offers workshops, placement schemes, and mentoring networks to equip women with the skills and confidence to excel in robotics and AI.

My journey from a small village in Kasur to an internationally recognized advocate for women in STEM exemplifies my unwavering commitment to challenging societal norms and fostering gender equality in education. I am driven by the belief that with determination and vision, meaningful change is possible. My story serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the impact one individual can make in creating opportunities for others.