I am Sadiya Jamal and I am 26 years old. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics in 2018 from NED university of Engineering & Technology, Karachi.
Most people do not believe me when I tell them that I decided to pursue a career in physics as early as when I was in grade 10. I was an average student during most of my school life, had poor writing skills, and struggled with most of the descriptive subjects like history, biology, languages and chemistry. So, I found my refuge in numbers; math became my ultimate savior. I still remember that in grade 7 when I was first introduced to astronomy in a physics class, I actually went home and opened my books; this marked the beginning of my fascination towards physics.
Later during my school life, I started looking for options where I could learn more about it and explore the mysteries of the universe. It was during this time that I started working hard for my career. I became a better student, not because my goal was to score excellent grades but because I had fallen in love with nature and its secrets. Hence, partly in order to satisfy my inquisitiveness and partly to broaden the horizon of my knowledge, I started studying online on open coursework platforms and joined a few study groups online. By the end of my high school, I was pretty sure that I wanted to be a physicist. Little had I known that it will not be a smooth journey. Initially, I struggled to find a good undergraduate program in physics in Karachi. I really wanted to go abroad or do my undergrad degree at LUMS but I was bound to stay in karachi due to my health issues at that time. Having good grades in school & college I was eligible for the engineering programs and a lot of people recommended me to pursue either medical or engineering. However, I remained adamant to continue with a career in Physics.
Fast forward a few years, I graduated as a physics major from one of the most reputed universities of karachi. I was on the dean’s list, had attended 5 different national and international summer schools, did online certified courses from universities like MIT and Harvard, and had completed an year long research with one of the most prestigious scientific organizations of Pakistan. However, the general lack of interest in sciences in our society kept on bothering me during these years, especially during my university life. No one would believe me when I told them that I chose physics on purpose, even when I was eligible for choosing any engineering field. They would look at me in awe, and more often in disgust- It was disappointing!
During my university life, I witnessed a huge lack of interest and exposure of Science among people, which made me frustrated and I wanted to do something for it. I started looking for options through which I could play my part in changing this trend of our society. I volunteered, worked for different science societies and organizations. Right after graduation I decided to take a break from my studies and started working towards creating the love for science in our society. I started working as a Science Communicator at Science Fuse. In addition to this, I currently work at the Flagship Program design department at The Citizens Foundation, where I am a subject specialist for Physics and Mathematics. I am quite satisfied with the progress that I have made in these two years and now that most of the work that I do can be done remotely (online), I plan to start my graduate studies this year. Fortunately, I have been offered a Scholarship in Europe for a Masters program in this regard. I wish to get a PhD in Physics and simultaneously continue my Science Communication work for the people of Pakistan.