Doctor Iram Naz, daughter of Mehr Muhammad Bakhsh, has joined Pakistan’s National Scientist Directory, marking a notable achievement for the young researcher and adding her name to the country’s official record of recognized scientific talent. Her inclusion in the directory reflects growing institutional recognition of research contributions being made by Pakistani scientists, particularly those pursuing advanced studies and publishing work internationally.
Dr. Naz is currently pursuing her PhD at Wuhan University in China on a special scholarship awarded by the Chinese government, a distinction that reflects both her academic standing and the competitive nature of the scholarship she secured to pursue doctoral research abroad. Her research focuses specifically on environmental science and geo-sensing, an interdisciplinary field that combines environmental monitoring with remote sensing and geospatial technology to study changes in ecosystems, land use, and broader environmental conditions. Several of her research papers have already been published in international journals, indicating that her work has undergone peer review and gained recognition within the broader academic community studying environmental science and related geospatial applications.
The inclusion of a Pakistani doctoral researcher in the National Scientist Directory comes against the backdrop of broader statistics highlighting the gender gap within the country’s scientific workforce. According to official data, Pakistan currently has 2,898 women scientists, making up just 22 percent of the country’s total scientist population. This figure underscores the relatively limited representation of women within Pakistan’s formal scientific community, even as growing numbers of young women pursue advanced degrees and research careers in STEM fields both domestically and abroad through international scholarship programmes.
Dr. Iram Naz, a former student of the University of Technology, is being seen as a new source of inspiration for women in Pakistan pursuing careers in science. Her academic trajectory, from her earlier studies at a domestic institution to her current doctoral research in China, illustrates one pathway through which Pakistani students have been able to access international research opportunities and scholarships, particularly through partnerships and scholarship programmes offered by countries such as China that have increasingly opened doors to students from Pakistan and other South Asian nations. As more young women pursue similar academic paths, researchers like Dr. Naz may help gradually shift the broader representation figures within Pakistan’s scientific community, offering a visible example of the kind of international research career achievable through sustained academic effort and access to competitive scholarship opportunities.
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