TL;DR:
- Zahra Nazari, an engineering researcher, assists Afghan women in continuing their education and finding remote work opportunities in STEM fields despite the Taliban’s restrictive policies.
- She works in the Energy Digitization Lab, applying machine learning to the energy sector, with a focus on electric vehicle charging.
- Nazari established the Afghanistan chapter of “Women in Tech,” recruiting 150 members and hosting webinars on social media usage, STEM careers, and freelancing.
- Over 90% of Afghan women lack digital literacy and internet access, which Nazari aims to address through partnerships with organizations like Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan.
- She plans to conduct a cybersecurity webinar to help women protect themselves online from the Taliban’s detection.
Main AI News:
Zahra Nazari, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has become a beacon of hope for women in Afghanistan facing immense challenges in pursuing education and careers in STEM fields. Having fled her home country in 2021 due to oppressive restrictions imposed by the Taliban, Nazari is now dedicated to helping her fellow women continue their learning journey and find remote work opportunities in the digital realm.
Under the guidance of Petr Musilek, Nazari is actively engaged in the Energy Digitization Lab, where she focuses on harnessing the power of machine learning to revolutionize the energy sector, particularly in the realm of charging electric vehicles. Her expertise and passion for technology have led her to become an ambassador for change, advocating for gender equality and digital rights for women who find themselves in a country where gender disparity ranks dismally low on the global scale, at 157th out of 162 nations.
Nazari’s relentless efforts have borne fruit with the establishment of the Afghanistan chapter of “Women in Tech,” a global movement that strives to empower women through technology. Through her leadership, the chapter has already enlisted 150 members from within Afghanistan, organizing webinars that equip women with valuable insights on leveraging social media for success, motivating them to embrace STEM fields, and enabling them to explore freelance opportunities in the digital landscape.
In Nazari’s own words, “In university, I knew many girls who were excited to learn about AI. They knew how to code, but since the Taliban took over, they don’t have any options.” The grim reality is that over 90 percent of Afghan women face digital illiteracy and lack access to the internet, severely limiting their educational and career prospects. To combat this obstacle, Nazari is actively collaborating with organizations like Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan and Classrooms Without Walls, seeking viable solutions to enhance internet accessibility for her fellow women.
Furthermore, in her unwavering commitment to safeguarding Afghan women’s interests, Nazari plans to conduct a cybersecurity webinar later this month. During the webinar, she will demonstrate how to use proxy social media accounts to evade detection by the Taliban, providing vital tools to protect themselves while navigating the digital world. Many Afghan women, due to security concerns, have refrained from utilizing the internet, and Nazari’s initiative seeks to address this pressing issue.
Conclusion:
Zahra Nazari’s dedication to empowering Afghan women in STEM is a transformative force in the market. By providing education, remote work opportunities, and digital literacy, she is not only bridging the gender gap but also nurturing a pool of talented women who can contribute significantly to the technology and energy sectors. This initiative has the potential to unlock untapped talent and drive innovation, leading to a more inclusive and progressive market landscape in Afghanistan.
