Famia Humayun (Mentor: Ms. Sana Noon)

In their own words:
A short biographical description about yourself:
My name is Famia Humayun and I am an incoming senior at Lahore Grammar School OPF campus. I had 11 A’s and A*s in my O levels, and have achieved similar grades in A level internals. 
My A level subjects include Physics, Chemistry, Math, Law and English General Paper. 
As for my interests, I love writing - my work usually centers around issues relating to women or women empowerment in general. I actively partake in feminist demonstrations, especially those demanding legislative changes within our country’s constitution, so as to allow women access to basic human rights.

A short description of your involvement in high-school:
At school, I am an Executive Council Member – I lead a council of approximately 100 individuals, whilst ensuring smooth-runnings of in-school events. I am founder to the Women’s Collective at OPF, through which we engage students in awareness sessions pertaining to women’s issues, and give students an opportunity to partake in feminist demonstrations with support from their school. I have been Director Publications and Director Socials at national level events (such as Triathlon and Grammafest) hosted by my school. I have served as Youth Leadership Society ambassador as well as Environmental Society ambassador, both aligning with causes I believe need to be worked towards. 

What attracted you to the Rahman-Marshall scholarship program:
My mind has forever raised questions on aspects of our society that are not discussed in the mainstream media (aspects like women criminology or life in areas like Heera Mandi). It was these very aspects that I had always wanted to research upon but I failed to arrange the resources to do so. As funny as it may sound, seeing the RM scholarship felt like fate to me. I applied with hopes of getting the opportunity to research upon those questions that pop in my head at the speed of light. I believed that this scholarship would both motivate me and financially support me in my endeavors. So, the need to have some critical questions in my head answered, is what essentially attracted me to the RM scholarship.  

What have you gained/learned so far from the program:
This program has taught me research skills that not many my age are acquainted with. I have learned the importance of archival work, and how eminent interviews are to developing a valid and representative research. It has added a great deal to my interpersonal skills and I have developed a newfound confidence in my writings, that I did not possess prior to the research. Mentorship from Shaamyl, alongside Ms. Sana Noon, has been of great help during my college application process as well. The guidance and patience with which these folks educate me is truly commendable. 

Shammas Ahmed (Mentor: Professor Ed Novak)

In their own words:
A short biographical description about yourself:
Hello! My name is Shammas Ahmed (he/him), I’m 17 and a high school senior at Lahore Grammar School Johar Town in Lahore, Pakistan. A STEM enthusiast, I am particularly inclined towards mathematics and computer science. I love watching f1, tennis (I’ve recently started my own podcast!) and playing thulla (a card game) with my grandmother and her two sisters. I speak fluent Urdu and English, and am an amateur squash player and swimmer. I’m aiming to study Operations Research in college, and hopefully conduct my own research one day!

 
A short description of your involvement in high-school:
I currently serve as the President of the Science Society at my high school. I’m also the captain of my school’s team that has qualified for the International Space Settlement Design Competition, to be held at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA in late July 2022. We are the only team from Pakistan, and one of 2 from Asia. As of now, I’ve designed a Space Settlement Design Bootcamp to orient my juniors in this endeavor. I’ve been the leader of various school teams in regional and national science, maths and robotics competitions, and also previously served as the Environment Society Representative and a member of the Prefectorial Body.

 
What attracted you to the Rahman-Marshall scholarship program:
Research initiatives, especially for high-school students, don’t come by every day in Pakistan. Franklin and Marshall University’s initiative to provide such an opportunity for Pakistani students, in the form of the Rahman-Marshall program, was truly inspiring. The knowledge that I would have the opportunity to perform in a structured, academically extensive program was more than enough to have me start the application process. Stipends for financial assistance in the research, connection with an experienced researcher in the U.S (Professor Novak is a wonderful guide!) and exposure to a unique method of academic development were some of many reasons that pushed me to submit the Rahman-Marshall application, and I’m super glad I did!

 
What have you gained/learned so far from the program:
I’ve learned to truly respect all individuals affiliated with the term researcher; this work is no joke. The extensivity of Professor Novak’s project is truly amazing. I’ve learned how I can contribute to a project myself, how to have effective communication with a senior faculty member in case I face problems and to generally enjoy myself in an academic venture. My work in Professor Novak’s research pushes me out of my comfort zone just enough to completely indulge in the learning process, but also to always feel at home as I solve problems that arise. I’ve never used stack overflow or the command line this much before, which is definitely an added benefit of the program!