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Updated 27 Apr, 2019

Engineer Hibah Rahmani, a Pakistani-US national who is working at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), USA, has urged girl students to pursue their career in space science as there are opportunities for talented girls to reach for the stars.

She was addressing a seminar at the Punjab University’s Institute of Social and Cultural Studies organised in collaboration with the US Consulate Lahore and the Lincoln Corners Pakistan on Friday.

ISCS Director Prof Dr Rubina Zakar, US Consulate Provincial Coordinator Alumni Affairs Jamal Ghazanfar, US Consulate Deputy Public Affairs Officer Elizabeth Lee, faculty members and students were present.

Hibah Rahmani discussed the current research being done in the field of space sciences at Nasa. She said it was a good omen that Pakistani girls were coming forward in various fields of science and engineering.

She said: “Problems and failures come but that could become an opportunity if the students continue to achieve their goals and work hard. Girls must dream big and never give up. Girl students should stay focused on their goals and dreams and eventually they will find success.”

She works on expendable launch vehicles and rockets. She provides technical expertise, follows launch vehicle testing, performs data reviews and provides technical assessments of engineering issues.


Originally published in Dawn, April 27th, 2019

Comments

Killer Apr 27, 2019 11:36am
Hope nasa has adequate security measures including intellectual property theft prevention in place
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Dr. Faazil Ahmed Apr 27, 2019 12:15pm
She should come back and help SUPARCO achieve success.
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The truth Apr 27, 2019 12:21pm
Be a good idea to eliminate poverty first
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NOONARI THUL Apr 27, 2019 12:28pm
I'm thankful for Habib Rahmani you encourage to young women if you have any magic so please encourage young boys.
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SATT Apr 27, 2019 12:32pm
First it's necessary they should go to school.
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NOONARI THUL Apr 27, 2019 12:35pm
sorry for mistake name Hibah Rahmani
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AAN Apr 27, 2019 02:01pm
Hope to see more figures like her in the near future.
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Adnan Apr 27, 2019 02:15pm
NASA refused me for postdoc position simply because of my green passport. Pakistanis are generally banned to work there. If you have US nationality or at least green card, then you may apply.
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M. Saeed Apr 27, 2019 02:49pm
She is another young lady making the country proud. We need many more like her.
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Gordon D. Walker Apr 27, 2019 03:13pm
Good for her... Gordon D. Walker Canada
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Mk Apr 27, 2019 03:32pm
US should relocate such scientists so they can support Pakistan in deradicalasition
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Wasim Kureshi Apr 27, 2019 03:58pm
A nice achievement
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Bikram Apr 27, 2019 04:09pm
By doing so, you will just finish your job.
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Perincheri gopinathan Apr 27, 2019 05:03pm
First of all, Pakistan should concentrate on women’s participation in workforce. Concentrate on the very basic things
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Faisal Apr 27, 2019 06:46pm
Ms Rahmani completed her higher education in the US. Local Pakistanis dont have the same avenues available to them. We will have to move to the west to get quality scientific education.
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Khan Apr 27, 2019 07:05pm
More and more countries are now spending billions on new space technologies. Huge market is waiting for young talented people.
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ExMohajirinUK Apr 27, 2019 07:45pm
Wish we had a proper space program like NASA so that she and others like her could come back and contribute towards the making this country great. Till then we will be forced to learn about their achievements in far away lands. Requesting our young minds to think about contributing towards our nation than working for others. Wish this prayer comes true in my life time.
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Jibran Apr 27, 2019 09:14pm
@Dr. Faazil Ahmed You missed the point. The main idea was to encourage young girls to go in STEM fields. Otherwise, currently, she's a low level staffer, I'm not sure what success SUPARCO will achieve with her.
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Akram Apr 27, 2019 09:44pm
Good to see someone from the Pakistani Diaspora giving something back to Pakistan, we need more women to inspire the girls in Pakistan that they can succeed and break the glass ceilings for women in Pakistan.
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BYE_BYE Apr 27, 2019 10:58pm
My daughter a qualified Aerospace Engineer from University of Texas at Arlington (she studied up to grade nine in Karachi) worked at NASA for four years at Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas in Mission Control Center, Shuttle program for International Space. Station. She was then the youngest worker at JSC. The program was closed in June 2011. Yes, USA citizenship is a requirement for employment at NASA.
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Ahsan Gul Apr 28, 2019 12:46am
Your are definitely an inspiration for our young girls! Our ladies must seek advancement in all type technologies and disciplines. Thanks
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Lionking Apr 28, 2019 02:02am
@M. Saeed Yes she may be making her country proud as she is working in her countries prestigious institute...
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Hamza Apr 28, 2019 02:26am
@Dr. Faazil Ahmed first let this place worth living
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Laila Apr 28, 2019 02:54am
I hope all Pakistani girls will allow themselves to dream and dream big. Only sky is the limit if you have the option of education, sadly not all do. Education opens doors and empowers you through knowledge and awareness.
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Laila Apr 28, 2019 02:56am
@Adnan I regret you had to go through that but hopefully things will change. There are others place than the US mind you. You can work and really build up a strong CV which could open other routes for you. I wish you all the best in your life and hope when you get some place amazing, you will look back and help those who are still struggling. Only in unity can we help our nation.
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Ali Baba Apr 28, 2019 05:20am
My dear Pakistan, It is news like these that give hope. Let there be more Hibas to inspire us all. AB
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Indie Guy Apr 28, 2019 06:35am
She is a great role model for Pakistani women, but will Pakistani men allow their daughters, sisters and wives to pursue their dreams. I hope so.
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Smart Observer Apr 28, 2019 09:18am
@Adnan Please do not have this hangup about the color of your passport. You have to be a US citizen to work at NASA. No foreigner can work at NASA regardless of their passport color if they are not US citizen. Same is true for all US Federal institutions. I am sure Hibah is a US citizen. It is obvious that her country of origin did not matter to land her a job at NASA.
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SKB Apr 28, 2019 09:29am
@The truth So we all should wait until...
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Khurram Apr 28, 2019 11:42am
Great thought but we need to encourage women to get educated first.
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Anonymous Apr 28, 2019 05:59pm
@Faisal So basically you are saying that she did not achieve everything on her own? There are many pakistanis from wealthy backgrounds but they are unable to achieve anything. Stop undermining other's achievements. No one is stopping you to achieve greath things.
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Anonymous Apr 28, 2019 06:02pm
@ExMohajirinUK She is not working for "them" or "us". She is fulfilling her own dreams, as she should be.
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Zak Apr 29, 2019 07:24am
@The truth jealousy they name is Indian union.
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Zak Apr 29, 2019 07:25am
@Dr. Faazil Ahmed As she said, trsin your own and admire those that achieve
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Zak Apr 29, 2019 07:26am
@Killer ‘Hope nasa has adequate security measures including intellectual property theft prevention in place’ Yes they have, hence none from Afghanistsn, Iran and India.
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M. Emad Apr 29, 2019 03:32pm
Above 70% Pakistani working women experience harassment at workplace.
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Laila Apr 29, 2019 06:39pm
@M. Emad Yes they do but you and others can change that. This should not hold back our girls from dreaming, working and aiming high.
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Zak Apr 30, 2019 02:18am
As a Pakistani, very proud of her achievements.
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