In a society where a woman's path is often predetermined, even disappointment at a daughter’s birth reflects systemic barriers. The question was never what I wanted to become but whether I was allowed to dream. I chose to defy these norms, embracing the privilege and pressure of proving that women belong in mathematics.
Mathematics has always been more than a subject—it’s a source of joy and intellectual freedom. The elegance of its truths, the challenge of problem-solving, and the thrill of seeing abstract ideas align drew me in. Beyond that, mathematics provided a refuge—a space where my mind could roam freely, unbound by limitations. It gave me the tools to shape my future with autonomy and purpose. Yet, my journey has been fraught with biases and underrepresentation. But these challenges have not deterred me; they have only strengthened my resolve.
The HKLF offers more than an opportunity to engage with notable Shaw Laureates; it’s a platform to share my journey, exchange knowledge, and grow in a community of like-minded individuals. Learning from Laureates isn’t just academic enrichment—it’s armor. This space will inspire me to keep challenging the status quo and remind young women that their dreams are valid.

National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

My research focuses on fractional calculus and its applications in various scientific fields. Fractional calculus extends the classical notions of differentiation and integration to non-integer orders, providing a powerful mathematical framework for modelling memory, hereditary properties, and anomalous diffusion in diverse systems. Over the years, it has evolved into a vast field with various possible definitions tailored to different applications. The existence of numerous operators and definitions has motivated me to seek a unified framework that encompasses these variations. As part of my master’s thesis, my first project explored this direction through transmuted fractional calculus. This approach bridges classical fractional models with their generalised counterparts. By incorporating analytic kernel functions, we derive transmuted fractional operators with analytic kernels, offering a more generalised formulation. In parallel, I am collaborating on a distinct project investigating anomalous diffusion in biological transport, ecological dynamics, and other complex systems. In this work, we combine fractional calculus with stochastic processes to develop models that decode the underlying mechanics of irregular diffusion patterns. By employing these techniques, we aim to gain a deeper theoretical understanding of the movement patterns observed in real-world systems.