Distinguished stargazer asks women to study science

Lahore: Stargazer Dr Tayyaba Zafar wants to discover new horizons and explore the world. She is the only Pakistan woman who has managed to reach Antarctica.

Hailing from Lahore, Dr Tayyaba, PhD in astronomy, made the nation proud by becoming the first Pakistani woman to be selected for an Antarctic research trip under the Homeward Bound programme.

Around 80 women were selected from 26 countries for the trip and Dr Tayyaba was the only Pakistani national among them. The programme aims to increase the influence and impact of woman global leaders and involve specialists in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.

Dr Tayyaba while talking this correspondent over phone said that under the programme, she visited Antarctica for three weeks.

Tayyaba has visited different places affected by climate change. She along with other women scientists covered everything from different penguin species colonies to country bases, melting glaciers, zodiac cruises and whale watching.

She said the trip to Antarctica was great experience for her. According to her, she has loved astronomy since her childhood and taken inspiration from the stars, sky and galaxies. She shared that in Pakistan astronomy was not being taught when she was studying in Pakistan.

She always has longed for galaxies and sky. She got her early education in Lahore. She did master’s in physics from Pakistan and later lectured at Punjab University for one and a half years.