NYUAD's first Luce Scholar discusses the importance of women in STEM

Lama Ahmad is one of only a handful of recipients of the prestigious Luce scholarship, and the first Luce Scholar from New York University Abu Dhabi. Lama will join 17 other representatives from around the world to gain a better understanding of the current social contexts in Asia. In this exclusive interview with Edarabia, Lama shares her vision in advocating more women in STEM.

1. How does it feel to become the first Luce scholar from NYUAD?
It’s certainly an incredible honor to be the first Luce scholar from NYUAD, and this accomplishment is truly a testament to the unwavering support, mentorship, and resources that NYUAD students can take advantage of. I first learned about the Luce Scholarship from my mentor at the NYUAD Career Development Center, Doug Cutchins. When I applied, I certainly had no expectations of even making it as a finalist to such a competitive award. There were two interview rounds, one via Skype and later one in person in New York with a day filled with back to back interviews with former Luce scholars. I was so impressed by the accomplishments of the other candidates at the interview day, and it was a wonderful experience getting to know more about the Luce scholars mission for young Americans to gain a better understanding of a specific context in Asia. When I received the phone call from the Luce Scholars Program Director that I had been selected as a recipient for the scholarship, I was in shock, and incredibly excited for the journey ahead. NYUAD has certainly given me the tools and the confidence to take such an exciting next step in my life. What I hope this accomplishment will show others, especially other young women, is to not be afraid to put themselves out there for competitive and new opportunities for their personal and professional growth.

2. Tell us a bit about your pursuit of data science and research in Indonesia.
I will be working on the Social Systems team at the UN Pulse Lab Jakarta, a joint initiative of the United Nations and the Government of Indonesia, which combines data science and social research for development and humanitarian interaction. They have worked on so many exciting projects, such as research for ‘Safe Transit for Women Traveling at Night’, and ‘Integration of Big Data Sources to Monitor and Respond to Natural Disasters.’ I’m most excited about the opportunity to work with a diverse team that is thinking about technology solutions in a way that is ethical and socially responsible. Most organizations have technology teams that are isolated from the social contexts, but at the Pulse Lab, the Social Systems team and the Data Science teams work together closely to think about solutions that are socially aware to come up with technical solutions that are harnessed responsibly.

3. What are you looking forward to the most in this experience?
I am most looking forward to being immersed in a totally new context where I can both learn and contribute to a growing body of work at the intersection of technology and public policy. In my previous professional experiences in the U.S., I have worked in very familiar contexts with technical teams made up of mostly men. I am excited to learn more about how women in Indonesia are involved in the technology industry and how the technology industry is developing in Indonesia. I am also excited about being a part of an absolutely amazing cohort of Luce scholars, our first scholars meeting will be in Thailand in October! I look forward to visiting all of the Luce scholars in their respective host countries on our journeys to better understand different parts of Asia.

4. Name one individual whom you treat as your greatest mentor. Why?
This might sound like a cliché, but one of my greatest mentors is my mother. My mom taught me so many important lessons about how to work with other people, to develop a sense of empathy for the world around me, and to pursue my passions relentlessly even in the face of obstacles. The lessons I learned from my mom about being a strong woman motivated me to always advocate for other women around me.

5. STEM careers are still mostly dominated by men. As a Luce scholar, how do you intend to encourage young girls to pursue STEM careers? 
The reason I’m excited about the recognition I receive as a Luce scholar is not about me, but about raising awareness about the gender gap in so many STEM careers, especially technology. My mission as a Luce scholar and in my career beyond that is to always find ways to advocate for technology that is representative of our world by empowering more women, religions, races, and ethnicities to take an active role in shaping the way our technology is created. During my time in Indonesia, I hope to find local women in technology organizations, to volunteer outside of my time at the Pulse Lab Jakarta, and to find ways to create partnerships that will last well beyond my time as a Luce Scholar. I believe that making an impact on even one person will create a ripple effect that will continue to change the world beyond myself, and that’s especially true through the power of technology education.

About the Author
Lama Ahmad will graduate from New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) in May 2019 with a degree in Social Research and Public Policy and a minor in Interactive Media and Technology and was recently selected as a 2019-2020 Luce Scholar.

Lama is deeply invested in understanding the social implications of technology. She developed her interest during her time at NYUAD, where she serves as president of Women Empowered in STEM and established an annual STEM conference for high school girls in Abu Dhabi. Lama has volunteered with the Girls Education Network on design thinking workshops, taught creative coding classes at STEMFest at NYU, and chaired the NYUAD International Hackathon for Social Good for two years. She continued to learn about the significance of representation in technology and honed her technical skills during her two summer internships at software startups in New Orleans and Detroit.

In addition to her work for diversity in STEM, Lama also worked on political engagement education for Muslim-Americans as a Congressional Advocacy Intern at the Poligon Education Fund. Lama is a found team member of Equal To, a start-up focused on bringing data and technology to non-profit organizations and women-owned startups. During her final semester at NYUAD, Lama is working on her senior capstone project investigating Twitter as a medium for propaganda in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and serving on student government as the Diversity Committee Chair. Lama aspires to bridge the gap between policymakers and technologists to create a more ethical and representative technology landscape.