Edarabia had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Rana Dajani, the world-renowned female Arab scientist and advocate for science education, internationally recognised by UNESCO, who participated in Pearson’s “Discover STEM” Schools Conference 2018, which took place in Dubai on the 4th and 5th of November. As part of the conference, Dr. Dajani provided a keynote speech on STEM education that matters.

Can you describe your journey to becoming a scientist? What are the joys and challenges you have faced?

I was always curious and wanted to understand how things worked. I also wanted to be a pioneer and make discoveries that help people. Being a scientist was all of that, and that is why I chose this career.

I completed my undergraduate education and Masters in Jordan. I was not able to pursue my PhD due to a lack of funding (although I was accepted at Cambridge University in England). I worked as a school teacher for 10 years. I discovered a Fulbright scholarship while working at the school and applied for it. I got through it and continued with my PhD, although I was 30 and had four children. My husband resigned so that we would keep the family together and this allowed me to pursue my dream of becoming the scientist I had dreamt to be. Setting up a lab was not easy as well, but with persistence and my love of science, I was able to establish my lab and conduct state-of-the-art research. My research was published in Natureasia magazine.

Can you tell us more about the “We Love Reading” programme? What is the aim of this programme?

I created the ‘We Love Reading’ (WLR) programme in 2006. It uses a grassroots, community-based model to foster the love of reading among children. The programme involves local volunteers, who organise regular read-aloud sessions in public community spaces by the use of books that are age-appropriate, attractive, and neutral content-wise and in local languages. The programme has enabled the creation of a virtual community through a mobile application, allowing learners and trainers to share experiences and exchange knowledge to provide, maintain, and improve the sustainability, quality, and evaluation of the programme. WLR is a simple, accessible, flexible, cost-efficient, sustainable programme that has spread to 36 countries and has become a social movement. In Jordan alone, the project has trained 3,000 women and opened 2,000 libraries, benefitting more than 50,000 children. The programme helped distribute over a quarter of a million books. It has been rigorously studied in collaboration with Yale, Chicago, and Brown University and has won multiple awards: WISE Award 2014, King Hussein Medal of Honor 2014, Star Award 2015, IDEO.org Best Refugee Education Program 2015, UNESCO International Literacy Prize 2017, World Literacy Council Award 2018, and the Jacobs Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

In your opinion, how can students, young girls in particular, be motivated to pursue a career in STEM?

Encourage them to ask questions, foster their curiosity. Most importantly, we need to learn how to listen to them and trust their decisions, support their journey by guiding and not by leading. Young adults know what is right. We need to hold discussions regularly, listen to them, and respect them, and then they will give you their best.

How important is it to promote STEM in today’s education landscape?

It is important to expose our younger generation to STEM in education and equip them with important skills needed to help them succeed in their careers. STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators. This type of learning is very hands-on and skill-based, and requires students to do things with their hands to discover specific knowledge or to develop particular skills.

What is your advice to students who would love to pursue a career in STEM?

Follow your passion, believe in yourself, and never give up. Nothing is impossible. You are special because you have a unique DNA, so you have something special to give to the world!