“A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in.” - Frederick D. Patterson Belonging to Peshawar, as a girl, my career paths and major life decisions were already pre-defined for me by a society that is steeped in tradition and deeply rooted in cultural values. The only thing that was not so traditional was my father, who made a declaration that his firstborn, “me”, would go to the USA for higher education one day. Since then, my father’s main focus has been on making sure that his little girl gets the best that any child could get. Due to my dedicated parents and academic records, my profile was noticed by the school administration and was sent to the US Department of State for the Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange & Study Program (KL-YES) which had an acceptance ratio of 0.7%. Getting selected for this student exchange program was highly influential for my career goals. Immersed in American culture, I discovered a fascination with technology and engineering. After returning to my homeland, I realized the extreme contrast and disparity of energy and tech between these two nations. This contrast ignited a spark, leading me to pursue Electrical Engineering at NUST. During my undergraduate, I actively engaged in extracurricular activities and leadership roles, developing strong organizational and problem-solving skills by being an active part of the IEEE (Women In Engineering) chapter and NUST Volunteers Club (NVC). After my graduation, I was the only selected candidate from Peshawar for the highly competitive and prestigious USAID Women in Energy Sector Fellowship, which allowed me to gain hands-on experience in the energy sector and work on real-world projects. I gained invaluable experience in clean energy policy, project management, and grid reliability. I also actively participated in initiatives to facilitate private sector investment in clean energy, promote energy efficiency, and enhance grid stability in Khyber Pakhtun Khwa. During COVID, I shifted my focus toward the booming sector of software development and product management. It trained my analytical and problem-solving skills. I gained expertise in software testing, quality assurance, and project management. These experiences equipped me with a strong foundation in technology and a keen eye for detail. Due to family commitments, I moved with my husband to Dearborn, Michigan when he started pursuing his PhD at the University of Michigan. He started his student life here while I on the other side, started to figure out creative ways to keep being a productive person. Since a mind is a terrible thing to waste, I have been actively involved in the IEEE WIE community by attending annual conferences and volunteering at technical and networking sessions. I have also dedicated time to enhancing my skills through online courses from platforms like Coursera, Stanford, and Google. After carefully shortlisting the institutions and colleges, I applied to a few universities in Michigan. After a wait of a month, I was delighted to receive an acceptance offer from multiple universities, among which the University of Michigan came out to be my top priority. By pursuing a degree at the University of Michigan's Energy Systems and Sustainability Engineering, I aim to contribute to developing innovative energy solutions. I aspire to work on projects that promote renewable energy integration, improve energy efficiency, and address the drastic and fatal climate changes taking place. My diverse technical and leadership experiences, strong work ethic, and passion for engineering make me a suitable candidate for this scholarship. This generous support would enable me to fully immerse myself in my studies, pursue research opportunities, and contribute to the global energy community.

Growing up in a small town near Peshawar, I was often told that girls were meant for domestic duties, not STEM careers. Yet, a spark ignited within me when I first saw a solar panel, a simple yet powerful device that could harness the sun's energy. I was fascinated by the idea of harnessing nature's power to solve real-world problems. This early fascination with renewable energy fueled my determination to pursue a career in engineering and made me wonder how it would be possible for a girl like me to study about it and be able to reach it without damaging the moral fabric of my society which is steeped in tradition and deeply rooted in cultural values. As a 15 years old girl, a pivotal moment came in my career goals, with my selection for the Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program. Immersed in American culture, I discovered a fascination with technology and engineering. After returning to my homeland, I realized the extreme contrast and disparity of energy and tech between these two nations. This contrast ignited a spark, leading me to pursue Electrical Engineering at the prestigious NUST. Where I delved into cutting-edge research, contributing to developing an OCT Image Analysis System for diagnosing retinal diseases. During my undergraduate, I actively engaged in extracurricular activities and leadership roles, developing strong organizational and problem-solving skills by being an active part of the IEEE (Women In Engineering) chapter and NUST Volunteers Club (NVC). After my graduation, I was the only selected candidate from Peshawar for the highly competitive and prestigious USAID Women in Energy Sector Fellowship, which allowed me to gain hands-on experience in the energy sector and work on real-world projects. I gained invaluable experience in clean energy policy, project management, and grid reliability. I also actively participated in initiatives to facilitate private sector investment in clean energy, promote energy efficiency, and enhance grid stability in Khyber Pakhtun Khwa. During COVID, I shifted my focus toward the booming sector of software development and product management. It trained my analytical and problem-solving skills. I gained expertise in software testing, quality assurance, and project management. These experiences equipped me with a strong foundation in technology and a keen eye for detail. Since then, I have been actively involved in the IEEE WIE community by attending their annual conferences and volunteering at technical and networking sessions. I have also dedicated time to enhancing my skills through online courses from platforms like Coursera, Stanford, and Google. By pursuing a degree at the University of Michigan's Energy Systems and Sustainability Engineering, I aim to contribute to the development of innovative energy solutions. I aspire to work on projects that promote renewable energy integration, improve energy efficiency, and address the drastic and fatal climate changes taking place back at home. Like the air quality index in Pakistan, particularly in the cities of Lahore and Multan. Where AQI has reached hazardous levels, with PM2.5 concentrations far exceeding safe limits. Which has led to significant health concerns for the population and has reduced the life span by seven years. A serious comprehensive implementation plan is required here along with mass awareness. I believe that my diverse technical and leadership experiences, strong work ethic, and passion for engineering make me a suitable candidate for this scholarship. This generous support would enable me to fully immerse myself in my studies, pursue research opportunities, and contribute to the global energy community. As a Pakistani woman in STEM, I am committed to breaking down barriers and inspiring future generations of women to pursue their dreams. Linkedin Profile link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashaali/