Born and raised in the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, I was exposed to some of the most fascinating and interesting engineering projects while I was growing up. The Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Airport, and the Palm Jumeirah have been some of the most jaw-dropping projects for me to witness as Dubai grew into the business hub it is today.

I graduated high school from Al Ittihad Private School in my home city. In the fall of 2015, I joined the Global UCF program and began my pursuit to attain of a degree in Electrical Engineering at UCF. I am very passionate about renewable energy and the potential it has for the future. I am especially happy that my country is working to move away from being an oil-reliant nation. I plan to go into the Power and Renewable Energy track recently introduced by UCF.

I began my sophomore year as a math tutor for international students at Global UCF and I had the pleasure to meet many students from countries all over the world and learn more about their cultures and beliefs. UCF’s diverse population continues to help me grow as a person and contribute to my life learning. Currently, I work in Administration and Finance as a project assistant where I contribute my knowledge and experiences to the various projects on campus. Some of the most interesting projects I’ve been working on have been UCF Downtown, UCF Global, and the Collective Impact Strategic Plan.

So far, my favorite class has been Electrical Networks taught by Dr. Azadeh Vosoughi. This class has allowed me to look at circuit analysis as a game rather than an assignment. Outside of academics, I enjoy spending time outdoors either hiking, biking, swimming, or kayaking. Since moving to Florida, I have taken up power yoga, which has helped me master mindfulness and build my body strength.

I have chosen to become a STEM Ambassador because I believe this field has negative stereotypes, such as that it is dry and boring, or that it is only for males. I want to make assure that these perceptions are not passed on and ingrained into the future generation. I would like to take advantage of outreach opportunities to show young students how fun and exciting the STEM field can be, highlight the value of a college education, and emphasize the importance of engaging in what you love and enjoy. I would like to advise future STEM students to not be intimidated by the workload or the complexity of the course names. Your mind will always be your biggest enemy. Teaching yourself to overcome mental battles while pursuing a challenge and training yourself to take control of your mind is not easy, but there will always be people out there to help if you seek it.