Paving the way for Pakistani children to pursue scientific careers

Lalah Rukh is a scientific communicator and founder of Science Fuse, a non-governmental organization in Lahore, Pakistan, working to promote access to high quality education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Launched in 2016, Science Fuse designs and provides non-formal educational workshops, training and resources that build children’s scientific literacy and passion for STEM. It uses a sliding cost model to collaborate with schools serving children from different socio-economic backgrounds, including the use of donations for free scientific demonstrations to the poorest communities. Rukh talks about his motivations for founding Science Fuse.

When did you first become interested in science and scientific engagement?

My interest in science began when I was 12, after reading an article about personalized medicine in a children’s magazine published by a leading newspaper in Pakistan. I was fascinated by this idea, and I cut out the article and pasted it next to the bed so I could see it every morning when I woke up.

In 2003, I returned to Norway, where I was born, and studied molecular biology and biotechnology at university. But I realized that I did not enjoy science in the laboratory as much as I enjoyed engaging people in science. So I joined Forskerfabrikken, a non-profit organization based in Oslo that encourages children to engage in science. We have organized practical science programs for schoolchildren. I worked there for five years as a scientific communicator, and I learned about scientific engagement and social entrepreneurship. I discovered the basic characteristics that make up great small-scale school exhibitions and saw how the organization established revenue streams and structures to expand its team and expertise across Norway. And I realized that scientific communication is where my passion really lies.

Where did the idea of ​​a scientific fuse come from?

In the summer of 2013, when I was in Pakistan to get married, I visited a small charity school for children living in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Karachi. I held a three-hour science workshop for children with fun demonstrations - from creating huge bubbles to making pearls that change color in sunlight and chemical reactions that cause water to “jump out”. There were big smiles on the children’s faces, and the experiments aroused their curiosity. It seemed more important to me to do this kind of work in Pakistan. Since 2016, Science Fuse has reached more than 45,000 children, trained 650 teachers and nurtured a community of more than 200 scientific communicators. We have worked closely with about 250 schools and partner organizations to provide world-class science education across the country.

Why is it important to encourage STEM education in Pakistan?

In Pakistan, 44% of children do not attend school, which is one of the highest percentages in the world - and most of those who go to school attend private or low-income public schools. Many low-income families do not have access to quality STEM education.

This is a matter of social justice. STEM skills are important for any job, and children are needed to stand out. Science allows us to ask questions about life and the Universe. But in Pakistan, many people, especially children, and especially girls, are discouraged from asking questions at home and in schools because of their cultural and religious beliefs. It is important that we use STEM education to empower children.

What are some other barriers that hinder girls who want to study STEM subjects and continue their STEM career?

There are many social prejudices, including cultural stereotypes, that keep girls away from STEM in Pakistan. Unfortunately, many parents and girls believe in the stereotype that boys are better at science, because they believe that STEM dominates men. Parents also want their daughters to get married - they are afraid that if their daughters study science, they will remain unmarried. A 2016 study by the British Council, a London-based cultural and educational exchange organization, surveyed more than 2,000 girls in Pakistan and found that they believe their male counterparts are more intelligent and naturally gifted in science. So, if a certain gender thinks that they are not good enough to study STEM, it is difficult for them to continue their STEM career.

We need to change the way people think, including girls, policy makers, parents and communities. We get support from the Malala Foundation, a Washington-based organization that reduces barriers to girls’ education, founded by Nobel Peace Prize-winning Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai - to design science books and posters featuring female scientists. They represent Pakistani scientists such as Nergis Mavalvala, an astrophysicist who grew up in Karachi and was part of the team that first discovered gravitational waves, and Tasneem Zehra Husain, the first Pakistani to earn a doctorate in string theory. These posters are especially important for girls, because ‘if they can see, they can be’. We want young girls and boys in Pakistan to grow up reading stories about amazing scientists who have changed the world with their hard work, wisdom and determination.

What is most interesting to you when you teach children about science?

Curiosity! Whenever I do science experiments with children, I see their eyes light up with a great sense of wonder, and they ask amazing questions about how the Universe works and many other things. It gives me great joy that I cannot describe. That’s what I love.

This interview is arranged for length and clarity.