A Moment with
Magazine , we get to know a little more about Dr Zeenath Reza Khan and what makes her tick .
Who was your favourite teacher ? Why ?
When I was in school , my favourite teacher was Mrs Shyamala Sundaram who was my history teacher at St . Mary ’ s . This teacher was so amazing at inspiring students to think about history , going beyond the text books and figures , to bring history alive inside our classrooms so much so , that History became one of my favourite subjects .
What inspires you most ?
Students inspire me . Students are young , energetic . They are the future . Their ideas , thoughts , visions and perspectives on subjects , concepts , life are always noteworthy .
Creativity , innovation and engagement also inspire me .
Creativity of any kind , be it at work , inside classrooms , on the digital space or at home , inspires me to use my creativity to design my courses , and so that I can capture all my students ’ attention and engage them .
Giving back to the community is a very big part of who I am and what inspires me . Through a number of community engagement initiatives , I am constantly engaged with schools , students , parents , and the society at large . From looking closely at challenges to girls pursuing STEM education and careers to cyber threats for kids to student cheating , to igniting integrity in academia and engaging with the stakeholders , always inspire me to become better .
Share two major challenges that you faced . How did you overcome them ?
My first real challenge posed itself in the form of my choosing a career path . Although I had always thought I would become a doctor , when it came down to actually joining , I realised I had the worst case of sympathy pains , which made choosing that path impossible . My father sat me down at 18 years old and made me sign a contract with him – that the decision to not pursue medicine was mine alone and that I would be responsible for my career decisions and how that career panned out . I then enrolled in UOWD , to pursue a Bachelors in Computer Science . Doesn ’ t seem like much of a challenge , I know . But having to overcome the obstacles of the course and being one of a few girls in a room full of boys was not easy . Here I am , 20 years later , with not only a Bachelor degree , but also pursuing a career in teaching management information systems .
My second biggest challenge reared its head in 2008 when in the span of a month I found out I was pregnant , I received full scholarship to pursue my PhD studies with UOW Australia and I got promoted from teaching assistant to a Lecturer at UOWD . The next six years were a rollercoaster of activities thrown at me from every possible angle of life . Nine years on , I have a happy , engaged 8-year old , a PhD degree with commendation and I am now an Assistant Professor .
What are three key qualities that every leader should possess and why ?
Humility , Self-worth , confidence , and the ability to empower others are what true leaders are made of .
We become leaders because of our abilities , skills , and knowledge among other qualities . But I passionately believe that what truly makes a person a good leader is their ability to remain humble through their successes . A leader must understand their own worth and have confidence in their decisions , which comes with certain responsibilities . When the team or project succeeds , the leader acknowledges the efforts of the team and when there is failure , the leader understands he / she is accountable . Finally , a good leader doesn ’ t just think about his / her own growth but grows with the team , becoming responsible for the progress and development of others through empowerment and without micromanaging .
Share two ways in which the work that you are currently doing positively impacts young people .
A number of initiatives that I have conceptualized have had significant positive impact on the youth and children . One of these is the Tech-G Summer Camp that I run for female students every summer . The workshops are designed and geared towards encouraging engagement by female students with STEAM subjects and interacting with women from STEAM backgrounds , to understand the value of education and career in this field . Another is the Ignite Integrity Campaign , that we have been running since 2012 . This campaign is geared towards increasing the awareness of students , teachers and parents of the pitfalls of students engaging in academic misconduct , and the impact this behaviour can have on their careers .
What is one of your proudest achievements to date ?
One of my proudest achievements would have to be Mathalon . This is a National-level math competition in the UAE . It is now in its 11th year . I began this competition as a means to make learning Math fun for my freshmen students , majority of whom came from non-Math backgrounds in high schools . It quickly expanded to include other Math subjects and ultimately opened doors to include primary and secondary school students . Today we see more than 150 students from various schools across Dubai , Abu Dhabi , Sharjah , Ajman , Fujairah and Ras al Khaimah participate in a highlevel competition , winning scholarships and trophies every year . We also run a Teachers Forum on Math , engaging Math teachers from schools to attend a professional development workshop that adds value to their experience of participating in Mathalon as mentors for their teams . This year , we also received the prestigious and competitive Partnership Award at UOWD for the event ’ s ability to bring together stakeholders .
What are three fun activities that you do to relax and take your mind off work ?
I love to read books , and not the digital ones . A printed book that I can hold , turn pages and mark the corner where I stop every day . I spend at least 30 minutes every night reading before I go off to sleep . I read mostly fiction , science , romance or thrillers . When reading , everything and everyone else cease to exist except for the characters in the book , the plot and the story unfolding in the pages . Reading is a great way for me to relax . I also love to catch a good movie that has a gripping storyline , to keep me interested and leaves me thinking about the plot even after the movie is over .
After The Bell | | Nov - Dec 2017 | 41