Being a woman doesn’t mean enrolling in an easier program, says TAMUQ engineering graduate

A general perception is that the field of engineering is reserved mostly for boys. But for Qatar Foundation’s students, this perspective holds no truth. For Nadin Mohamed, a graduate of Qatar Foundation partner university Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), who majored in Electrical Engineering with minors in Physics and Math, the COVID-19 pandemic was not an obstacle, rather an inspiration to use her engineering skills.

As her research project, she created "CoviCoding" – a simulator for group testing of COVID-19. Mohamed said: “Group testing during the pandemic is beneficial as it will accelerate the detection of the infection in a population, by allowing the use of smaller number of tests. The challenge of this project was modeling group movement and contact dynamics within a limited population.”

For Mohamed, studying electrical engineering opened up many opportunities because of the diverse and wide applications that this field covers. She said she felt passionate about it because it gave her the tools to be able to work in countless different areas, “since electrical engineering is the core in various applications like technology, electronics, and even biomedical devices,” she said.

Mohamed never felt that the field of engineering was not the right choice for her. According to her, being a girl does not automatically imply that she should choose other “easier” majors. “I did not find it challenging to be a woman in engineering because of TAMUQ’s environment. Here, the ratio of male and female students is almost equal which did not at all make it feel strange to take on electrical engineering as a major.”

As a graduating student of the Class of 2021, Mohamed prepares to embark on her second journey – one towards a master's degree in biomedical engineering. And looking back at her undergrad journey, she says she realizes, for the first time, of how grateful she is to Qatar Foundation (QF) for what she is today.

“TAMUQ has provided us with limitless opportunities to develop our skills, whether through programs designed for students such as the Engineering Enrichment Program, annual study abroad programs, or through the unique environment in Education City that pushes us to always be our best.

“Many memories with my friends and the Aggie community will accompany me forever – the challenges, fun, the activities, fatigue and exhaustion, and most importantly, my peers’ support. And more than anything, my journey at QF provided me with everything I needed to be – a student of change – to make a positive impact on my community and the world.”