CORE TEAM & ADVISORY BOARD
CORE TEAM
Saadeqa Khan
Founder, CEO, & Editor-in-ChiefSaadeqa Khan is the founder, CEO, & Editor-in-Chief of Scientia Pakistan magazine. She's a member of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network and NASW. Saadeqa is a fellow of NPF Washington, the Falling Walls Foundation, and the Science Journalism Forum. Saadeqa has won several international journalism grants and awards in her career and has been working with Dawn, Deutsche Welle, GAVI, and BBC Urdu for over seven years.
Fouz Siddiqui
Co-founder & Chief Information OfficerFouz Siddiqui is a science writer and co-founder of Scientia Magazine. He holds a master’s degree in Computational Astrophysics from the University of Karachi and is currently pursuing an MPhil in Physics at Baku State University, Azerbaijan. In addition to his writing and academic work, Fouz serves as a Science Outreach Manager at Kainaat Studios, where he is actively involved in science communication and public engagement.
Maham Maqsood
Co-founder & Managing EditorMaham Maqsood is a Co-founder of Scientia Pakistan. She has over six years of experience in science communication and science outreach, collaborating with educators and communicators in Pakistan and internationally. She also has scientific research experience and holds an MS in Biochemistry from Middle East Technical University, Turkey. Her work is driven by the goal of making science more accessible, inclusive, and relevant for diverse audiences.
ADVISORY BOARD
Dr Salman Hameed
Advisory Board MemberDr Salman Hameed is the founder & CEO of Kainaat Studios, which creates Astronomy Content for Audiences in Urdu and English across the Global South. Prof Dr Hameed currently holds the Charles Taylor Chair of Integrated Science & Humanities at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Science communication is a passion for Dr Hameed, and he has been engaged in popularising science and astronomy for over 30 years.
Dr Alex Dainis
Advisory Board MemberDr Alex is a science communicator with a PhD in genetics from Stanford University. Her work uses digital video to make science accessible and engaging to a broad audience. She is an awardee of the 2024 National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science CommunicationsAlex. Dr Alex is an active member of Scientia’s advisory board and has supported the organisation over the years.
Zarrar Khuhro
Advisory Board MemberZarrar Khuhro is a current affairs commentator and analyst. He is the co-host of Zara Hut Kay—a current affairs programme on Dawn News, where he has covered numerous segments of science and technology-related news. He also writes regular columns for Al Jazeera English and Dawn. Before joining the Dawn group, he was the magazine editor for The Express Tribune. Khuhro has worked extensively in both print and electronic media
Qadeer Qureshi
Advisory Board MemberQadeer Qureshi is a prominent science communicator. He is an Electrical Engineer, holding a Master’s Degree from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA. Qadeer Qureshi is best known for popularising science in Urdu and writing on diverse scientific topics, particularly evolution, for general audiences. Qureshi serves as the head of "Science ki Duniya," the largest Urdu Science Facebook community, with a global audience, including Urdu-speaking diasporas.
Dr Muhammad Mustafa
Advisory Board MemberDr. Muhammad Mustafa is a distinguished educationist, researcher, and dedicated advocate for science. Currently a faculty member at the Aitchison College, Lahore. Beyond his research, Dr Mustafa is serving as a faculty trainer for the integration of Artificial Intelligence in science education. He has been a member of the Single National Curriculum Committee and is serving as the Joint Secretary of Khwarizmi Science Society since 2016.
Dr Maheera Abdul Ghani
Advisory Board MemberDr Maheera Ghani has a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Cambridge. Her research is focused on electronic devices based on 2D materials for computing applications, funded by the European Research Council (ERC). Previously, she was awarded an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship by the European Union. Dr Maheera has won the Nature’s Inspiring Women in Science Award 2025. She has been supporting Scientia over the years.
Dr Hunain Riaz
Advisory Board MemberDr Hunain Riaz FCPS, FRCP, is a Physician currently working in Saudi Arabia, practising in the domains of Internal Medicine & Endocrinology. He has previously served as HIV physician & facilitator for the provincial and National AIDS control programs in Pakistan. His efforts included optimisation of service delivery in different aspects of the HIV/AIDS program in Pakistan. He is a published researcher and regularly contributes to Scientia, writing on health-related topics.
Zofeen T. Ebrahim
Advisory Board MemberZofeen T. Ebrahim is a Karachi-based journalist with more than three decades of experience in the field. She has led a women's monthly magazine and worked as an independent journalist, including serving as the Pakistan Editor for The Third Pole. Zofeen is a regular contributor to Thomson Reuters Foundation, The Guardian, Dawn, and the Inter Press Service. Additionally, she frequently consults for NGOs and INGOs. She has been actively supporting Scientia in its mission over the years.
Dr Bushra Anjum
Advisory Board MemberBushra Anjum, PhD, is the Head of Data Science and LLM subject matter expert at the EdTech startup NoRedInk. In this role, she leads a team of analysts, scientists, and engineers to develop adaptive online curriculum tools to enhance writing and critical thinking skills for students in grades 3-12. Previously, she worked as the Director of Data Science at Doximity, a HealthTech company, developing HIPAA- secure data tools for U.S. clinicians.
Fawwad Raza
Advisory Board MemberSyed Fawwad Naqi Raza is a former award winning journalist from Pakistan. He is a Founding Advisor of Scientia Pakistan Magazine. Being a journalist, he served as a News Editor in ARY News and also wrote blogs on leading news websites. He is also a business graduate from UWE Bristol, England. Syed is currently serving as a Business Digitization Strategist with several Pakistani and UK based companies.
Suhail Yusuf
Advisory Board MemberSuhail Yusuf is a science journalist with more than twenty years of experience in both Urdu and English science journalism. He has been serving as a feature editor at Express-News. He is the President of Scientia Pakistan and an active member of Scientia's Advisory Board. He occasionally writes for Scientia on science communication.
Dr Faisal Ur Rahman
Advisory Board MemberDr Syed Faisal Ur Rahman is the Co-founder and CTO of Blockchain Laboratories, LLC. He is also a Resident Scientist (equivalent to an Associate Professor of Practice) at LUMS. Dr Faisal brings a diversified skill set encompassing astrophysics, data science, blockchain and software engineering, accumulated over 15 years in the fields. Faisal is actively involved in major radio astronomy collaborations.
Dr Umair Haroon
Advisory Board MemberDr Umair Haroon is a distinguished media executive and forensic scientist serving as the President of Metro One News. He is the first Pakistani elected as a member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. A medical doctor by training with a specialisation in Forensic Medicine, he pioneered Pakistan's first forensic science television series to promote scientific literacy. He is the first Pakistani certified by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.
Rizwana Naseem
Advisory Board MemberRizwana Naseem is a senior Lecturer of English Language & Linguistics at DHACSS College and a visiting faculty member at the University of Karachi. Academically, she holds an M.A. in English Linguistics from the University of Karachi and an MS in Applied Linguistics from NED University of Engineering. As a board member of Scientia magazine, she brings a rich blend of scholarly insight, pedagogical experience, and forward-looking perspectives on innovation in education.
TEAM MEMBERS
Gull e Lalah Saleem
Social Media Manager & Science WriterGull-e-lalah is a Science Writer and Internship Program manager at Scientia Magazine. She is a PhD candidate, researching in Biotechnology and Molecular Pathology. She is an active science communicator with a strong passion for science writing, demonstration and teaching.
Muneeb Siddiqui
Science CommunicatorMuneeb is a student, a Junior Graphics Designer, and an active science communicator. He has been managing Scientia’s University Ambassador Program and working to accelerate its outreach initiatives.
Khair Ul Bariyah
Creative Manager & Science WriterSyeda Khair-ul-Bariyah has been associated with teaching since 2007. She is a synthetic organic chemist and science writer. She has publications in international journals and regularly writes for Scientia Pakistan on various fields of science
Owais Ahmed
Social Media Executive & CommunicatorSyed Owais is a space science student and a Social Media Executive at Scientia Magazine. Owais is an active science communicator and is striving to accelerate Scientia’s outreach program.
Muniba Usman
Science WriterMuniba Usman has a BS in Microbiology and a diploma in Textile and Fashion design. She has a strong passion for research, arts, reading and writing. She has written scientia mainly on the environment over the years.
Arsalan Sadiq
Graphic DesignerArsalan Sadiq has a BS in computer science from KUST. He is a skilled graphics designer and one of the oldest members of Scientia’s community. Arsalan is working as a teacher and freelance graphics designer.
Rebah Tanvir
Science CommunicatorRebah Tanvir is a skilled science communicator and leads Scientia’s social media team. She aims to empower young South Asian scientists with the tools needed to thrive in STEM fields. She is a biosciences graduate from COMSATS University Islamabad with research in Astrobiology.
Khadija Tariq
Science WriterKhadija Tariq is a graduate in Genetics from NUST. She was an intern at Scientia Pakistan Science Writing Internship Cohort Three and is now working with Scientia’s internship team. Khadija regularly writes reviews for Scientia.
Adnan Mirza
Science WriterAdnan Baig is a space science graduate and has served as a research assistant at the Leibniz Institute of Astrophysics in Germany. He has co-authored several international research publications. Adnan is Scientia’s editorial team member.
Shumyle Qazi
Graphics DesignerShumyle Qazi is a student and creative graphics designer. She has been working with Scientia as a graphics designer over the years and has been helping to ensure a captivating social media presence.
Hifz Ur Rahman
Science WriterHifz Ur Rehman is a passionate forensic scientist and science writer. He has been working with Scientia’s editorial team for one year and has conducted interviews with several top-notch international scientists.
Aly Muhammad Gajani
Science WriterAly Muhammad Gajani is an astrophysicist. His research focuses on galaxy evolution, astrophysical cosmology, and computational astronomy. He regularly writes for Scientia on Space and Astronomy.
