Samya Rahman

What is your name and what course do you study, what year are you in, what scholarship did you receive?

My name is Samya Rahman. I am currently pursuing an MSc in Energy and Environmental Technology and Economics.

I have received the British Council Scholarship for Women in STEM for the 2021/22 cohort.

What were you doing before you came to study at City? 

Before coming to City, University of London, I was working as a Senior Research Analyst in a US based research centre in Bangladesh called Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA).

What has been your favorite module on the course, and what have you enjoyed most about your time at City? 

I am about to get done with my first term and so far, I have enjoyed all modules including core and elective ones. I have enjoyed the Energy Policy and Economic Dimension the most.

The module is focused on the different approaches to energy policy analysis, how policies might affect climate change, R&D priorities, energy security, and the history of energy policy in the UK and other countries.

The module has also introduced us to different instruments for emissions or pollution. Apart from that, I have also enjoyed Renewable Energy and Sustainability module.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? 

I strongly believe that this program will prepare me for a transformation and to take a proactive role in giving new meanings to the concepts of energy interest and policies related to it.

I aspire to be a data-driven analyst for energy and environmental policies to find estimators that have desirable statistical properties that can be a driving force for prompt and effective policy implementation.

What would be your top tip for our applicants? 

To familiarise yourself with the course content and to make an informed choice tip would be to go through the modules given on the website for the EETE program.

The website has a full breakdown of the modules which will help to get an idea about the contents of each module.

Reach out to the contact person if you have any queries. It is always a good idea to connect with the school team early.

What work experience or activities have you taken part in relating to your subject?

At IPA, I was fortunate enough to work on one of the most pressing problems of Dhaka city, Air Pollution in collaboration with University of California, San Diego and World Bank.

While enhancing my knowledge on Environmental Sustainability, this project equipped me with skills like Power Calculation, RCT, and Inferential Statistics.

Visiting small factories in Dhaka city has made me realize that the workers do not even realize how the compromised working environment is affecting their health and certain technologies can improve the environment.

What is one way we can engage other women and girls in STEM from your Bangladesh?

I think stereotypes and cultural norms dampen women’s interest in STEM. Women in my country lose confidence at an early age in school, and then the fear of failure discourages them from a STEM career.

The first step would be to expose them to STEM subjects and give them real-life examples of women being successful in the STEM field.

The second would be to increase awareness of higher education and career opportunities, pathway opportunities, role models, and mentoring programs with women through different social media platforms.

These would help women to have a clear idea about the STEM field and help to build their confidence further.