Top award for Essex postgraduate breaking down barriers in STEM

An Essex graduate who has helped break down barriers by becoming the first woman in Pakistan to hold patents in electronic engineering has earned international recognition after winning a Study UK Alumni Award.

Dr Nadia Nawaz Qadri has been named the winner of the Science and Sustainability Award in Pakistan in recognition of her ground-breaking work.

The Study UK Alumni Awards are run every year by the British Council and celebrate the work of UK university graduates who make significant contributions to communities and industries around the world. 

Nadia said: "I am truly honoured and grateful to receive the Study UK Alumni Award 2026, knowing that my journey in research is helping advance STEM education, empower women, and create a meaningful impact for a more sustainable world."

After studying her undergraduate and Masters in Pakistan, Nadia built a successful career in academia before receiving a sought-after scholarship from the Pakistani government to study for a PhD in Electronic Systems Engineering at Essex in 2010.

Over four years, she studied, worked as a research and teaching assistant and juggled childcare commitments, returning to Pakistan with a PhD distinction, two US patents and an impressive academic reputation.

It was at Essex that Nadia worked on the innovative designs which she later patented.

One includes a wearable Wi-Fi antenna, an invention which has huge potential for remote health monitoring and battlefield communication.

Nadia has advanced her career in academia and risen to Associate Dean at COMSATS University, Islamabad where she leads six engineering departments across Punjab and KPK.

A key driver in the development of new courses, she has also launched various undergraduate, Masters and PhD programmes resulting in thousands of new STEM graduates in Pakistan.

Alongside building new academic programmes and inspired by her student experience at Essex, she has transformed the institutions research output, ranking them among Pakistan’s leading institutions.

She has also led multiple projects and delivered state-of-the-art solutions to local research and development challenges, bridging the gap between academia and industry and securing ₨ 14.28 million in research funding and driving innovation in IoT, embedded systems, and video streaming.

On her time at Essex, Nadia said: “My experience at the University of Essex, UK, continues to shape my leadership, teaching, and outreach.

“The availability of advanced research facilities, access to global experts, and mentorship culture refined my technical and analytical skills, while the focus on interdisciplinary problem-solving inspired my later innovations in wearable antennas and IoT-based systems.

“The experience instilled a lifelong commitment to advancing engineering education, supporting women in STEM, and integrating research excellence into Pakistan's national innovation framework.”