Malaysia’s first astrophysicist empowers girls in STEM fields

Free Malaysia Today

Mazlan Othman believes parents and teachers play a primary role in inspiring future generations of women to take up rewarding careers in traditionally discouraged areas.  Read More:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/02/15/malaysias-first-astrophysicist-empowers-girls-in-stem-fields/  Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com Follow FMT on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Rn6xEV Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM Follow FMT on Twitter: http://bit.ly/2OCwH8a  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2OKJbc6 Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3cpbWKK Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/2VUfOrv Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/3B1e8lN Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/39dBDbe ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Download FMT News App: Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46 App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP  #FMTNews #MazlanOthman #Woman #Astrophycisist

Transcript

00:00 At age 15, Mazlan Othman was captivated by literature and the arts and dreamt of becoming

00:08 a philosopher.

00:10 But her teachers saw a different path for her.

00:14 With a gentle nudge, they steered her towards the sciences, setting her on track to become

00:19 Malaysia's first astrophysicist.

00:23 I did not question my teacher's decision that I should go into the science stream.

00:30 It was very clear that the country needed more scientists.

00:35 That for her, was the turning point.

00:38 By the time she was an undergraduate, Mazlan had developed a profound connection with astrophysics,

00:43 which fuelled her groundbreaking work in space sciences.

00:48 She played a crucial role in the launch of the National Microsatellite Programme and

00:53 spearheaded the team that sent Malaysia's first astronaut into space.

00:58 Despite challenges in terms of securing the necessary resources for space exploration,

01:03 Mazlan's determination never faltered.

01:07 You have to do the substantive.

01:08 I mean, you've got to convince them why, what benefits does space, involvement in space

01:15 bring.

01:16 We're talking about involvement in space as it relates to our national security.

01:22 We talk about sustainable development, the benefits that you can bring to the survivability

01:29 of the human race.

01:31 Mazlan's motivation was also always clear, to elevate Malaysia on the global stage.

01:38 My duty to the country is always that.

01:42 Throughout my career, there was no question about what I had to do.

01:48 But Mazlan's story isn't just about her.

01:52 She wants to encourage women to dive into science, technology, engineering and mathematics,

01:58 or STEM.

02:00 We should make women and girls aware that science is a rewarding career.

02:08 Science career is actually extremely rewarding.

02:10 If you look at what you can contribute back to your community, to the world and to the

02:18 earth itself, to the planet.

02:21 That awareness must be instilled by parents at home.

02:27 And that's where as a parent, you have a lot of influence.

02:30 You've got to, you said role model, role model for your children, to encourage them to think

02:36 about what is around you, to make them think about beyond whatever they're learning in

02:44 school.

02:45 She says sciences should also be taught differently in schools, using innovative teaching methods

02:50 to make the subject more captivating for students.

02:54 Reflecting on her achievements, Mazlan credits her success in the male-dominated field of

02:59 space sciences to motivation and self-discipline.

03:04 I'm never thinking of leaving a legacy.

03:07 That is up to the future generations to decide.

03:10 I just worked hard in everything that I thought had to be achieved in order for the country

03:17 to come to a certain point in saying we are a space nation.

03:23 I'm Mira Huda, FMT News.

03:25 (upbeat music)

Transcript

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