ISLAMABAD: Pakistani scientist Dr. Maheera Ghani has successfully been selected to make her way into the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2026, along with 299 other innovative personalities from the Asia Pacific region below the age of 30.
The Forbes list for 2026 came out on Thursday. The list covers 10 sectors, among which Healthcare and Science, AI, Finance & Venture Capital, Social Impact, and Entertainment & Sports, showcasing young talents at an epoch where artificial intelligence is changing everything.
Ghani owes her distinction to her achievements in two aspects. Firstly, her pioneering semiconductor studies at one of the best educational institutions in the world. Secondly, her grassroots work encouraging Pakistani women into science-related professions.
Who Is Dr. Maheera Ghani
Forbes described her directly on its website. Ghani obtained her doctorate degree in Materials Science in 2025 from Cambridge University. Ghani is now serving as a post-doctoral researcher in the field of ultra-thin semiconductors where her field of expertise involves wafer-scale dielectrics of atomically thin semiconductors. Dr. Ghani conducts this research at the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge.
WinSci Pakistan and the Nature Award
Apart from performing experiments in the lab, she is also running a campaign known as WinSci Pakistan, which is basically a non-profit organization working towards motivating youths towards science education. He stresses the need for developing a conducive environment that encourages creativity amongst young people, particularly young girls.
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That work earned WinSci Pakistan a major international honour last year. The project won the Nature Inspiring Women in Science award, presented by the Estée Lauder Companies and Springer Nature. The award specifically celebrates women who advance science and those who build entry points for girls and young women into STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Forbes captured both dimensions of Ghani’s profile cleanly. Academic credentials make her one of the technically adept young scientists researching novel semiconductor materials. Her involvement with NGOs makes her one of the socially innovative individuals employing education to alter gender dynamics within science.
The 2026 list puts Ghani alongside a globally diverse group of young achievers. Other notable names include Chinese actor Wang Yibo, Japanese Major League Baseball pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Singapore pro golfer Shannon Tan, Australian astrophysicist and science communicator Kirsten Banks, and the co-founders of India’s amphibious drone company AquaAirX and China’s robotics firm Noetix Robotics Technology.
For Pakistan, Ghani’s inclusion carries weight beyond personal achievement. She is an example of a whole generation of Pakistani women forging scientific careers on an international scale – and consciously striving to make sure that the following generation will do likewise.
Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia is released on an annual basis and concerns the Asia-Pacific region. This is another year when science, technology, and social change make up the majority of the list.
