Affectionately known as “Mama Dragon” by her mentees, Zuha Ajlan is not just breaking barriers she’s building new blueprints for what change in science, education, and advocacy can look like. From neuroscience labs to global stages, Zuha’s mission is clear: make STEM inclusive, empathetic, and transformational. Now, her groundbreaking efforts have earned her a well-deserved nomination for Changemaker of the Year at the Influencer Magazine Awards 2025.

Zuha is the founder of Shadow A Scientist, a nonprofit born in 2022 during her time as Vice President of the Wits Students’ Pathology Society. What began as a student-led initiative addressing the lack of opportunity in STEM, especially in biology and biomedicine has since grown into a powerful mentorship and training network. Today, the organization has empowered over 2,000 youth across three African countries, with 35 STEM fields represented, over 60 volunteers, and four active chapters in South Africa, Kenya, Lesotho, and Cameroon. Her influence extends far beyond just numbers. Zuha has personally mentored over 30 students in the Life and Health Sciences, sparking confidence and clarity in young researchers navigating uncertain academic pathways. As Director of Growth at Climate Cardinals, she helped scale climate education outreach to a global level, ensuring that critical climate knowledge reached marginalized communities.

A passionate speaker, Zuha has been invited to share her insights at high-impact forums hosted by Golden Key International, HeyYouth!, and others, where she champions gender equity, ethical science, and meaningful youth empowerment in research. Currently preparing to pursue her PhD in New Zealand, Zuha will be focusing on developing immunotherapies for neurological cancers, a commitment that merges her passions for innovation and healing. Her dream? To become a clinician-scientist, pushing the boundaries of what medicine can do while ensuring no one is left behind in the journey toward discovery.

Whether mentoring a first-gen student, building international networks, conducting research on neurological disorders in the lab or reshaping access to scientific opportunity, Zuha Ajlan is not just a changemaker, she’s a movement. Her nomination for Changemaker of the Year reflects a story of courage, compassion, and bold action that’s inspiring a new generation of scientists and leaders across continents.