Discover more Scholar Spotlights.

Haleema Aslam, a Laidlaw Scholar at Brown University, on enhancing math pathways from high school through to university.

This week, we’re shining a spotlight on Haleema Aslam, a Laidlaw Scholar and undergraduate psychology student at Brown University. Haleema's research focuses on math requirements for STEM majors, with the aim of enhancing math pathways from high school to university. She conducted research that examined math admissions requirements across 15 universities that enroll 75% of Rhode Island high school graduates who pursue higher education, to more deeply understand specific requirements for admissions into STEM programs. She also used data to give recommendations on how math learning can be enhanced for high school students, particularly in preparation for STEM studies. In a conversation with Hannah Watton, the Community Ambassador and Team Support Executive at the Laidlaw Foundation, Haleema offers her perspectives on the significance of her research.

Hannah: Welcome to today's scholar Spotlight. I'm Hannah, the community ambassador and team support executive at the Laidlaw Foundation, and today we have a special guest for today's scholar spotlight. Would you like to briefly introduce yourself?

Haleema: I am Haleema Aslam, and I am a third year student at Brown University. I am studying psychology, and I just completed the Laidlaw Scholars program this past year. So, I'm an alum now.

Hannah: Okay, so for the first question, could you give us a brief intro into your research? What were you researching, and what is the potential real-world impact of your project? 

Haleema: So, this past summer, I did my research at the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). I worked on two different projects where I was looking into math requirements for STEM majors, but also overall math requirements to go to a four year university. I worked on a K-12 Postsecondary Pathways project that was part of RIDE’s participation in the Launch Years Initiative from the Dana Center. This initiative focused on enhancing math pathways from high school through to university. So, under the guidance of the Associate Chief of Staff for Instructional Programs and in close collaboration with the Executive Associate for State Strategy and Student Opportunity, I conducted research that examined math admissions requirements across 15 universities that enroll 75% of Rhode Island high school graduates who pursue higher education. The goal of my project was to investigate and learn about the math admissions requirements as well as specific requirements for admissions into STEM programs.

The second goal was to also provide RIDE with data-driven recommendations on how math learning can be enhanced for high school students, particularly in preparation for STEM studies.  After conducting my research, I presented my findings to the RIDE team, proposing targeted improvements to enhance students’ math experiences in high school. These findings are expected to shape future policies that align secondary math education more closely with college admissions requirements, potentially impacting thousands of Rhode Island students.

Hannah: Wow, that sounds really interesting, thank you. Next, I was wondering where your passion for this research came from, and maybe you could also feed it into your own personal journey.

Haleema: Yeah, that’s a big question. Well, I did not grow up in the US. I grew up in Pakistan, and I have always been very curious about the US educational system. I had always been curious about how resources are allocated and how things are taught in the US educational system as, like for us, Rhode Island is diverse. And I was also curious how students who come from underrepresented backgrounds, who are going to a high school in the US, acclimate into this system, into their environment where they may have multiple layers of  identities. So that's where my passion came from. 

And when I did my research this summer, it was just very fulfilling, because I found answers to a lot of my questions, and I really got an overall understanding of the how the US educational system works, and even how in each district there are schools, then they get funding through different ways, and then the entire Department of Education oversees the schools in each district. 

So, for me, I learned a lot, and I really appreciated that I would think back to my life growing up in Pakistan, and how I went to an all-girls school, and it was a difficult journey, because I come from a tribe where girls are not allowed to pursue an education. It was a big struggle to be where I am today. So, for me, doing this research really made me appreciate that. I thought: Wow, that's how things work in a fair system where you're not being discriminated against based on your gender and how you can have equitable resources.

Hannah: That's really such an inspirational story, thank you! Were there any big challenges you came across in your research?

Haleema: That’s a very good question. I will say, there were challenges in terms of accessing data. When I was conducting my research online, in some information for some of the universities, they did not have clear requirements listed on their websites. So, for me, that was an area where I wish that universities would make it a little bit clearer what their requirements are, because especially when you're a high school student and you want to apply to a four-year university, it's a lot of information to be navigating on the website. So, some things were not clear, and I am grateful I had good supervisors that I could talk to. We would have weekly check in meetings, and I would talk about those things to find out: what are some ways I can navigate those challenges?

Hannah: That's a really good point! I'm going to pivot a little bit here and ask you more about your Laidlaw journey. So, what does it mean to you to be a Laidlaw scholar?

Haleema: To me, it means living with intentions and living life with a purpose, and it's obviously such a broad term to say living life with a purpose or intention. But to me what that looks like in my everyday, day to day life is that I think of how I want to spend my time and who I'm spending my time with. I'm taking a very interesting class this semester called Moral psychology, and in my class, there we have discussions. There are times when I may not agree with a student who is talking about some moral dilemmas and how they should be dealt with and I think back to my time in the Laidlaw Scholars program and our, you know, workshops and meetings. Instead of staying quiet or personalizing or just assuming things about whoever I'm talking to, I've gotten very comfortable asking follow up questions. Also, it taught me a lot about leadership qualities, for me it's very important that I communicate, and be honest. So, in my dealings, in my classroom discussions, even in my friendships, I notice how much I take initiative and communicate, making sure we are on the same page about things, and I'm also honest, and I'm holding people accountable if they have said something and they don't deliver. It's important to me that if I'm holding myself to a higher standard, that I also hold other people accountable, because I believe that that is really the only way you can have equal partnerships and relationships if you are mutually communicating and reciprocating.

Hannah: Those are some really good insights. When you think about leadership, you might think of professional leadership. But it's important to take those lessons into your daily life and apply them to people you know and love as well. 

Haleema: It really is, because I do think about it often that leadership starts on an individual level, on a smaller scale–before even big leaders and politicians–became big leaders, it started somewhere in their life. So, for me, every day of my life is an opportunity to really practice those values.

Hannah: That’s a really thought provoking, interesting perspective. So, following off that, which particular leaders inspire you the most and why?

Haleema: I could think of a lot of people. However, the two leaders that really come to my mind are Jacinda Arden, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, and also Benazir Bhutto. 

I'm not sure if you have heard of her, but she was the Prime Minister, first female Prime Minister of Pakistan, and sadly, she was assassinated. I believe in 2007 or 2008, I was very little, and I have memories of that day when I got the news. But I have such memories, ever since I was a little girl, I would envision myself being a leader and doing conferences and giving public speeches, and I was very inspired by her, and here I was living in a culture that is so male dominated, and coming from a tribe where there are a lot of child and forced marriages in my tribe, where girls are not allowed to get an education. Life around me was very much against my dreams, and just seeing that there was a female Prime Minister in Pakistan really just encouraged me and gave me a lot of hope. 

And now I often read about Jacinda Ardern and her approach to COVID 19 when that happened. Also, there were mass shootings that happened in New Zealand a few years ago, and her response to that was very empathetic and very compassionate, and how she even changed laws about owning guns in New Zealand so they could prevent gun violence. I just want to become like her, with her approach to leadership. 

Hannah: Those are some really great examples! I also looked into Jacinda Ardern a while back, and, like you said, just bringing that compassion and empathy into leadership is something that we look to develop as leaders, but is not seen as much, and seeing that in practice is really inspiring.

Haleema: You could tell her leadership, it was not about herself, it was about the public community service, and it was a true representation of how to serve the people.

Hannah: I completely agree. Again, following off from that. So, you've spoken about how these leaders inspired you to be in a similar position. Could you briefly describe a scene from the future you're striving to create?

Haleema: I am very interested in social work, and I'm actually currently looking into graduate schools in social work programs. I envision myself running an organization one day, and I really envision myself being in a leadership position, running meetings and going out, engaging with the community, talking to people. I'm very much interested in mental health, so I want to focus on mental health, but also focus on the bigger umbrella of social work and work in a social impact organization.

Hannah: Sounds great, I’m looking forward to seeing where you get to with that. Okay, so finally, I'm going to go through some quick-fire questions. So, the first one is a TV show that you're currently binging. What are you watching at the moment?

Haleema: I have recently been obsessed with Star Wars. There are shows too, but currently I'm doing a marathon watching Star Wars from the very beginning, and the first one that came out in 1973 or 75 so I'm currently re-watching Star Wars. 

Hannah: Wow, that's a big task, and maybe you can get into it more with Thanksgiving break!

Haleema: Yeah, that's the plan!

Hannah: Okay, so next is a song, your anthem?

Haleema: I have to say I listen to confident by Demi Lovato. Often when I am dealing with something, it's just like it's a very uplifting song. 

Hannah: I think music, it motivates me so much when I have something big to do or am just feeling a bit a bit low. Okay, and your top book recommendation?

Haleema: You know, when I read that question, the first book that came to my mind, and there are a lot of great books, but the very first one that I would recommend for everyone to read is called Man's Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl. And it was, I'm not sure if you would want me to go talk more about the book, but highly recommended. 

Man's Search for Meaning is a 1946 book by Viktor Frankl chronicling his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and describing his psychotherapeutic method, which involved identifying a purpose to each person's life through one of three ways: the completion of tasks, caring for another person, or finding meaning by facing suffering with dignity.

In this book, he basically talks about how when we go through difficult times, it can be very easy to give up, and he talks about the psychological mechanisms of what we can do when we are going through hardships, what would give us meaning. And I very much resonated with his book and his approach, and it really spoke to my heart, because I went through hard times in my life, and I sought asylum in the US, and that was a whole process. And his book just really spoke to my heart.

Hannah: That sounds really good, you’ve persuaded me to look into that, kind of as an insight from someone who's really gone through the extreme, and what comes out of that. Ok, so the last one is your current podcast obsession? 

Haleema: I listened to this podcast called We Can Do Hard Things. I love that podcast because it's very real, and the people are just real. They talk about real life struggles. For me, I deal with grief as my father passed away, and when I listened to that podcast, it just reminded me of the common humanity, that I am not alone, that there are so many people who are struggling, and I just really appreciate that I can listen to that podcast and feel connected and just learn from other people. 

Hannah: Another great recommendation, and I think that this is something so of the readers of this spotlight could really benefit from as well. Finally, is there anything you'd like to plug? 

Haleema: If other scholars or people want to connect with me, LinkedIn would be the best way to do that. 

I also gave a TED talk earlier this year, which would explain more about why I was so passionate to work, do my research into education. And it's a talk speaking about the fact that there are a lot of child and forced marriages that happen around the world. So much happens, and I shared my story, just so people would know what's happening around the world. My hope is that it will also encourage and motivate other people, and especially young girls, because we all go through hard things in life, and hopefully it will help others know that they're not alone.

Hannah: That’s a real achievement - I'm looking forward to watching that! Well, that's all the questions I have for now, and thank you so much for being in this week’s scholar spotlight. It was a pleasure to have you, and you raised some really, really fascinating points and ideas in your research. 

Haleema: Of course, thank you for taking the time to meet with me! 

👉 See Haleema's TedTalk on liberation through education here! And follow her here on LinkedIn. 

Quick-fire Questions

📺 Currently binging: 

Star Wars 

📚 My top book recommendation: 

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

🎶 My anthem:

Confident by Demi Lovato

🎙️Podcast obsession:

We Can Do Hard Things

If you want to learn more about Haleema's work, explore Haleema's research here and follow her on LinkedIn. Haleema is a Laidlaw Undergraduate Leadership and Research Scholar at

Brown University. Become a Laidlaw Scholar to conduct a research project of your choice, develop your leadership skills, and join a global community of changemakers from world-leading universities.

Find out more about the Laidlaw Scholars Undergraduate Leadership and Research Programme.

🔦 Discover more Scholar Spotlights: 

⚡️ Anuj (AJ) Manchanda, a Laidlaw Scholar at the University of Toronto, delves into how Environmental CSR initiatives shape consumer choices.

⚡️ Sebastian Glasper, a Laidlaw Scholar at the University of Leeds, explores social media’s role in mitigating loneliness among older adults.

⚡️ Sophia Waseem Khan, a Laidlaw Scholar at Durham University, champions sustainable agriculture through innovative ion recovery.