Dr Nousheen Zaidi becomes first Pakistani to receive Georg Forster Research Award

LAHORE: Pakistani scientist Dr Nousheen Zaidi has become the first person from Pakistan to receive the Georg Forster Research Award, according to a report published by Express Tribune.

Dr Zaidi is a professor at the Public Health, Environment & Applied Research Lab (PEARL) at the Institute of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (IMMG), University of the Punjab. The award was conferred in recognition of her academic and research contributions.

The Georg Forster Research Award is presented each year by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to internationally recognised scholars from developing and transition countries for their research accomplishments. The award is named after German ethnologist Georg Forster (1754–1794) and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. It includes research funding worth 60,000 euros.

To mark the occasion, Arno Kirchhof, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Islamabad, hosted a reception on Friday evening at the Annemarie-Schimmel-Haus in Lahore. The event was attended by distinguished representatives from academic and scientific circles.

Dr Zaidi holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Tübingen in Germany. She has also previously worked at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Janssen Pharmaceutical.

Beyond her laboratory-based work, she serves as director of the Action Research Collective (ARC). Through that platform, she is leading a nationwide initiative to map water quality, a programme that is expanding to several cities across Pakistan.

She is also overseeing the Roshan Clinics initiative, which focuses on stunting and uses community-based interventions to address major public health issues.

Her work has been described as bringing together advanced scientific research and grassroots-level impact.

Recognition for research and public health work

The recognition places a spotlight on Dr Zaidi’s contributions in both academic research and applied public health efforts. Her work spans scientific inquiry as well as community-focused programmes aimed at addressing practical challenges.

Social media posts cited in the report also highlighted the significance of the award. One post said, Big moment for science!👏 Dr. Nousheen Zaidi becomes the first 🇵🇰i to receive the prestigious Georg Forster Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation 🇩🇪 A leader in public health & community impact—bridging cutting-edge research with grassroots solutions. Inspiring!

Another post described the development as a significant achievement for Pakistan’s scientific community and said the award recognised her exceptional contributions to research and academic excellence.

“Big moment for science!👏 Dr. Nousheen Zaidi becomes the first 🇵🇰i to receive the prestigious Georg Forster Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation 🇩🇪 A leader in public health & community impact—bridging cutting-edge research with grassroots solutions. Inspiring!”, the statement read.

The award marks a notable milestone for Pakistan’s scientific and academic community, with Dr Zaidi’s recognition reflecting her work in research, public health and community engagement.