Awards

Research and Engagement Awards

  • Research Engagement Award (High Commendation), Vice Chancellor’s Awards, University of Oxford (2026)
  • MPLS Public Engagement with Research Impact Award, University of Oxford (2024)
  • The Diana Award (2021)
  • High Commendation in Communication Category, SEPnet Public Engagement Awards (2021)

Academic Honours

  • Senior Research Fellowship, Global Centre for Advanced Studies, Dublin (2025)
  • Nominated for the IOP Daphne Jackson Medal and Prize by the Department of Physics, University of Oxford (2025)
  • Research Fellowship, Global Centre for Advanced Studies, Dublin (2021)
  • Rhodes Scholarship, Rhodes Trust (2019)
  • Best Senior Year Project in Electronics and Control Systems, UET Lahore (2019)
  • S. H. Durrani Gold Medal for Best Performance in Communication Engineering Subjects, UET Lahore (2019)
  • Shahid-ul-Haq Qureshi Gold Medal for Best Performance in Electronics and Communication Subjects, UET Lahore (2019)

Research Grants and Funding

  • Venutolo Fund for Experiential Learning, Syracuse University (2026)
  • SSF Grant, Magdalen College (2023)
  • WDF Grant, Rhodes Trust (2023)
  • Research Grant, Stanford House (Oxford), Stanford University (2023)
  • Research Travel Grant, Magdalen College (2023)
  • SSF Grant, Magdalen College (2022)
  • Return to Research Grant, Rank Prize (2021)
  • WDF Grant, Rhodes Trust (2021)
  • IET Outreach Grants and Equipment Kits for hospital and school programmes (2017–2019)

Invited Talks, Exhibitions and Features (selected)

  • Public Lecture for the International Year of Quantum, Department of Physics, University of Oxford (2025)
  • Three Lectures on Quantum Natural Language Processing, Aix-Marseille University, France (2025)
  • History of Physics Lecture, Institute of Physics, UK (2025)
  • Panellist for the International Year of Quantum, Royal Institution (2025)
  • Two Lectures for International School on Quantum Science and Technology, Ghana (2024)
  • Featured in Physics World Careers 2026 guide, Institute of Physics (2026)
  • Featured in I Am Because We Are (2023), Nicola Green’s exhibition at Rhodes House commissioned for the 120th anniversary of the Rhodes Scholarships, as one of ten Scholars and Fellows; Entangled Threads: Quantum Teleportation and Tapestry: Ajrak
  • Declined invitations: two lectures at the School on Quantum Machine Learning, Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (DPG), Germany (2026); a ten-day course on Quantum Natural Language Processing, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Dharwad, India (2025); a panel on STEM and Quantum Education, Quantum.Tech, USA (2025)

Earlier Awards (selected)

  • Offered a place at the Wolfram Summer School, USA (2018)
  • TechJuice 25 Under 25 (2017)
  • Merit Scholarships, UET Lahore (2016–19)
  • 1st Position in All Pakistan Science Poster Competition, UET Lahore (2016)
  • Co-curricular Certificate of Merit, GCU Lahore (2015)
  • National Talent Scholarship, BISE Lahore (2013–15)
  • Student of the Year, Cathedral High School, Lahore (2013)
  • 3rd Position in Secondary School Certificate Exam, Lahore Diocesan Board of Education (2013)
  • 1st Position in Computer Science Exhibition, Lahore Diocesan Board of Education (2012)
  • 4th Position in International Kangaroo Mathematics Contest (2011)