The Dawoodi Bohra community has always encouraged and celebrated the achievements of its women.
The United Nations’ International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11, 2023 provided us with an opportunity to highlight one of our own – Jumana Lakdawala of the Dawoodi Bohras of Miami – who has excelled in her particular field of STEM.
Jumana was a practicing homeopathic doctor in India before she got married, moved to the United States, and was unable to continue working in her field. To keep herself busy, she took a JAVA computer programming class at Broward College and was offered a job. Jumana worked as a programmer for four years until her company shut down. During this time she also became a mom and found that she did not like the long working hours and so decided to pivot again.
Jumana then started teaching Anatomy, Physiology, and Patho-Physiology. This career-change gave her the flexibility to spend more time with her family, and she grew to love teaching. Currently, she’s teaching at Arizona College of Nursing. She counts her students as her greatest achievement. Her students range in age from 18 to 80. She is a big proponent of hands-on teaching and utilizes technology to keep the attention and interest of her students.
Jumana advises all who are interested in going into this profession that, although this career-path does not pay much, it allows one to spend time with your family. Jumana’s main priority remains her family. “Women are the foundation of every home,” she reflected, considering herself fortunate to work in a field dominated by women.