Florence Pouya | Former Captain of Afghan Girls Robotics Team
- HerStory
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
#NexusTalkwithNila | Episode #5 | Season 2
Florence Pouya, former captain of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, is now an aerospace engineering student at MIT—one of only 26 students accepted into the program annually. Her journey from Afghanistan to the U.S. highlights her resilience and passion for STEM, earning her spots on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and Vogue’s 21 Under 21 lists.
With a dream of becoming Afghanistan’s first female astronaut, Florence’s story was recently chronicled in the 2025 film "Rule Breakers." In this talk, she discusses her early interest in science, the hurdles for girls in STEM in Afghanistan, her escape after the government fell, and what it’s like to carry the dreams of Afghan girls while studying at MIT.
NexusTalk with Nila, produced by HerStory Initiative Society, is hosted by Nila Ibrahimi, Co-Founder of HerStory and the 2024 winner of the International Children’s Peace Prize. The podcast is funded by the KidsRights Foundation.
Disclaimer:
NexusTalk with Nila is a platform for conversation, not instruction. The views shared by guests are personal and intended to spark reflection. They do not replace professional advice and do not necessarily represent the views of HerStory Initiative Society, its producers, or its affiliates.
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