Dayang Hazirah is a Year 10 (Form 4) student at Yayasan Sarawak International Secondary School, pursuing IGCSE in Science stream alongside Economics and her SPM subjects. She is passionate about science, research and innovation, with a growing interest in how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence can be used responsibly to solve real-world challenges. Her interest in STEM has led her to participate in research projects, including a project investigating the life-cycle dynamics and micro-phenotyping of Begonia dracopelta, which was presented at Science Castle Asia. The project is now moving forward to Science Castle World in Tokyo, Japan, this December, where she will represent Sarawak and Malaysia and connect with researchers and innovators. Coming from a mixed Malay and Chinese background and growing up in Sarawak, Hazirah values different cultures, perspectives and communication. She believes innovation is not only about developing technology, but also about understanding people. As a young woman in STEM, Hazirah is excited to be part of SHE-TECH Asia Forum 2026 and its focus on moving women from participation towards leadership and influence. She sees this as an opportunity to learn from women shaping technology while contributing her perspective as part of a generation growing up alongside AI. Looking ahead, Hazirah hopes to explore the intersection of science, technology and AI. She aspires to develop meaningful solutions, represent Sarawak and Malaysia on platforms, promote sustainability awareness among people, and inspire youth in Sarawak to take their steps towards STEM. She hopes to encourage more young people, especially women, to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom and recognise they can help shape Sarawak’s future. For her, SHE-TECH is not only an opportunity to learn from today’s leaders, but the beginning of a journey that may one day bring her back to the forum as one of them.