Najat Hamza

What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned?

Leadership means leading with resilience, integrity, and compassion while creating opportunities for others to grow. I believe strong leaders build trust, uplift their communities, and inspire others through service, empathy, and purpose.

What do you consider to be your most important career achievement or milestone?

Delivering the keynote address for the 47th Annual Soul Food Dinner at the University of Minnesota Morris Black Student Union was one of my most meaningful career milestones.

What do you aspire to accomplish in your career and why? What obstacles will you overcome?

To build a career that combines science, advocacy, and community impact. As a first-generation immigrant graduate, breaking into the industry has been challenging, but I plan to overcome these barriers through networking, persistence, and continuous growth.

Describe an amazing opportunity in your STEM career.

An amazing opportunity in my STEM career has been combining my background in biology and biotechnology with public speaking and advocacy to make science more accessible, personal, and community-centered.

How was AWIS helped you professionally and/or personally?

AWIS has helped me feel more connected to a supportive community of women in STEM while providing encouragement, visibility, and opportunities for professional growth and networking.

What is your favorite word? (only one word)

Resilience.

How has this word influenced or inspired your career?

Resilience has taught me to keep growing through challenges, pursue opportunities with courage, and use my experiences to support and uplift others.

How does AWIS impact your career journey?

AWIS impacts my career journey by providing mentorship, community, networking opportunities, and encouragement as I continue growing in STEM and advocacy spaces.

What are you currently reading or listening to?

I am mostly reading the newspaper and listening to the 2000 jams. I think the 2000s had the best music.

What do you consider the best professional or personal advice you’ve ever received?:

Never let fear or self-doubt stop you from pursuing opportunities meant for your growth.

Najat Hamza is a speaker, scientist, and community advocate passionate about resilience, identity, and healing. With a background in biology and biotechnology-bioinformatics, she combines science, storytelling, and lived experience to create meaningful conversations around community and human wellbeing. She recently delivered the keynote address for the 47th Annual Soul Food Dinner at the University of Minnesota Morris Black Student Union.