2023 Rising Innovator

Saba

Nafees

Dr. Saba Nafees moved to the United States at the age of 11 and since has been motivated in achieving her dreams.

During Dr. Nafees time as a mathematical biology student she appeared on MSNBC to discuss the reluctance of Asian-American students to participate in the federal immagration program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). In addition to her MSNBC appearence, she gave a talk at TEDx in 2014 which led to her slection as an  E3! Ambassador to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI).

She continued to represent Texas Tech in 2017 by becoming a member of the University Innovation Fellows. She worked at implementing a business plan for her idea, PATA, which won her and her team first place at the Inaugural Tibetan Innovation Challenge in 2017.

Like the College of Arts & Sciences, Dr. Nafees is a combination of knowledge and creativity. She is a two-time 2019 Grammy Winner for her part in the jazz album, "American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom".

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