荔枝视频

, we left off hopeful for her journey, looking forward to what the 2025 year would bring for her. Now, going into 2026, we caught up with Shafaq and the updates did not disappoint. 

The Scholars Academy Lounge is the setting for our interview, a space Shafaq Batool is very well-acquainted with. When , her mentor and fellow 3M National Student fellow recipient knocks the door, Shafaq waves hello and opens the door to her world.  

U荔枝视频's newest spends her days between the lab, Scholars Academy lounge and doing community work. Intrigued by the prestige surrounding her path, we followed her around to learn what fuels her research, leadership and commitment to supporting underrepresented students.  

Instead, what we found was a fourth-year Psychology student whose passion is so genuine, it's impossible not to be inspired by it. 

Who is Shafaq REALLY?

"Not much has changed," Shafaq says when asked what's different since we last interviewed her in June 2025. "I am still the same person with the same aspirations." 

But, a lot has changed really. She's now preparing for Oxford, (by re-reading 鈥�鈥�, of course) where she'll pursue graduate studies as a Rhodes Scholar. Still, when asked about her favorite thing in the Scholars Academy Lounge her answer is: "the people." 

This groundedness is what makes Shafaq so relatable and inspiring. When asked to explain her research to a five-year-old, she doesn't hesitate: "Space. Astronaut. Brain." But if you dig a bit deeper, you'll find a researcher whose work bridges neuroimaging, space health and developmental populations, all driven by a concept she calls ehsas. 

"Ehsas," she explains, means 鈥渢o understand the weight of one鈥檚 actions and the weight of inaction鈥�. It's the mission behind everything she does. 

Shafaq's Research

Shafaq has conducted space health neuroimaging research with NeuroLab U荔枝视频 through an Alberta Innovates Summer Studentship, earning presentation awards at both the Canadian Space Health Research Network Symposium at Western University and the 荔枝视频 Undergraduate Research Symposium. She's also worked with developmental populations at the Alberta Children's Hospital with Dr. Lebel, always asking: How can scientific inquiry serve diverse communities? 

Her research isn't about collecting data in a self-serving way, instead, it has everything to with understanding how knowledge can create meaningful change for her community. It's research with purpose and intent.

Shafaq as a Community Leader

Co-founder of the , contributor of the Canadian Commission for , a 2025 3M National Student Fellowship recipient. The list of Shafaq's leadership roles is extensive, but what stands out is what draws her to every one of them. 

"People tend to assume that I do a lot of stuff all the time (which is not true). They tend to ask, how do I do it all? And I always tell them I am so passionate that it's hard to not give it my all." 

On days when the work feels heavy, she finds strength in community. "I sit with my mom, with family and friends, and I am reminded of why I do this. Not only for my community but for others as well." 

As a Kashmiri Muslim woman and , Shafaq understands the weight of representation. When we asked how becoming a Rhodes Scholar expands the impact she spoke about during her 3M Fellowship recognition, she answered: "It shows people that it is possible to get these awards and that they should still try if it is something they're passionate about."

Shafaq's Mindset and Advice for Students

She credits three U荔枝视频 supports with helping her get here: her professors and mentors, Scholars Academy, and the . But she's also quick to acknowledge her privilege. "What's important for me to acknowledge at this stage is that I have been very privileged to have made it this far due to mentors, resources, and support I have had. My goal is to give back to these communities." 

Her advice for students who think leadership and advocacy are scary? "Do it anyway." 

Even though some would make assumptions about this drive, Shafaq dispels it when we ask her: "Have you always been passionate about the work that you do?" Why? Because passion isn鈥檛 always innate. It's nurtured and sustained through community and purpose. 

What the future holds for Shafaq

When asked what she鈥檚 manifesting for the year ahead, she simply responds "a good time". When she's not in the lab, however, you'll find her reading 鈥淎 Place for Us鈥� by Fatimah Farheen Mirza or listening to "Mystery of Love" by Sufjan Stevens or 鈥淪trangers on a Bench鈥�, all which help her pull through those long research sessions. 

As she prepares for Oxford and the Rhodes Scholarship, she carries with her one clear message for future applicants, especially from underrepresented communities: "I hope they realize that they should believe in themselves and most of all, use all resources and gain all the mentorship they can. And challenge themselves to dream bigger." 

The beginning of her path forward 

The Rhodes Scholarship is a recognition of Shafaq's hard-earned work, but as she would tell you, it's just the beginning. Her journey, from grassroots organizing to international recognition, proves that excellence doesn't have to be unreachable. It can be warm, accessible and rooted in the spaces we genuinely spend time: the lab, the lounge and the corridors that shape us.