SBASSE Student Named Rhodes Scholar-Elect 2026 for Pakistan
Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE) student Syed Asad Asif has been selected as one of the two Rhodes Scholars for the year 2026 from Pakistan!
Asad is an exceptional student in the Class of 2026 at SBASSE, majoring in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. During his undergraduate studies, he took several advanced courses in quantum mechanics and pure mathematics. Beyond academics, Asad has been deeply involved in science communication initiatives through the LUMS Student Mathematics Society (LSMS), LUMS Math Circles, and SPADES. As the Director of Salam Sessions (a department within LSMS), he launched an outreach programme in collaboration with STEAM Pakistan to promote girls’ access to mathematics education.
At Oxford, and as part of the Rhodes community, Asad aims to pursue two goals: first, to explore how a national quantum industry can be established in Pakistan, and second, to develop a nationwide science society that democratises scientific knowledge, promotes science journalism, and fosters scientific thinking. He plans to pursue a DPhil in Theoretical Physics, focusing on the topological properties of quantum matter and their potential technological applications.
Watch Syed Asad Asif's interview here.
