U.S.-Pakistan Think Big Summit: Hybrid Poster Competition Session

In celebration of International Women’s Day, leaders in the private sector, academia, and civil society convened for a hybrid virtual event on March 7, 2023 to highlight shared challenges and opportunities to advance women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was co-hosted by WEConnect International, the Centre for Business and Society (CBS) at LUMS, Texas A&M University, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, S&P Global, and Vital Voices Global Partnership.

Shanzay Shafqat, MS Business and Public Policy student, giving her presentation online

As a part of the international summit, CBS organised a poster competition event, with the thematic focus on ‘The Gendered Impacts of COVID-19: Keeping Women at the Heart of a Post-Pandemic Economy’. The contest invited students from across LUMS to design one-page posters. The shortlisted submissions were invited to present at CBS’ Hybrid Poster Competition Session, held at LUMS on the day of the summit.

The session kicked off with welcome notes by Dr. Misbah Tanveer Chaudhry, Faculty Director, CBS, & Assistant Professor, LUMS, and Arzoo Ali Gauhar, Manager, CBS. The poster presentations by the students dissected distinct themes of the female labour force’s involvement in various industries, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. From home-chefs to female entrepreneurs and workers in the rural area, to the cons of remote working for female employees, each participant brought thought provoking arguments and policy recommendations to the forefront. A judging panel led by Dr. Chaudhry, comprising senior faculty members from the Suleman Dawood School of Business at LUMS scored the presentations; meanwhile the virtual audience that tuned in for the session also participated in a virtual polling session, and ultimately 3 winners were announced which included a tie.

Uniqsha Batool, MS Business and Public Policy student, receives her presentation certificate

CBS

The voted (in-person) winners of the competition, Bilal Kaisser Moghal (MBA 2024) and Amna Mazhar (MS Business and Public Policy 2022)

Nighat Seema (PhD Candidate) receiving her presentation certificate

The insightful and informative session concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony and closing remarks by Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, LUMS and Kathleen Gibilisco, Acting Consul General, U.S. Consulate Lahore.