Biography

Farokh laqa Kakar serves as IWA Emerging Water Leaders Steering Committee Member.

She is a PhD (Doctoral) Candidate at Civil Engineering department of Ryerson University and Professor at Goerge brown College in Toronto, Canada. She is the president of Canadian Young Water Professionals at International Water Association (IWA) and Vice President of Young Professionals in Canadian Association for Water Quality (CAWQ). In addition, she is the leader of the women coffee club at the Society of Women Engineers in Greater Toronto Area.
Farokh came to Canada 4 years ago. From day one of her landing, she volunteered in the Afghan Women Organization to help newcomers for their settlement. Getting hired in a few months, beyond her job responsibilities as a settlement officer, she guided newcomers in their job search and education as she evaluated most of the newcomers going to the welfare rather than work or study. Concurrently, after she joined Ryerson as master student, she volunteered as a Peer Supported Facilitator to help international students with their transition to Canada and to Ryerson.
She has won the most prestigious PhD scholarship in Canada which give her the privilege of being a Vanier scholar. This competitive scholarship is given based on leadership and academic excellence which is only one per university. During her studies at Ryerson, she has joined more than 20 conferences playing different roles and have won Seven awards. Three of them which are best student presentation awards (First place). Also, she has won the No-slide presentation Award (First Place) in her department.
She was part of the organizing committee for 10 of these conferences. Farokh is the chair of the 1st National IWA Young Water Professionals conference which is going to be held in 2021. Also, she is a member of the organizing committee for the World Water Congress in 2022 that will be held in Toronto. She has been member of organizing committee for more than 3 other water related conferences.
While in Afghanistan, Farokh was an Assistant Professor, and vice dean of the faculty of engineering in Balkh University. She was also leading women related projects regarding teacher training at International Assistance Mission. She has won several teaching developments awards from USA and Germeny while in Balkh university. In addiotion, she has won teaching, excellence and honourship awards from Balkh university.