My name is Aizhuldyz Nadirkhanova, and I graduated in 2024 from the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences (SEDS) at Nazarbayev University with a degree in Computer Science.
As a SEDS student, I often found myself torn between focusing on my research and tech career or continuing my social contributions. Over time, I realized that my true path involves balancing both. Throughout my time at NU, I dedicated myself to using technology for social good.
I actively mentor high school girls, secure grants, and lead social projects. For example, I implemented “Safe.Qogam,” a large-scale mental health project for rural high schools in Atyrau, funded by the US Government AEIF grant. We conducted sessions for both psychologists and students. I also co-designed a "Forest Burning Prevention" project at Huawei SFTF, which earned a Top-3 spot in the MECA region and was showcased in Doha, Qatar, and Dubai, UAE. As one of the program’s prominent students, I had the opportunity to visit the UAE and China. Additionally, I mentored students in the Technovation program, where my mentees won the local "Jury’s Choice" award. Through the LeadershipKZ project, I organized over 100 sessions and posted more than 900 educational content pieces to inspire and educate youth in Kazakhstan. Currently, I am working on a US-funded social project to develop a fraud cases database aimed at helping elderly people avoid scams, enhancing their safety and well-being.
My university life has been equally active. I served as the class representative for the Computer Science 2024 cohort, resolving registrar and scheduling issues for my peers. I also organized the Club Fair at NU as president for two consecutive years, engaging 6,000 students and coordinating various student organizations. I was a proud member of the ACM, Latino Social Dance, and Board Games clubs, where I performed, organized events, and actively contributed to university life.
In addition to my social initiatives, I worked as a Research Assistant at the IoT lab and published a paper titled "Energy-efficient Clock-Synchronization in IoT Using Reinforcement Learning" at the IEEE DCOSS IoT conference. Currently, I work as a Core Network Engineer at Huawei.
Overall, I would describe my journey as finding a balance between advancing my tech career and making meaningful social contributions. From mentoring young students to developing innovative solutions for social issues, my work reflects a strong commitment to education, community safety, and environmental protection. Who knows—maybe I’ll end up launching my own startup in the future, combining my passions for technology and social good.
As a SEDS student, I often found myself torn between focusing on my research and tech career or continuing my social contributions. Over time, I realized that my true path involves balancing both. Throughout my time at NU, I dedicated myself to using technology for social good.
I actively mentor high school girls, secure grants, and lead social projects. For example, I implemented “Safe.Qogam,” a large-scale mental health project for rural high schools in Atyrau, funded by the US Government AEIF grant. We conducted sessions for both psychologists and students. I also co-designed a "Forest Burning Prevention" project at Huawei SFTF, which earned a Top-3 spot in the MECA region and was showcased in Doha, Qatar, and Dubai, UAE. As one of the program’s prominent students, I had the opportunity to visit the UAE and China. Additionally, I mentored students in the Technovation program, where my mentees won the local "Jury’s Choice" award. Through the LeadershipKZ project, I organized over 100 sessions and posted more than 900 educational content pieces to inspire and educate youth in Kazakhstan. Currently, I am working on a US-funded social project to develop a fraud cases database aimed at helping elderly people avoid scams, enhancing their safety and well-being.
My university life has been equally active. I served as the class representative for the Computer Science 2024 cohort, resolving registrar and scheduling issues for my peers. I also organized the Club Fair at NU as president for two consecutive years, engaging 6,000 students and coordinating various student organizations. I was a proud member of the ACM, Latino Social Dance, and Board Games clubs, where I performed, organized events, and actively contributed to university life.
In addition to my social initiatives, I worked as a Research Assistant at the IoT lab and published a paper titled "Energy-efficient Clock-Synchronization in IoT Using Reinforcement Learning" at the IEEE DCOSS IoT conference. Currently, I work as a Core Network Engineer at Huawei.
Overall, I would describe my journey as finding a balance between advancing my tech career and making meaningful social contributions. From mentoring young students to developing innovative solutions for social issues, my work reflects a strong commitment to education, community safety, and environmental protection. Who knows—maybe I’ll end up launching my own startup in the future, combining my passions for technology and social good.