Name: Sara Sharifi
Major: Physics
Classification: Graduate student
Graduation date: Spring 2026
Hometown: Kermanshah, Iran
Extracurricular activities: “I enjoy cycling. Most of the time, if I have time, I just grab my bike and try to exercise. And other than that, I love doing artwork. … I love painting. And also, I like quilling. … I really enjoy that. Other than that I love spending time with my roommate [and] my friends, and listening to music out loud, dancing in my room.”
What are the differences between your hometown and the United States? “There’s a lot of differences. Culturewise and also the most important thing that I can see is the freedom here. Freedom, human rights and women’s rights here is so much different from my country. Over there, people are struggling with basic rights and … right now, they are fighting for their basic human rights, like having freedom of choosing their outfit [or] showing their hair. … They are going to prison or they are being beaten to death because they are not following the sorry, stupid rules over there. But other than that, I see some cultural differences that it’s good. I really enjoy living here and, especially, because I’m in Texas, and maybe because we are close to the border. … At least my family and my background has some similarity with Mexican culture. I don’t know much about American culture here because I’ve never been outside of Texas. But here, in the [Rio Grande] Valley, I feel so comfortable living close to people from Mexico.”
Who is your role model? “When I was little, my oldest brother was my role model. I tried to follow every step that he took in his life. … But when I came here, and I started my Ph.D., I found out that I needed someone else from this point. Sometimes, I feel like my role model right now is Jasmin Moghbeli. … And she’s from Persia. And when I see her, I feel like I cannot be the same as her. But I can have her as a reference for my life because I see her as a successful woman in … science. … And she has a lot of achievements in science. … I want to keep her as my role model in my life because … she keep[s] the balance in her life. And I can see that someone in science can have the both sides, family, science and being successful. And I want to have this in my future, hopefully. But I don’t want to be an extraordinary person. I feel like I’m OK with being an ordinary person. Being a kind person is enough for me. But in order to [keep] the balance, she is my role model.”
Why did you choose physics as your major? “Being honest, in the past, I didn’t like physics at all. … When I was 18, we had to take, like, an entrance exam in order to go into the school. It’s like a national entrance exam. And it’s not like here. We couldn’t apply for a separate university without taking that exam. Based on our grade after that exam, we could apply. But most of the option[s] would be, like, rejected automatically because our grade wasn’t good. But … in Iran … if you have a nice grade after that exam, you can apply for engineering. … I was a smart girl. But based on my entrance exam, I couldn’t select or choose engineering. Then I had to choose science amongst science majors. I picked physics, but I didn’t like it. But when I went to the college, I found out, ‘Oh, that’s interesting. I like it.’ And I’m happy that I’m not an engineer. And after a while, after my bachelor, or getting my undergrad degree, I find out that it’s more fascinating for me.”
What is on your bucket list? “One of them is traveling. At least … the Seven Wonders of the World.”
What advice would you give other international students? “I want to advise them to not be afraid of making mistakes in English. And also, try to find many friends and try to be active in different communities because, I think, the first two years it’s gonna be the toughest year, and you need a support system. … That helped me a lot. Hopefully, they can use this.”
–Compiled by Fatima Gamez Lopez
