Afghan physicist elected to Royal Society of Canada

Taher Sharan, an Afghan physicist and researcher, has been elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 2026. The position was awarded to him in recognition of his research in the fields of atomic physics and quantum optics.

Sharan was born in a village in Bamyan and spent his childhood during the war in Afghanistan. He entered University College London in 2003 and previously served as the head of the Atomic Energy Authority of Afghanistan.

His election to the Royal Society of Canada is considered a significant scientific achievement by an Afghan researcher at the international level.

Analysis

This achievement is an example of the capacity and success of Afghan scientists and researchers abroad; while inside Afghanistan, women and girls are still deprived of access to higher education and many scientific and research opportunities.

Continuing these restrictions could limit the scientific opportunities of the new generation of Afghans and hinder the development of talents who can play a role in the scientific and research fields in the future.