About Mar: Bio and life goals

Above: Mariam helping to raise a 10-week-old white tiger cub at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas. The white color is a genetic defect often associated with severe problems such as cleft palate and mental retardation. White tigers do not survive in the wild.

Mariam Kamal, VMD is a small animal veterinarian in New York City. She attended veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Philadelphia. Her Bachelor's of Science in Biology, magna cum laude is from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied animal physiology, vertebrate morphology, animal behavior, and ecology. Mariam trained with the University's Experiential Learning Department to lead study sessions in animal physiology. She was also an animal care intern at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Texas, where she participated in big cat husbandry, educational tours and fundraisers. In 2006, Mariam founded the University of Pittsburgh Pre-Veterinary Club and organized the University's first trip to the American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association (APVMA) symposium.
 
In 2004, Mariam co-founded Sapna Magazine, an online magazine for South Asian Amercian women (www.sapnamagazine.com). According to the South Asian Journalists Association, Sapna is one of “a new breed of intelligent magazines” that is “making revolutionary steps”. Mariam has educated Sapna readers about India's critically endangered national animal, the tiger, by publishing interviews with tiger experts, veterinarians, and sanctuary directors.

While at the University of Pennsylvania, Mariam was an active student. She co-founded of EcoVet, a student organization focused on global ecosystem health, and served on the board of the Special Species Club, which is dedicated to exotic animal medicine. She was also an elected member of the Student Advisory Board to the Admissions Committee, and completed externships in cardiology and pathology at the Animal Medical Center in New York City.

For the past several years, Mariam has researched community-based conservation, a tool she plans to use in her future as a conservationist. Her interest in this topic led to a research interim with Panthera, an organization with the sole mission to conserve the world's 36 species of wild cats.

Mariam's broad interests and achievements illustrate her all-encompassing goal to advance animal well-being. With her diverse background and veterinary education, Mariam aspires to become a leader in the integration of wildlife conservation and community development.