“There’s no boundaries, there’s nothing that can’t be questioned, I think that’s what I learnt from the culture here.”
Marzieh Parhizkar believes she’s living proof that Australia is the land of equal opportunity, a country that has given her the tools and freedom to create a new life.
“Women are equal to men in the face of the law,” said Marzieh. “There’s no boundaries, there’s nothing that can’t be questioned - I think that’s what I learnt from the culture here.”
Marzieh migrated from Iran in 2008, with bold dreams to study abroad as her father and brother had done - and write her PhD in English.
“My PhD has definitely been one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my life,” she said. “It makes you a lot more independent than before, and sort of pushes you to grow up, and it makes you smarter.”
In just four years, Marzieh reached those lofty goals, and is now relishing her role as a Research Fellow at Deakin University.
“I’m part of a research group…and I work with great people,” she said. “I think the combination of doing my research and the process and experience of immigrating really made me a stronger and wiser person.”
She’s grateful for the freedoms that came along with her citizenship. “It’s the whole journey that I’ve been through and my whole transformation, and the new person I’ve grown into being. Basically that certificate symbolises that process for me.”