Economics · Lahore, Pakistan

I study how people in Pakistan live, work and spend, and build tools that put research to use.

I am an A-Level student at Lahore Grammar School. My research looks at well-being in rural and urban Pakistan, nutrition inequality among adolescent girls, and the biases behind teenagers’ spending. In 2026 I represented Pakistan at the International Economics Olympiad.

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Research

Field interviews, survey data and experiments

Under review · Oxford Journal of Student Scholarship

Examining the Subjective Wellbeing and Happiness in Rural and Urban Pakistan

Ahmed, M. B. (lead and corresponding author), Rao, M., & Nasir, K.

People we interviewed in Hunza reported higher life satisfaction than those in Lahore and Karachi, linked to stronger community ties, meaningful work and a cleaner environment.

How work, community and environment shape happiness in Hunza, Lahore and Karachi.

Job satisfaction
Work-life balance
Commuting
Financial well-being
Belonging
Environment
Health

Read about the study

Sample · 34 semi-structured interviews

Rural · 16

Urban · 18

HunzaRural, Gilgit-Baltistan

LahoreUrban, Punjab

KarachiUrban, Sindh

Summer 2025Interviews conducted

Nov 2025Analysis and writing began

7Drivers of well-being compared

CERP · Sept – Nov 2026In progress

Adolescent girls’ nutrition and socioeconomic inequality

Mentored research in the Youth Research Program at the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan, analysing dietary outcomes and nutritional indicators in Stata.

1,120records

560girls

7districts

Findings will be published on CERP’s website.

Founder and lead researcher · 2025 – presentLive

The Mall Run

An interactive behavioural-economics game. Teenagers shop through a fictional mall, and their choices are turned into personalised insights on the biases shaping their spending.

Play The Mall Run

Research study · 2025 – presentLive

SpendLens

A research-led spending challenge that studies how income, lifestyle and everyday choices shape behaviour. Every participant starts with the same simulated PKR 100,000 wallet.

Take part in SpendLens

International Economics Olympiad 2026

Representing Pakistan in China

I was selected for Team Pakistan at the 2026 International Economics Olympiad. The competition combined economics, analytical problem-solving and work with students from around the world.

The trip broadened my perspective, strengthened my confidence and deepened my interest in economics as a way to understand real-world problems.

Initiatives

Projects I started and run

Awaaz Do

Founder

2026 – present

Making cafés more accessible and inclusive for Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers.

Visit Awaaz Do ↗

Mindful Spending Workshops

Designer and facilitator

2025 – Sept 2026

20 workshops · 500+ teenagers

Workshops on the behavioural economics behind everyday spending.

Career Compass and Literature in Motion

Organiser

Jan 2026 – present

8 community events

Career pathways for students at orphanages, and a multilingual community zine.

Writing

Essays and published articles

The Friday Times · Sept 2026Making Hospitality Accessible at Café Qabil: Inclusion for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing CustomersRead ↗ JournalLessons from Hunza: Happiness in the MountainsRead JournalWhy I Started Researching HappinessRead JournalWhat Robotics Taught Me About the Future of WorkRead

Experience

The School Bus CompanyOct 2026 – present

Business Analytics Intern

Contributing to a route-planning project, applying analytical thinking to transport operations and efficiency.

Orangewood LabsDec 2025 – Jan 2026

Founder’s Office Intern · Y Combinator-backed robotics

Analysed potential robot applications through market research, ROI and deployment feasibility to support go/no-go decisions. Awarded a Certificate of Achievement.

Education and honours

Lahore Grammar School, Defence2025 – 2027

Cambridge A Levels · 100% merit scholarship

Economics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, English Literature.

PakTurk Maarif Asifa Irfan Girls Campus2025

Cambridge O Levels · 12 A* and 2 A

Batch Topper, O2 (2024) and O3 (2025).

Team Pakistan, International Economics OlympiadJuly 2026

Selected to represent Pakistan in China.

Download full CV (PDF)More about Maryam

Contact

For research, collaborations or admissions questions

contact@maryambilal.me Send a message LinkedIn ↗