By BRENDAN MILLER on July 17, 2026.
HANDOUT PHOTOFatema Riaz takes a photo with Salma Lakhani, lieutenant governor, while accepting the Queens Platinum award during a ceremony and gala held at Government House in Edmonton Tuesday night. As she enters her second year of post-secondary studies as a biomedical researcher she hopes to inspire youth looking to follow in her footsteps.
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Fatema Riaz was among eight young Albertans who were presented the Queens Platinum award during a ceremony and gala held at Government House in Edmonton on Tuesday.
Riaz, who was the valedictorian at Medicine Hat High School in 2025 and is currently working toward her Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of Calgary, was recognized by the province for her outstanding scholastic achievements as well as her exceptional leadership, citizenship and volunteerism and advocacy towards STEM.
Outside her class load that includes immunology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics and disciplinary medical research approaches, Riaz spends her free time volunteering at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and serves as a unit volunteers with infants where she helps babies fall asleep.
Riaz has also assumed a mentorship role with the University’s students union Youreka program and helped a group of high school students conduct a research project that focused on the effects of medicines used to treat gastrointestinal nausea.
This year she also had the opportunity to serve as a judge at the Calgary Youth Science Fair’s regional competition in Calgary, one year after winning a gold medal at the Nation-Wide Science Fair as a participant.
Since she was little, Riaz says she has always been inspired to help others while staying active outside of her classes. She credits part of her success to simply saying yes to opportunities that present themselves.
“I think something that I’ve probably done is I think I’ve tried everything almost once,” said Riaz. “All the different opportunities at school. There’s sports clubs, volunteering. Just try it once and I will assure you that over time you’re going to find something that you love that you contribute meaningfully to.”
During her time at MHHS, Riaz founded the school’s debate club and helped found the SPARK Club.
“I encourage free thinking, critical thinking and also citizenship in the fact that people have to think about, you know, the government and getting students involved in thinking about who they’re voting for, everything like that.”
During her summer vacations she was involved with summer research opportunities and traveled to the University of Lethbridge to work on antibiotic resistance research under professors at the university’s lab conducting important tests.
“So for me taking on the summer studentship is a way of getting exposure and seeing if research is for me,” Riaz said. “Just kind of developing the skills and also the techniques that I’m able to do and also making sure I have the characteristics, like resilience, attention to detail and starting to build those skills up.”
At the age of 15, Riaz began volunteering at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital selling snacks and drinks to patients from a cart, while more importantly connecting and talking to individuals receiving medical care.
In her time volunteering at the hospital, Riaz interacted with more than 3,600 patients, a stat that was presented under the spotlight during the Queens Platinum award during a ceremony.
“I would go to every single floor in every single room, knock on the door, and ask if they would like to buy any snacks, but it’s also patient visitation,” she said.
Riaz says her time at the hospital with patients inspires her to continue pursuing her dreams as a biomedical researcher where she hopes to make a significant impact in the medical field in the future.
“That’s the thing that’s always stuck with me throughout, out of all the activities I do, research and also getting experience with patients and just kind of learning about their stories and everything. I think that’s what’s really changed me and made me better.”
This summer Riaz is conducting research at the Foothills Hospital, specially conducting research data on drugs that act as therapeutics for diabetic kidney disease.
“I think I learn best when I can see things in front of me or do things,” she said. “I think summer research connects back to what I’m learning in class, but just makes me understand it and remember it even better.”
Riaz says her summer research at the Foothills will wrap up right before her second year of classes at the U of C begins in September.
Local MLA Justin Wright was among several distinguished guests who attend the Queens Platinum award ceremony.
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