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Flag Lowering for Farooka Gauhari

The UNO flag will be lowered in Gauhari's honor on March 4.

  • published: 2026/03/02
  • contact: UNO Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
  • email: unonews@unomaha.edu
The UNO flag lowered, blowing in the breeze while on a flag pole.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) flag will be lowered on March 4 in memory of retiree Farooka Gauhari who recently passed away. The thoughts and condolences of the university community are with Farooka's loved ones during this time.

About Farooka

Professor Farooka Gauhari was an associate professor of science at Kabul University before fleeing Afghanistan in 1980. After arriving in the United States, she continued her academic career at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she served for decades as a professor of biology. At UNO, she became known as a devoted educator whose passion for science and learning shaped the academic lives of countless students. Her classrooms were places where curiosity was encouraged, discipline was valued, and students felt supported in their pursuit of knowledge. She was deeply respected by colleagues and warmly remembered by generations of students who benefited from her mentorship and guidance.

Professor Gauhari was also the first Afghan recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, a distinction that reflected her intellectual achievement and dedication to scholarship.

In 1997, she published her memoir Searching for Saleem: An Afghan Woman's Odyssey. She was the first Afghan woman to publish a memoir in English as a book. The memoir recounts her search for her missing husband, Saleem, the turmoil in Afghanistan following the Soviet-backed communist takeover, and the diminishing role of women in the country’s shifting political landscape.

At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Professor Gauhari built a legacy not only as a scholar but as a teacher who profoundly influenced the lives of her students. Through decades of teaching, mentorship, and quiet leadership, she helped cultivate curiosity, confidence, and intellectual rigor in those who passed through her classroom. Her life’s work stands as a testament to the power of education and perseverance. She will be remembered as a distinguished scholar, a beloved teacher, and a pioneer whose courage and dedication opened doors for Afghan women and inspired many who followed.

No obituary has been published.