[5] She completed her PhD in 2011,[6] at the Dark Cosmology Center, University of Copenhagen with a thesis entitled Spectroscopy of high redshift sightlines.

After completing her PhD, Zafar accepted a postdoctoral position at the Laboratorie d’Astrophysique de Marseille, France.

She moved to Australia in November 2015,[9] and supported the Anglo Australian Telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory.

Dr Zafar became recognised as a public figure when she visited Antarctica in 2018 under the Homeward Bound project, a personal and professional development program to empower STEMM women leaders.

[14] She is a member of the 2021 CSIRO STEM Professionals in Schools, Australia program to team up with teachers to educate and inspire students.