Zareen studied Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cambridge and graduated in 2008. During her time as an undergraduate she was involved with Engineers Without Borders UK and spent two months in Bhutan working with local engineers.

After graduation Zareen joined the engineering consultancy Buro Happold, she worked briefly in their London office and subsequently joined their sustainability team in Berlin.

She joined the MRes in Energy Demand Studies at UCL Energy Institute in September 2013.