Presentation of The Speakers

Join leading experts to explore energy, water sustainability and new technologies amidst global challenges and advancements.

AMIN BENNOUNA taught Physics from 1980 to 2022, won a Moroccan National Research Prize Distinction in 2009, led two energy companies (1996 to 2005 and 1999 to 2018) and held several positions in the Moroccan Solar Industry Association from 1996 until 2016. He presently coordinates a network of 250 Moroccan energy researchers after having led an 'Innoproject' solar energy research carried by all the Moroccan Universities with IRESEN funds (2014-2018), and after having managed two multilateral European 'Medcampus' projects with EU funds (1990-1994). After having built an energy scenario (2007) for Morocco’2030 and signed more than 200 papers, he is presently updating his "Monograph of energy in Morocco" (first edition in 2011). He coordinated many European and Moroccan projects. 

SALAH ER-RAKI holds a PhD in agricultural water management from the Cadi Ayyad University. He is actually Professor at the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Cadi Ayyad University. His main research interests include the application of remotely sensed data in land-surface atmosphere models especially in arid semi-arid regions. He worked in several Funded European research projects (SUDMED, WATERMED, IRRIMED, PLEIADES, REC). He is an author and co-author of more than 40 per review publications and more than 100 papers in conferences and workshops. He serves also as an editorial board member and reviewer of several international scientific journals. He won the price of the Best Moroccan Researcher by the CLARIVATES (Web of Science)-CNRST in 2021.

BRENT CLOTHIER is a Principal Scientist with Plant & Food Research in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Brent was President of the New Zealand Royal Society Te Apārangi between 2021-2024. Brent has a BSc (Hons) from Canterbury University, and a PhD and DSc from Massey University. Brent is a Fellow of New Zealand Royal Society Te Apārangi. He is also a Fellow of four foreign science academies: the Soil Science Society of America; American Agronomy Society; American Geophysical Union, and Brent is an Academician (International) of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Brent was awarded a 2024 Chinese Government Friendship Award. Brent has published scientific papers on the movement and fate of water, carbon and chemicals in the root–zones of primary production systems, irrigation allocation and water management, plus sustainable vineyard and orchard practices, including adaptation strategies in the face of climate change. He also published on life-cycle assessment, carbon and water footprinting, environmental policy, investment into ecological infrastructure, plus natural capital quantification and the valuation of ecosystem services. Brent is Editor-in-Chief of the highly-ranked international journal Agricultural Water Management. Brent has been or is still involved in water-related aid and development projects in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as in the Middle East, China, and Africa.

FATIMA-ZAHRA SEMLALI is an Assistant Professor in the Materials Science, Energy, and Nanoengineering (MSN) Department at UM6P University. She serves as the Scientific Manager of the Moroccan National Energy Transition Consortium (MNETC) and is the CEO of Enpact, a startup specializing in high-performance paper and packaging production. Her expertise lies in polymeric materials for multifunctional applications, with a strong focus on composite materials, lignocellulosic fibers, Industrial by-product valorization, materials characterization, and mechanical modeling. She earned her PhD in Mechanics and Materials Science, where she focused on developing innovative (bio)polymeric materials tailored for energy-related applications, particularly in hydrogen production and utilization. With a multidisciplinary background in polymer science, she addresses challenges in membrane development for clean energy technologies, including fuel cells and water electrolyzers. Throughout her scientific career, she has authored more than 40 scientific papers, contributed to 35 book chapters, and secured five patents. She has also played a key role in over 15 scientific projects.

KHALID NOUNEH is a Professor of Physical Sciences and the Head of the ENERGY Platform at the Innovation City of the University of Kénitra. He is affiliated to the Physics Department of the Faculty of Sciences at Ibn Tofail University Kénitra and leads the Nanomaterials and Application MANA team. He has extensive experience in renewable energy, having worked as a permanent researcher at MASCIR and a postdoctoral researcher at Kyoto University (Japan). He holds a Doctorate in Engineering Sciences from the University of Perpignan (France) and has published 110 articles in international journals. In addition to his academic roles, Khalid NOUNEH coordinates the specialized Master's program in Renewable Energies and Green Hydrogen and serves as the President of the Moroccan Association of Advanced Materials (A2MA). He has organized several international conferences, including AFMOLPHA’2022 and ICOIPRE 2018, and has participated in various research projects such as the PHC Toubkal 21/145 and APPHOS TRT-NAJ/20171. Khalid NOUNEH is also actively involved in teaching and mentoring. He teaches courses and supervises projects in Optics, Photovoltaic Systems, and Nanomaterials at the Faculty of Sciences in Kénitra. His contributions to the field of renewable energy and nanomaterials have earned him recognition, including the gold medal in Physics at UIT Kénitra and being listed among the top 3% of scientists in the AD Scientific Index1.

FERIEL MUSTAPHA, PhD, is a researcher specializing in energy systems and hydrogen technology modeling. She earned her Ph.D. in 2020 from CY Cergy Paris University and ECAM-EPMI Cergy, focusing on energy systems and building sustainability. Currently, she is part of the Technical Innovations Department at IZES gGmbH in Saarbrücken, Germany, where she contributes to advancements in hydrogen energy solutions for a CO2 neutral industrial sector. Dr. Mustapha actively engages in international research collaborations and has presented her work at esteemed conferences, including the 31st REGWA Conference in Stralsund.

MOHAMED EL-WAZNA, PhD, is a Technical Manager with special proficiency in evaluation and technical monitoring of R&D and Innovation programs at the Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN). He actively participates in the analysis and monitoring of projects executed by IRESEN. His oversight extends across multiple strategic areas, such as: Green hydrogen and its derivatives, Energy storage and Power-to-X, Renewable energies (photovoltaic, thermal, and wind), Energy efficiency and sustainable buildings, Electric mobility and charging infrastructures, Circular economy and waste valorization. He actively contributes to the structuring and management of national and international calls for projects, ensuring rigorous follow-up on innovative projects led by academic and industrial consortia. As the person responsible for the technical follow-up of R&D calls for projects, he contributes to the identification and funding of collaborative projects between universities, laboratories, and industries, fostering the emergence of innovative solutions adapted to the energy challenges of Morocco and beyond.Furthermore, Dr. EL WAZNA, holding a PhD in Materials Science, has extensive expertise in the characterization and development of new materials for energy applications. He is the author of several indexed scientific publications, reflecting his commitment to applied research. He is also a speaker and reviewer for various scientific conferences and journals.

ABDALLAH OUGAZZADEN, is the Director of Georgia-Tech Institute based in Atlanta (USA) campus Lorraine, he received his masters and doctoral degrees in materials sciences and his HDR "Accreditation to Supervise Research" degree from the University of Paris VII Paris (France) in 1986, 1990 and 1996, respectively. From 1999 to 2003, he worked as a Technical Manager in the Materials Growth and Characterisations group at Bell-Labs Lucent Technologies, and with its ICs/Optoelectronics spin-off Agere Systems. From here, Ougazzaden worked for TriQuint Optoelectronics (formerly Agere Systems/Optoelectronics). Prior to joining Bell-Labs he led the MOCVD group at CNET/ France Telecom for more than 8 years and spent a year at Optoplus/Alcatel. From 2003 to 2005 he was a professor at the University of Metz and Deputy Director of Materials, Optics, Photonics and Systems (MOPS) laboratory, a joint lab of the High Engineering School SUPELEC and CNRS in Metz, France. He joined the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2005 as professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In 2006, Ougazzaden was appointed to the position of Director of the International Joint Research Unit GT-CNRS at GTL in France and in 2010 he was appointed to the position of director of Georgia Tech-Lorraine. He is co-founder and co-president of the Lafayette Institute, Platform of Technology Transfer, created in 2012. He has authored and co-authored more than 200 international scientific papers and holds 23 patents.