Speackers

Christine Amory-Mazaudier is an esteemed researcher affiliated with the Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers de Jussieu (CRC), Pierre and Marie Curie University - Paris 6, Sorbonne Universités. Her expertise lies in the field of space weather, where she has made significant contributions. With an extensive publication record, she has authored over 90 papers on space weather in esteemed refereed journals. In addition to her research accomplishments, she has mentored and supervised more than 10 PhD students in this specialized domain. Recognizing her outstanding achievements, Christine was honored with the prestigious International Marcel Nicolet medal for Space Weather and Space Climate in 2015.

Prof. Zouhair Benkhaldoun is an astronomer and astrophysicist who actively involved in astronomical research and education at Cadi Ayyad university. He has published numerous scientific papers and his involved in several international collaborations in the field of astronomy. As a director of Oukaimeden Observatory, he is engaged in a wide range of scientific activities and research projects. He is also actively involved in promoting astronomy education and outreach in Morocco.

Dr. Meryem Guennoun held a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the Cadi Ayyad University (Morocco). Her research focus on identifying meteor showers from parent bodies using ground-based camera network. She has co-authored papers on atmospheric research and meteoric dust detection. She is currently working as a teacher at private high school in Marrakech.

Mr. Aziz Ettahar Kaeouach is an amateur astronomer with a deep fascination for space and cosmic phenomena, and a keen interest in astrophotography. In addition to his personal passion for astronomy, Mr. Kaeouach has been involved in several projects related to rehabilitating and automating astronomical observatories. In 2020, he played a role in rehabilitating and automating the Al Akhawayn Astronomical Observatory (AAO), and in July 2021, he was involved in the High Atlas Observatory (HAO) project. Both observatories offer various programs and projects that aim to promote and popularize astronomy among students, the general public, and astronomy enthusiasts during astronomical events.

Prof. Jonathan Makela is a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on multi-technique remote sensing of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, studying its behavior during quiet and stormy periods. His group develops and deploys various sensors to analyze datasets, aiming to understand the electrodynamics of instability processes in the ionosphere and the coupling between the neutral atmosphere and electrified plasma. Their algorithms support NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer mission, exploring the atmosphere's connection to near-space. His work impacts space weather forecasting, hazard warnings, sensing techniques, electrical grid fortification, and our understanding of space plasma physics.