Dr. Z. Benkhaldoun

Zouhair Benkhaldoun is a pioneering Moroccan astrophysicist, professor, and former Director of the Oukaimeden Observatory at Cadi Ayyad University (UCA) in Marrakesh. Born on June 3, 1959, he is widely celebrated as a founding father of modern astronomy in Morocco. He transitioned to the University of Sharjah to serve as the Director of Observatories. 🎓 Academic Background Doctorat d'État in Astrophysics (1994): Jointly awarded by Cadi Ayyad University and the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, France. PhD in Energetics (1985): Earned from the University of Provence in Marseille, France. Université Cadi Ayyad 🏛️ Career & Institutional Milestones Laboratory Foundations: In 1985, he co-founded Morocco's first astrophysics laboratory at the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST). He later established the High Energy Physics and Astrophysics Laboratory (LPHEA) at UCA in 1999. Université Cadi Ayyad Oukaimeden Observatory Leadership: Under his leadership since 2009, the Oukaimeden Observatory evolved into Morocco’s premier astronomical facility. The sta...