Dr. Meriem El Yajouri, a celebrated Moroccan astrophysicist, has made history as the first woman from the Kingdom of Morocco to join the prestigious Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland. STScI is the science operations center for some of NASA’s most critical missions, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and the forthcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
Dr. El Yajouri’s appointment marks a significant milestone for Morocco and is a powerful inspiration for aspiring scientists, particularly young women, across the Middle East and Africa.
Dr. El Yajouri’s scientific journey is characterized by excellence and groundbreaking research. She earned her Ph.D. in astrophysics in 2018 from the Observatoire de Paris, where her doctoral work on the mysterious diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs) earned her the coveted International Astronomical Union Ph.D. Prize. DIBs are faint cosmic signatures that have remained one of astronomy’s enduring puzzles for over a century.
Her postdoctoral research took her to leading international institutions, including the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile and the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale in France, where she contributed to major programs utilizing JWST data to study star-forming regions like the Orion Bar and the Horsehead Nebula.
At STScI, Dr. El Yajouri’s research focuses on interstellar dust within the Milky Way and nearby galaxies like the Small Magellanic Cloud. Her work is crucial for understanding how cosmic dust evolves, how elements are recycled in the universe, and how this process ultimately influences the formation of new stars and planets.
Beyond her formidable research, Dr. El Yajouri is a dedicated advocate for science education and public outreach in Morocco. She is the founder of the Nomads for Science initiative and co-led SpaceBus Morocco, programs designed to bring astronomy and science directly to children and rural communities. She also co-led the Stars of the Little Prince project, specifically aimed at encouraging young students, especially girls, to pursue careers in science.
Her tireless efforts have earned her international recognition, including the Camille Flammarion Prize for Science Communication and being named one of The New Africa Magazine’s “100 Young and Exceptional Africans.”
Reflecting on her achievement, Dr. El Yajouri shared a powerful message: “As a child, the sky was my only window to infinity. It is an immense pride to carry a part of Morocco into the heart of global space science.” Her story is a testament to the power of determination in overcoming barriers and realizing childhood dreams on the world’s largest scientific stage.
