Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane, professor at Hassan II University in Casablanca, Ain Chock Faculty of Sciences and founding president of Attarik foundation for meteoritics and planetary science, received the prestigious “Service Award” from the Meteoritical Society (MetSoc).
The award ceremony took place at the University of California Los Angeles UCLA during the 86th annual MetSoc congress. This award recognizes the important contribution of Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane to the community of researchers on meteorites, planetology and impact craters. The Meteoritical Society is the learned society created in 1933, bringing together specialists from around the world in scientific research on these themes. Each year, it awards prizes to scientists who have distinguished themselves through their work and commitment. This is the first distinction awarded to a Moroccan researcher from the Arab-Muslim and African world by the Meteoritical Society. This distinction underlines the role played by Morocco on the international scientific scene with regard to meteorites and planetology through the efforts made by Professor Chennaoui since the early 2000s, the period when she initiated these themes in Morocco. It has enabled Morocco, in particular, to be represented uninterruptedly since 2005 in the bodies of the MetSoc by serving for several terms in the “Meteorite Nomenclature Committee” (committee made up of 12 international experts), in the MetSoc office and several other committees. As a reminder, Morocco is one of the countries richest in meteorites in the world. Professor Chennaoui has devoted his entire scientific career to promoting them, preserving them, restoring their Moroccan identity. Previously, all meteorites from this region were officially named NWA followed by a number. Doctor of Science in geochemistry and planetology, specialist in rare gases in silicate liquids as well as shock phases in meteorites, she has initiated several complementary research projects in planetology. She has trained several doctoral students in order to develop and perpetuate these themes in Moroccan universities. Hasnaa Chennaoui Aoudjehane campaigned and contributed to the establishment in Morocco of intelligent and unique regulations in the region concerning the geological heritage of Morocco. In 2019, she co-founded Attarik Foundation for meteoritics and planetary science, a non-profit association dedicated to the promotion of scientific research on meteorites and planetology in Morocco, the valorization of Morocco’s geological heritage in particular meteorites, the dissemination of knowledge and territorial development.
source: laquotidienne.ma
