Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA
After graduation from Ecole Mohammadia des Ingénieurs in 1993, Bouchra faced yet another challenge – finding work in a country without nuclear power plants. She began her career in the Ministry of Industry, thereafter oining the National Center for Radiation Protection in 1995, where she focused on radiological environment monitoring and regulatory functions, laying the foundation for her future in nuclear security.
Her career took a pivotal turn in 2006 when she attended a training course on physical protection in Libya, where she first encountered the concept of nuclear security.
“I discovered a new field, and I was fascinated,” she says. This newfound passion motivated her to pursue further training with the IAEA and the U.S. Department of Energy, eventually becoming Morocco’s counterpart in the Global Threat Reduction Initiative.
As a young mother, Bouchra had to learn to strike a balance between her career and family responsibilities.
“I put my career on hold for seven or eight years when my children were young,” she says.
However, when the opportunity arose to lead the Department of Nuclear Security and Safeguards at the newly-established Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security in 2016, she seized it. In this role, she drafted regulations, established licensing systems, and contributed to Morocco’s implementation of the IAEA comprehensive safeguards and additional protocol.