Biography

I was born and raised in Temara, Morocco. My upbringing ingrained in me a strong interest in science which shaped my life in multiple ways. I was always intrigued by the challenges that come with trying to understand the inner workings of the universe. How does one think like a scientist? How do we navigate the current scientific knowledge and decide on ways to push our understanding of the universe one research project at a time? Learning to think like an astrophysicist drives my academic journey, accumulating knowledge is a significant side effect. I completed my bachelor's degree in physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester. As an undergraduate, I was mainly involved in computational cosmology research. I worked on improving void-finding algorithms to contribute to the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument team's research on the baryon acoustic oscillation signal. I also worked on modeling microlensing in light curves of gravitationally-lensed quasars. Currently, as a Gates Scholar, I am enrolled in an MASt in astrophysics where I take classes and conduct a research project under the supervision of Andy Fabian and Michael Parker. In my current research, I am looking at high frequency X-ray variability in accreting Black Holes using the NICER instrument to further our understanding of these systems. Although the pandemic stripped away the full Cambridge experience, I am enjoying walks by the river, cycling around town, and trips to the Market Square.

Previous Education

University of Rochester Physics and Astronomy 2020