“JI’m sorry, I can’t answer you, I’m above Tarfaya. I will contact you once on the ground”. It was with these words, accompanied by a magnificent photo of the city of Tarfaya seen from the sky, that the first contact was established with Meryem Guennoun. This speaks volumes about the hectic life of this young astronomer from Marrakech. The first in Morocco!
Thirty-four years earlier, the astronomer saw the jor in Béni Mellal, but it is in Kelaat Sraghna that she grew up. There, in the middle of the picturesque landscapes that outline the horizon, the little girl is bored to death and begins to dream of space. When her friends played with dolls, Meryem had fun drawing rockets. Her parents having a large collection of encyclopedias, Meryem immersed herself in them and discovered astronomy. “I was fascinated by the stars and astronauts. I dreamed of visiting space, seeing the sun up close, the stars… This world made me dream so much”. Even with her head in the clouds, Meryem Guennoun follows a faultless academic career. At 18 and after a scientific baccalaureate, she settled in Marrakech and joined the FST Sciences and Technologies Faculty. Three years later, she obtained an SPI license (Physical Sciences for Engineers). But some time later, she became seriously ill and found herself unable to apply for a master’s degree. It is his best friend who submits his application in his place, at the Faculty of Sciences of Semlalia. She was selected, to everyone’s surprise, for a master’s degree in astrophysics (high energy physics and astronomy). “I had no knowledge on the subject but my motivation won out. This is exactly what I wanted to do!”
An obstacle course
The young woman, who had completely abandoned her passion for astronomy, sees her dream come true. Meryem obtained a doctorate in astronomy and thus became the first female astronomer in Morocco. Because successfully entering the very closed world of astronomy is an obstacle course for any woman. “I suffered from society’s gaze… During my studies, when I tried to carry a telescope, I was told: “it’s too heavy for a girl”. When I had difficulties, I heard phrases like “this is not a field for women” and it was exactly these kinds of remarks that gave me the drive to succeed and persevere!” Associate researcher in astrophysics at the Oukaïmeden Observatory of Cadi Ayyad University, specializing in the observation of meteors, the analysis and calculation of their orbits, she focuses particularly on the identification of their parent bodies. The young scientist has also developed a program which allows us to discover the origin of shooting stars and “it is the most robust method in the world currently”. Just that! The young scientist was also rewarded on November 27, 2024, along with four other North African researchers, by the L’Oréal-UNESCO Young Talent Prize for Women in Science.
Alongside her teaching and research career, Meryem Guennoun occupies leadership roles within various scientific organizations, reflecting her commitment to the promotion of astronomy. She chairs the Association of Amateur Astronomers of Marrakech and sits on the office of the African Network of Women in Astronomy (AfNWA), where she aspires to change mentalities around women scientists in Africa. “In common belief, this is far too cerebral and intellectual a field for a woman. And precisely, I am campaigning to prove the opposite. I devote a significant part of my time to awareness-raising activities to make science attractive and to give young people, especially girls, the desire to embark on scientific careers.”
In another life, Meryem was a singer. In 2017, she won the Mawahib almazar competition, and revealed “Neighbors”, his very first single with Afrobian notes, under the direction of the artist Ahmed Soultan. Meryem has been immersed in music since she was very young and continues to be passionate about this art today since she plans to start singing again soon.
His biggest dream? It is not joining NASA that is “too commercial”she prefers the ESA European Space Agency, or AfAS, in South Africa, “It’s closer, already!”tells us the young woman who prefers not to move away from her family. For the young astronomer, advancing Moroccan research is more important than anything. “I would like to make a living doing research! And next to it, continue to make music. That would just be awesome!” .
