IAEA: Bouchra’s inspirational journey from Morocco to Vienna to become senior nuclear security officer

The success story of Bouchra Boustani is inspirational for all Moroccan,Arab and African women. Her professional achievement proves that perseverance always pays off despite challenges.

Bouchra’s impressive journey from the small coastal town of Mohammedia,near Casablanca in Morocco,to a senior nuclear security officer at the International Atomic Energy Agency has been celebrated by the UN agency’s profiles employees.

Bouchra’s love for mathematics and physics was encouraged by a family that prized intellectual curiosity. “Mathematics and physics were not hard to learn. I liked numbers,and I enjoyed solving problems,” she says

After studying mathematics and physics in high school,Bouchra pursued a graduate degree in mechanical engineering and a specialization in nuclear engineering,a field that was still in its infancy in Morocco.

As one of the few women in her class,less than 10 per cent of her cohort,she found herself in the minority. 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,then joined 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.

In 2021,Bouchra’s joined the IAEA as a Senior Nuclear Security Officer. Here,she supports countries in establishing and strengthening their regulatory infrastructure for nuclear security.

“I have the opportunity to travel,to assist countries,and to interact with people from different cultures. It’s something I truly enjoy,” she says.

Her advice to young women pursuing careers in science is simple. “If you have a dream,go for it. If there are obstacles,you just need to fix them.” She emphasizes the importance of perseverance,integrity,and organization.

“When I started,there were very few women in nuclear security. Today,nearly half of engineering students in Morocco are women. This makes me happy and hopeful for the future,” she says.