Prof. Ben Lakhdar was educated at the University of Tunis and the University of Paris VI, where she obtained her PhD (State Doctorate in Atomic Spectroscopy). She has been Head of Spectroscopy Laboratory, supervisor of postgraduate students for Tunisian DEA Diploma as well as co-chairman of molecular spectroscopy group for Master Degree and PhD courses. Zohra Ben Lakhdar was the 2005 L'Oreal-UNESCO Award Laureate for Africa for her experiments and models on infrared spectroscopy and its applications to pollution detection and medicine.

Furthermore, Prof. Ben Lakhdar is the author of many scientific papers in physics and mathematics and has been a founding member of the Tunisian Physics Society and a founding member of the Tunisian Astronomy Society. She has contributed to over six university textbooks and has had over twenty technical works published.

Prof. Ben Lakhdar lists among her career objectives; (a) Conducting applied research group to meet the national needs, (b) Helping to improve scientific teaching procedures.

At the University of Tunis, she is professor of physics since 1978, serves as Director of the Spectroscopy Laboratory and supervises graduate and postgraduate students.

Challenges to Women in Science

Abstract for the plenary session by Zohra BEN LAKHDAR

Faculty of Sciences-University Tunis el Manar-

President of Tunisian Society of Optics

Knowledge & Technology Development seems for developing countries as a north art!

“Creation, mastery and utilization of modern science and technology” is basically what distinguishes the south from the north (Nobel price Abdus Salam).

Cultural values, perceptions of religious thought differ from north and south Mediterranean countries, differ from one region to another one in Africa,… but there is no doubt that women everywhere are discriminated against and women population is out of science. 

We lived in a traditional society of man authority, where women duty is to be married, take care of family, and produce boys?

Is then Science & Technology an “universal man” art?

In this XXIth century, things is changing, there is a need to empower women in every domain and particularly in science (concept of the Millenium Development Goals-MDGs-). Development needs Empowerment of women! It is a decision of man again, a decision from & for money! 

Development today  is based on globalization, on sustainable development, on a work environment sustained more by networks than by individuals. How will operate women to prove themselves time and again before being assumed to be the equal of men, how they will operate to re-educate and mobilize men and women for a human future?

There are many challenges and obstacles to women over the world:

How to change many centuries behavior? How to change the perception of the power?...

Permanent revolution of mind (of women as well as man) is to develop.