Dr. kaoutar Badoui | Hydrology and remote sensing engineering | Women Researcher Award

Researcher, VUB, Belgium ✨

Badioui Kaoutar is a distinguished Geology and Mining Engineer with expertise in Remote Sensing, GIS, and Surface Water Hydrology. Holding a Ph.D. in Hydrology and Hydraulics Engineering from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, she has dedicated her career to integrating smart technologies for climate resilience, particularly in arid regions. With over seven years of experience spanning consultancy, project management, and academic research, she has contributed significantly to environmental sciences, hydrological modeling, and soil and water contamination studies. Her work emphasizes the application of GIS and remote sensing to solve complex geoscience challenges, making impactful contributions to both academia and industry. 🌍💧

Profile

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Education 🎓

Badioui Kaoutar’s academic journey reflects excellence in geological and environmental sciences. She earned her Ph.D. in Hydrology and Hydraulics Engineering from Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 2022, focusing on smart integrated water management in Moroccan oasis regions using remote sensing and modeling tools. Before that, she completed a double degree at Mohammadia School of Engineers in Rabat as part of an Excellence Fellowship for Doctoral Researchers. She holds a Master’s Degree in Geological and Environmental Engineering (2017) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Geological and Mining Engineering (2015) from Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Fes, Morocco, both with First-Class Honours. 📚🔬

Professional Experience 💼

Currently, Badioui Kaoutar is a GIS Project Manager at ESRI, Brussels, where she leads GIS projects in water and utility management, providing technical consulting and training. Previously, she was an Environmental Project Manager at ERM, focusing on soil pollution remediation and hydrological modeling. Her postdoctoral research at Brunel University in London involved developing GIS-based tools for carbon capture and storage. She also worked as a Geology Project Manager at Witteveen+Bos, leading GIS integration and hydrological modeling projects. Earlier in her career, she was a Mining Geologist at Société Métallurgique Managem and an Expert Engineer at VUB’s Water and Climate Lab, specializing in remote sensing and environmental sustainability. 🌍🛰️

Research Interests 🔍

Badioui Kaoutar’s research is centered on remote sensing, GIS applications, hydrological modeling, and climate resilience. She specializes in soil and water contamination studies, vegetation monitoring, and integrating smart technologies for sustainable water resource management. Her Ph.D. research focused on utilizing remote sensing to enhance climate adaptation strategies in arid oasis regions. She is passionate about developing GIS-based analytical tools for environmental and geospatial data analysis, with applications in climate change impact assessments, sustainable mining, and carbon capture technologies. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges geosciences, engineering, and environmental sustainability. 🌿💡

Awards & Recognitions 🏆

Badioui Kaoutar has received multiple recognitions for her contributions to environmental sciences and GIS-based research. She was awarded an Excellence Fellowship for Doctoral Researchers at Mohammadia School of Engineers. Her innovative work on smart water management and vegetation monitoring using remote sensing has been featured in international conferences, including the European Geosciences Union and the Open Water Symposium. Additionally, she has been a recipient of specialized training certifications in SWAT modeling, artificial intelligence, and remote sensing, further enhancing her expertise in geospatial analysis. 🏅📜

Publications 📖

Simulation of Dates Palm Trees in the Boudenib Oasis in Morocco using SWAT+ and Remote Sensing Data – Kaoutar Badioui, C. Chawanda, A. Griensven, M. Huysmans (2019)

Application of TREX script for vegetation monitoring in an oasis area in Morocco – K. Badioui, J. Suliga, A. Griensven, B. Verbeiren, M. Huysmans (2019)

Climate change impact on Boudenib oasis using SWAT+ Scenarios – K. Badioui, J. Chawanda, A. Nkwassa, M. Huysmans, M. Benmakhlouf (2019)