Zohra Ben Lakhdar, a long-time Associate of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and editor of the Centre's African Physical Review scientific journal, has been elected as a Fellow of the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE). Maria Yzuel, SPIE president, presented a special plaque to Dr. Ben Lakhdar during the Winter College on Optics in Environmental Science, an annual school held at ICTP to expose young scientists from developing countries to recent achievements in optical techniques for assessing the environment.

The SPIE honour recognises Dr. Ben Lakhdar's specific achievements in applied atomic and molecular spectroscopy. She joins a group of some 550 SPIE Fellows who have made significant scientific and technical contributions in the multidisciplinary fields of optics, photonics, and imaging.

Director of the Laboratory of Atomic-Molecular Spectroscopy and Applications at the University of Tunis, Dr. Ben Lakhdar was awarded the l'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science in 2005 for furthering the "development of optics and photonics as a scientific discipline in Tunisia and all of Africa," and "making a number of contributions to optical science and its applications."

In accepting her SPIE plaque, Dr. Ben Lakhdar acknowledged the influence of ICTP support on her scientific career. "This award is a result of ICTP. Their support over the past 10 years has made a big difference in helping me continue my career," she said.

Maria Yzuel presenting the SPIE Fellow plaque to Zohra Ben Lakhdar. ICTP, 10 February 2009.