Pre Laila Mandi : Top 10 des Scientifiques Marocains en Ingénierie et Sciences Environnementales – Classement AD Scientific Index 2025
Prof. Dr. Laila Mandi is an internationally recognized senior expert in the field of Water and Environmental sciences, with more than 30 years of transformative contributions as a Professor at the faculty of Sciences Semlalia at Cadi Ayyad University where she holds all her academic diploma including Ph.D. and State Doctorate in water treatment.
According to the 2025 AD Scientific Index, she is one of the top 10 Moroccan scientists in the field of Engineering & Technology / Environmental Science & Engineering. She has pioneered innovative approaches to sustainable water management, combining research excellence, education and capacity-building programs to address pressing environmental challenges. As National Coordinator of the Pole of Competence on Water and Environment (2001-2016) of which the focal point is shelter by the faculty of sciences Semlalia, she led a network of 10 academic institutions and over 300 researchers at national level, fostering collaboration between academia and socio-economic stakeholders.
In 2005, in partnership with VEOLIA Water and the University of Limoges, she founded within faculty members the first professional bachelor's degree in urban sanitation management in Morocco, achieving a graduate employment rate of over 90%, while also contributing to the development of professional master's programs focused on water and waste management at the Faculty of Sciences Semlalia.
From 2007 to 2023, as Director of the National Centre for Studies and Research on Water and Energy, she led pioneering R&D projects, including the implementation of a Multi-Soil-Layering wastewater treatment plant at Cadi Ayyad University, which was recognized as a COP22-labelled project for its innovative nature-based solutions. This technology and her wider efforts have had a significant impact on the improvement of sanitation in rural areas. She has been a coordinator of numerous national and international research projects, guest editor and reviewer for leading scientific journals, and evaluator of national and international projects in the field of water treatment.
Prof. Laila Mandi has supervised more than 35 PhD students. She has authored more than 200 scientific publications, holds 4 patents on wastewater treatment technologies and has founded 2 start-ups (Watech and Pamsolaire). Her work contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG6 and SDG13) has won prestigious awards, including a nomination as a member of the Academy of Water in France and the Islamic Development Bank Prize for Women's Contribution to Development. She is an active supporter of community development and environmental sustainability through her leadership roles in organisations such as the Development Centre of the Tensift Region and the International Institute for Sustainable Transition in Africa.