Keynote Speakers

Jessica H. Franco, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCBA-D

Jessica H. Franco, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCBA-D, joined the UTSHC as a Clinical Assistant Professor in summer, 2011. She holds degrees from the University of Kansas and University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Franco has focused her clinical practice and research on assessment and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). She founded a diagnostic and training center in San Antonio and has traveled as a consultant for schools and autism centers around the country. Dr. Franco has experience with a variety of approaches for teaching communication skills and methods for reducing severe challenging behaviors. She is active in many autism-related committees and boards, including the Texas Autism Research and Resource Center, Texas Autism Council Advisory Task Force, and the Autism Community Network.

Keywords: Autism, speech, language, children, problem behavior

Pr. Antonella BRIGHI, PhD. Free University of Bolzano, Italy

BRIGHI, Antonella, PhD., is Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology at the Free University of Bolzano, Faculty of Education, Italy and Adjunct Lecturer in Education at Flinders University, Australia. She is the Director of the SWAP-v IT -Joint Research Laboratory (Student’s Well-being and prevention of violence IT), established among Flinders University, Bologna University and the Free University of Bolzano. She has been part of an international network of researchers on cyberbullying as representative of Italy. She has been awarded a Research Fellowship by Australian Research Council in 2013. She has led and is currently leading several International research projects on bullying and cyberbullying in school contexts and in juvenile detention settings.

Dr. Ali BAHAIJOUB, PhD. is a former lecturer, writer, and journalist, England

He has written numerous studies and feature articles on Africa, the Arab World, Europe, and international organizations. He also comments on various current global issues for the BBC, CNN, Press TV, France24, TF1, MBC, and other international networks. He was president of the London Foreign Press Association (1987-1989) and the International Federation of Foreign Press Associations (1988-2007). He is currently editor-in-chief of the global online daily northsouthnews.com and the international news and current affairs magazine “North-South” (www.northsouthmag.com) and Africa News Agency (www.africanewsagency.co.uk). He is also director general of the Centre for Euro-Mediterranean and African Studies (www.cemas.org.uk). Dr. Bahaijoub obtained a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics (LSE), University of London, United Kingdom, in History and International Relations. He writes articles and comments on international topics in English, French, and Arabic.

Aicha Maherzi, PhD. is a professor at the University of Toulouse, writer and poet.

She had her these d'Etat (PhD) of Arts and Humanities at the Sorbonne University and her Doctorate at the Sorbonne Paris III. She is a researcher in Comparative and International Education, Cultural Anthropology, Sociology of Education, History of Science, Epistemology, Research Methodology, Education and Gender, Comparative Literature, Medieval History, (Jean Jaurès University, Toulouse); she directs doctoral theses; member of the team Mixed Research Unit: Education, Training, Work, Knowledge University JJ Toulouse. She is also Chair of la Chaire du Comité permanent pour la Recherche, WCCSE; Associate editor: "WCCES journal"; Consulting editor: International Review of Education, UNESCO; Chair: Mediterranean Society of Comparative Education, MESCE; Executive Member of World Council Comparative Education, WCCS; Visiting Professor in several universities of the world; - Expert in ethics in the field of education at the UN; Speaker: Cultural Anthropology, Comparative Education, Comparative Religions, Immigration, Gender, Comparative Cultures; Arab-Muslim Literature and Civilization, Sociology of Education, Sociology of the Family, History of Sciences, Methodology of Research, Francophone Literature, etc. Author of Several Publications in the Social Sciences and Humanities, Several Papers in International Conferences and Congresses . Poet and writer.

Pr Farid Al Massioui, PhD. Professor at University of Paris 8, France

Professor of the universities (Full professor), Farid EL MASSIOUI followed a curriculum of psychology at the University Paris V and Paris VIII. He supported his doctorate in 1984. He completed two postdoctoral fellowships in Cambridge (at the Laboratory of Psychology and the Medical Research Council). And the second one in Paris (at the Laboratory of Applied Physiology (LENA) He then began his professional career as associate assistant at the University of Clermont Ferrand, He became a researcher at the CNRS after the 1985 competition. He joins Paris 8 University as a professor of psychology, holds several national and international positions and responsibilities in research and scientific life management bodies, and assumes expert appraisals in the National Committee of the University of Paris research and for various scientific committees and journals, he has directed several academic works and published significant scientific works in well-known mediums. For research, he has been interested in several topics such as neuropsychology, adaptation processes and is currently interested in societal mutations and the adaptation of the individual to education and training, management, aging, well-being and stress management in relation to age, work, school and pathology.

Bouzekri TOURI, PhD. is an Associate Professor at University Hassan II of Casablanca. He is the actual Director of LAPSTICE Lab. He got his PhD as a Fulbrighter at University of Texas at Austin jointly with a Doctorate at University Mohammed V Rabat as a psychologist. His post-doc as a Fulbrighter was at UT at Austin as well. He was Fulbrighter many rasmus grantee many times and actually president of Moroccan Fulbright Alumni Association. He is an associate member of CARG Lab at the University of Texas at Austin. He led research in school psychology and school disorders jointly with college of Communication Sciences and Disorders, college of Education and College of Psychology at UT Austin. He has been lecturing at different departments at UT Austin from 2006 to recently on February 2018 at both CSD and School Psychology departments. He has also been an invited speaker at Education College at Indiana State University, University of Bolonia, Varna Free University at Bulgaria, University of Paris 8 and others. He has published in ASHA, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Elsevier and others and organized international colloquiums. He is the cofounder of a psychology department, JSPRS colloquium and founder of communication department, LAPSTICE LAB, as well as NGOs.

Dr.Ahmed Omar Touhami AHAMI, PhD. is Research Professor of Higher Education at IBN TOFAIL Kenitra University. He is the laureate of the French universities, he followed a double curriculum of psychology and biology at the universities of Grenoble 1et2 and lyon1et2. After a 3-year internship in psychosomatic medicine at the St Genis Laval hospital in Lyon, he supported his first PhD in clinical psychopathology at Lyon II in 1984 and then his doctorate of state in human biology option neuroscience in 1986 to Claude Bernard LyonI University. He holds other degrees including a DESS in clinical psychology at the University of Grenoble, a DERBH in human biology from Claude Bernard University, as well as other post-doctorate degrees including that of psychiatric forensics and criminology Clinical, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and a degree in Medical Sexology from the Rockefeller School of Medicine at Claude Bernard University. Lyon. He began his career as a clinical researcher at the Specialized Hospital Center of St Jean de Dieu and the Hospices Civils de Lyon and also as a lecturer at the universities of Lyon I and II. Since returning to Morocco, he is a research professor at the Faculty of Science, University Ibn Tofail of Kenitra. Founding member of several networks and research groups in neuroscience, developmental neuropsychology, clinical and cognitive psychology, nutrition and health. He is coordinator of the Specialized Master in Human Neuro-Cognition and Health (NCHSP) since 2011, and neuroscience skills pole in neuroscience. He has organized several national and international scientific events and published more than 200 scientific articles concerning mental, neurocognitive and psychological health. He carries out expert missions in various national and international organizations and committees. He has developed themes in mental health, neuropsychology and psychopathology. He is currently interested in early diagnosis methods in the field of learning, mental and neurocognitive health, and methods of cognitive remediation of these pathologies, as well as research in neuro-education and stress at work.