Annual Top 30 Celebration Event

Each year, the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC) celebrates its Top 30 Under 30 through a celebration in Alberta. The celebration takes place during the first week of February as part of Canada’s annual International Development Week, which provides an opportunity to pause and acknowledge Canadian contributions to poverty reduction and sustainable development around the world.

Dr. Nadia Maarouf is a clinical scientist, analog astronaut and an explorer. She was recently conferred the Top 40 under 40 award. Born and raised in rural Morocco, where women and girls still don’t have the same freedoms as their male counterparts, she credits her parents -especially her late feminist father- for breaking with tradition and carving educational and extracurricular activities for her where she was often the only female in the class.

After high school, she moved to the England where she earned BSc. in Biomedical Sciences then to Scotland for MSc. in Clinical Pharmacology before moving to Canada to complete a PhD in Cardiac Sciences overcoming the challenges of being an international student with English as a third language.

While space was not a goal she could realistically entertain as a child growing up in Africa; today Dr. Maarouf is an Analog Astronaut who was selected from thousands of applicants to conducts space medicine research related to healthcare autonomy for missions beyond low-earth orbit and cardiovascular countermeasures in high-fidelity analog missions funded by various space agencies. She has successfully completed two analog missions serving as a commander in a lunar mission and a crew medical officer/ scientist in a Martian mission conducting biomedical experiments and testing technologies before they fly to space with more upcoming missions soon. She aims is conduct her own studies in space in the future and use those findings to improve the healthcare system here on earth.

Outside of work, she enjoys ice-diving, ice-climbing, mountaineering and canyoneering and classical music.

Dr. Maarouf hopes that her proudest achievements are yet to come, and she hopes to inspire all parents worldwide to provide equal educational opportunities for their daughters and sons alike for the sake of a better future for all earthlings.

aloT of Poetry is a Nigerian-South African poet and spoken word artist. The name, “aloT of Poetry”, is symbolic of her many poetic works that range from commentary on social issues, vivid descriptions of nature hikes and exploring the meaning of connection.

While completing her degree in Kinesiology at The University of Calgary, she explored her love for performance and connecting with the arts community. Working with partners such as: Arts Commons, CSPACE, The Grand Theatre, University of Calgary, and Alberta University of The Arts.

Published In Bi-Pan Magazine, F-Word Magazine, the YYC: POP Anthology by Calgary’s 4th Poet Laureate Sheri-D Wilson and “This Might Help”: A Legacy Project by Calgary’s 5th Poet Laureate Natalie Meisner.

Her work has also been exhibited at Gallery@501 in Edmonton and recently published in the academic publication “Decolonizing Literacies Disrupting, Reclaiming, and Remembering Relationship in Literacy Education” with the University of Calgary Werklund school of education.

As the founder of Poetic Designers- a brand and web design company that caters to creatives- she uses her experience and skills to help other independent artists gain confidence as they navigate the world of art and business.

Her moving performances have been known to connect to the audience and bring people together. Through sharing her laughter and pain, she encourages everyone to listen to the stories of others, love themselves and be unapologetic about it.

You  can find a body of her poetic works and her blog “Poetry and Purpose” that outlines her journeys an independent, Black Immigrant woman on her website alotofpoetry.com

Event Hosts

Ziyana Kotadia

2024 Top 30 Under 30 Alumni

See her profile here