Arts & Sciences Events
[PAST EVENT] Physics Colloquium - Dr. Z. Aziza Baccouche
Access & Features
- Open to the public
DR. AZIZA BACCOUCHE, Title of talk: Having Vision
Dr. Aziza is a physicist by training and currently works as a science media producer in affiliation with AZIZA Productions, a science media production company she established in the year 2000. She has always been interested in communicating science to the lay public through television.
While working on her Ph.D. in theoretical nuclear physics at the University of Maryland at College Park, Dr. Aziza received a Mass Media Science & Engineering fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and was assigned to CNN’s science and technology unit in Atlanta Georgia. During her fellowship, she gained hands-on experience producing science news video segments which aired on CNN’s newscasts. This experience launched her career as a TV science producer and on-air correspondent.
Subsequent to her AAAS fellowship, Dr. Aziza continued to produce science news segments for CNN based out of its Washington bureau on a freelance basis for a couple additional years. During this time, she had the opportunity to produce a short motivational documentary film that aired on CNN in the year 2000 and seen by k-12 students in the classroom throughout the United States. Titled The Changing Face & Image of Science & Engineering, this short film profiled six dynamic young African-American scientists.
After receiving her doctorate in physics in 2002, Dr. Aziza became a regular science producer and correspondent for Evening Exchange on Howard University Television, a PBS affiliate station. Hosted by veteran Washington DC journalist Kojo Nnamdi, Dr. Aziza helped stimulate the on-air roundtable discussions with experts, and also produced five to ten minute-long video segments, which were broadcast before the roundtable discussions. Stories she produced include discussions regarding the benefits and drawbacks of genetically modified foods and the significance of the human genome project, among others.
As president and CEO of AZIZA Productions, Dr. Aziza spends most of her time running the day-to-day operations of her company and takes an active role in her company’s productions.
Dr. Aziza is currently producing a personal television documentary titled “Seeking Vision.” Through this film, she hopes to change the general public’s perception and attitudes about the abilities of blind people like her.