Moroccan engineering graduate wins Fulbright to pursue epidemic research at NYU
Top of his engineering school in Morocco in 2019, Mohamed Arnouss continued his studies in France and earned a doctorate in computer science. The young researcher has just won a Fulbright scholarship that will allow him to join New York University in January 2027 to work on epidemic management.
As a child in Morocco, Mohamed Arnouss was already trying to understand how the world worked. His teachers had noticed his curiosity, encouraged by parents who, despite not having pursued higher education, always gave him the freedom to choose his future. After earning his baccalaureate, he enrolled in a Moroccan engineering school and graduated top of his class in 2019.
At that point, his classmates were heading for jobs in business. He preferred research. “I love taking concrete problems and translating them into equations,” he said in an interview published by La Provence on November 5. He believes laboratory work will enable him to help solve problems that go beyond the scope of a single company.
He then moved to France, where he earned a master’s degree in Nancy. His path next took him to the Avignon Computer Science Laboratory, under the supervision of Professor Yezekael Hayel. With a doctoral scholarship, he continued his research, published scientific papers and took part in teaching.
His thesis, jointly supervised with Hassan II University of Casablanca, focuses on resource allocation in the economics of epidemics. The aim is to devise strategies capable of limiting the spread of a disease while taking available financial and hospital resources into account.
On July 17, 2026, Mohamed Arnouss defended his doctoral thesis before an international jury. According to La Provence, his work earned him the jury’s congratulations.
Fulbright scholarship will allow him to continue his research in New York
After defending his thesis, the researcher chose to apply for a Fulbright scholarship rather than immediately look for a job. His application was successful. On September 29, Avignon Université officially announced his selection for a research stay at New York University.
Starting in January 2027, Mohamed Arnouss is due to join Professor Quanyan Zhu’s team to continue his work on strategies for reducing epidemic peaks under economic constraints. His stay is scheduled to last one year.
Work takes up a large part of his daily life. He describes himself as a “workaholic” while embracing the motto “work hard, play hard.” A travel and sports enthusiast, he recently returned from a vacation in Asia, where he went scuba diving and climbed peaks.
Speaking to La Provence, he summed up his view of a researcher’s profession in two qualities: “Being curious and free.” In January, that curiosity is set to take him to New York University’s Laboratory for Complex and Resilient Systems, where he will continue his research until December 2027.