Hajar Azizi | Morocco

What does it take to pursue a dream that feels bigger than the world around you?

This week, Joe sits down with Hajar Azizi, a 20-year-old engineering student at École Centrale Casablanca and an active member of the Moroccan Association for Space Studies (MASS), to explore how curiosity, determination, and community can help turn seemingly impossible ambitions into tangible steps forward.

Hajar is part of a new generation of young Moroccans helping to build excitement around science, engineering, and space exploration. Most recently, she helped teach at AstroKids Space Camp, an initiative created by MASS to introduce children to astronomy, robotics, engineering, and the possibilities of a future among the stars. Through hands-on activities, teamwork challenges, and space-themed projects, the camp gave students a chance to see themselves not just as observers of science, but as future scientists, engineers, and explorers.

In this conversation, we talk about growing up in Morocco with big dreams of space, how curiosity can become a powerful driving force, the challenges and rewards of studying engineering, and why pursuing difficult goals often requires embracing uncertainty and failure along the way. Hajar shares her perspective on Morocco’s growing space community, the importance of creating opportunities for young people, and how organizations like MASS are helping build a culture of exploration and innovation throughout the country.

We also discuss the role of mentorship, the value of surrounding yourself with people who share your ambitions, the impact that educators and role models can have on a young person’s future, and why representation matters when it comes to inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. Along the way, Hajar reflects on her own aspirations, the lessons she’s learned through her academic journey, and the mindset that continues to push her forward.

At its heart, this episode is about possibility. It’s about what can happen when someone refuses to let geography, age, or circumstance determine the size of their dreams. And it’s a reminder that the future of Mars won’t be built by a handful of people in a few countries…it will be built by passionate individuals all over the world who decide that humanity’s next great chapter is one worth helping write.

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