Rate My Professor Ahmed Boutarfaia

Professor Ahmed Boutarfaia serves as the Rector of Université Mohamed Khider Biskra since June 4, 2017. He earned his Doctorat d’État in Chemical Sciences from Université de Constantine in July 1997, a Magister en Physique with a specialization in Crystallography in July 1992, and a D.E.S. in General Chemistry in July 1987 from the same university. His professional career began on September 16, 1989, as an Assistant at Université de Constantine, progressing to Maître-Assistant in June 1992, Maître-Assistant Chargé de Cours in June 1995, Maître de Conférence in May 1998, and achieving the rank of full Professor (Professeur) in December 2003 at Université de Biskra. Since April 14, 2001, he has directed the Laboratory of Applied Chemistry at Université de Biskra, overseeing approximately 50 researchers.

Boutarfaia's main academic specialty is Materials Chemistry, focusing on the synthesis, structural characterization by Rietveld refinement, phase transitions, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of ferroelectric ceramics such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and modified systems, as well as crystallization kinetics and thermal properties of fluoride glasses including fluoroindates and fluoroaluminates. Key publications include “Composition adjustments in fluoroindate glasses” (Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2000), “Study of the Solid State Reaction and the Morphotropic Phase Boundary in Pb(Zr, Ti)O3-Pb(Fe1/5, Ni1/5, Sb3/5)O3 Ceramics” (Ceramics International, 2001), “Dielectric and Piezoelectric Properties of PbZrO3-PbTiO3-Pb(Ni1/3,Sb2/3)O3 Ferroelectric Ceramic System” (Ceramics International, 2003), and “New chlorofluoride glasses” (Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2005), among over 30 peer-reviewed articles often co-authored with international experts like Marcel Poulain. He launched and managed postgraduate programs in Materials Sciences at Université de Biskra from 1998 to 2005 and in Materials Chemistry at Université de Ouargla in 2008. Boutarfaia organized significant events such as the 3rd Colloquium on Elaboration and Characterization of Materials (ELACAM’2000) and three National Colloquia on Pedagogy (2002, 2004, 2006). His administrative career features roles as Rector of Université Kasdi Merbah Ouargla (December 2007–November 2016), Rector of Université Mohamed Boudiaf M’Sila (November 2016–June 2017), Vice-Rector positions at Biskra (1998–2004), and presidencies of multiple university scientific councils and boards of directors.