Hadjira Schmitt Foudhil
US Arctic Research Commission
4350 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 510
Arlington, VA 22203
703-209-8060

Dr. Hadjira Schmitt Foudhil serves as the commission’s Program Support Specialist/Science Associate. She is an energy and climate expert with ten years of experience in implementing green incentive policies for sustainable transportation, buildings, and energy sectors in France and across Europe. She has supported public and private stakeholders to develop strategies to mitigate climate change, participate in the global net-zero commitment, and to building more sustainable, equitable, and resilient communities.

Hadjira completed a Ph.D. in developing multi-physical tools for atmospheric modeling (turbulence, interactions with forests, pollutants, and air quality). After a position as the Deputy President of the City, Environment, Transportation academic department at the École des Pont ParisTech, which prepares future engineers to better deal with climate and environmental challenges, she joined the French Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition in 2011. 

She has participated in designing and implementing Research and Innovation R&I programs, like Horizon Europe and the French Investments for the Future, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and make the energy and transport sectors more efficient, competitive, and resilient (hydrogen train, waterborne transport, clean aviation, connected, cooperative and automated mobility, 2ZERO mobility, hyperloop). She has also coordinated the framework development of a Life Cycle Assessment for several years to reach zero-energy, net-positive, and low carbon buildings for the 2022 French building regulation.

Hadjira is particularly interested in translating and connecting research and innovation developments to green policy goals and real-life realities and needs.