Essaïd Ait Barka is URCA’s local coordinator and Vice-President for the INVEST alliance. 
Essaid Ait Barka is a professor of a Plant Physiology. He earned his Ph.D. from Reims University in 1993. Following his doctoral studies, he pursued postdoctoral research at Laval University in Canada and Penn State University in the United States. Later, he worked as a research professor at NSAC (Nova Scotia, Canada). With a keen interest in the interactions between plants and microorganisms, Prof. Ait Barka's current research revolves around the utilization of beneficial microorganisms as microbial inoculants to promote plant growth and provide biological resistance against both biotic and abiotic stresses. He delves into understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the cross-talk between plant defense signal transduction pathways and beneficial microorganisms. Prof. E. Ait Barka has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles, 9 books, and two patents. Beyond his research contributions, Prof. Ait Barka is engaged in University of Reims life and served as VP of the Academic Council from 2017 to 2020, and VP for International Affairs between 2018 and 2024.