 Genevieve Lhermitte was born on November 16 , 1966 in Brussels to Michel Lhermitte , a businessman and student , and Marina Schoevaert , a nurse . Lhermitte had two younger sisters : Catherine in 1969 , and Mireille in 1972 . Though she struggled with her coursework and self @-@ confidence during her secondary studies , Lhermitte graduated in 1991 with a diploma in French and History from the Educational Institute of Social Promotion of the French Community ( IEPSCF ) in Uccle . It was during the 1988 @-@ 1989 year at IEPSCF that Lhermitte met her future husband , Bouchaib Moqadem , who was studying mathematics and physics but did not complete his studies . 
