The university of technology of Compiegne (UTC) has been deploying, over the past several years, an active policy of building works to reduce its energy consumption and at an accelerated pace since the “France Relance” plan in 2020 and the “Sobriety plan” in 2022. This is compliant with regulatory requirements, but also with the engineering school’s proactive policy of actively engaging in the threefold: ecological, societal and digital transitions.
Michael Pitiot was never an engineer. Notwithstanding, this graduate who majored in computer engineering, before becoming a documentary film-maker has never forgotten the lessons he learned at UTC. On August 27, 2024 he came to the University to deliver an inaugural lesson to the students. His motto for this future generation of engineers? «Live your Dream!»
Nathalie Sage-Pranchère is a historian and CNRS researcher at the SPHERE laboratory. She was one of the speakers on the round table at 7th Biomedical Rendez-vous at UTC. Her research focuses on the social history of healthcare in the contemporary era, with a particular emphasis on the history of perinatal care, foetal and neonatal illnesses and, more broadly, the history of the healthcare professions.
Smaïn Fettem, who graduated from the UTC in 2023 majoring in biological engineering, is currently a research engineer at the European Genomic Institute for Diabetes (EGID), an international institute dedicated to research into diabetes (types 1 and 2). He is working on AI tools designed to predict whether a person is likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Portrait of a young man who, despite running into a few potholes in the road, was always able to bounce back.
Laurent Salomon is an obstetric gynaecologist at the maternity unit of the hôpital Necker-Enfants malades in Paris (specialized in sick children)
As a 1999 UTC graduate in Mechanical Engineering, today Claire Blondel is Global Head of Quality at Decathlon, a company with 110 000 employees present in 70 countries worldwide. She is the God-Mother of the graduation ceremony for the class of 2024.
France Dehaye, who graduated from UTC in 2012, majoring in Industrial Process engineering, is currently a general installation engineer at EDF in Great Britain. Here is her portrait.
How does a company like Brezillon tackle the issue of gender equality? The world of building and civil engineering had already begun its transformation several years ago, but Society is moving on and building and civil engineering must also continue to evolve. Here’s an insider’s view by Céline Anciaux, Business Development Manager at Brezillon.
Please meet Géraldine Soulié, 51, General Manager in charge of International Manpower Resources and Relations at the Renault automobile Group. She is a qualified mechanical engineer with over 26 years’ experience in the automotive sector, currently in charge of international social dialogue, managing and coordinating the Renault Group Works Council. How does she see the rise of women in management positions?
Michael Pitiot was never an engineer. Notwithstanding, this graduate who majored in computer engineering, before becoming a documentary film-maker has never forgotten the lessons he learned at UTC. On August 27, 2024 he came to the University to deliver an inaugural lesson to the students. His motto for this future generation of engineers? «Live your Dream!»
Youssef El Bazi is manager of new projects for seat components in Forvia’s Europe and North Africa region. A 2008 graduate of the Integrated Production and Logistics (PIL) program in mechanical systems engineering at the UTC, this engineer likes to see his career path match the needs of the company, and vice versa. Here’s how we met!
Graduating in 2019, majoring in Mechanical Engineering from UTC, Tom Laperche received a great deal of support from UTC to reconcile his studies with high-level sailing activities. In 2022, at the age of 25, he won the Solitaire du Figaro and is now skipper of the SVR Lazartigue trimaran (32m long, 23m wide).
Delphine Kervarec-Vicq, 50, is Director of Functional Safety with the Valeo Group. She graduated from the UTC in 1996 majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and she believes that she now has a job to do in the field of safety, where ‘argumentation’ plays an important role.
French yachtsman and professional skipper Francois Gabart has just taken part in the 16th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre, alongside UTC sailor Tom Laperche on the Trimaran Ultim SVR-Lazartigue. Together, they share the same commitment to protecting the environment.
Behind the scenes of the documentary Our Brothers’ and Sisters’ Keepers, which will be shown at the Grand Rex in Paris on December 9 after several national broadcasts, reveals the incredible journey of a team taken to Poland in the summer of 2022 by 21-year-old UTC student Felix Brossard. Immersion at the heart of the only project to have been authorised to collect testimonies from Ukrainian refugees and volunteers in the Przemyśl camp in Poland, around ten kilometres from the Ukrainian border.
Julien Bahain is the Godfather of the UTC Foundation for Innovation’s first fundraising campaign. A 2011 UTC graduate, this engineer majoring in the Mechanical Systems Engineering programme is also an Olympic bronze medallist in rowing at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
After graduating in industrial design in Brazil, Marilia de Souza was admitted to UTC in 1996 for a DEA. She went on to obtain her PhD in 2001. Here is the portrait of a determined young woman.
Nabil Hadjaz, who graduated from UTC in 2011, majoring in Mechanical Engineering, used to dream about becoming an astronaut. Today, he works with them, after succeeded in joining the world’s elite in space exploration. He is an engineer for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and works with NASA on the ISS (International Space Station) programme.
Zadiyé is deputy mayoress of compiegne, in charge of urban planning and economic development for Margny-Lès-Compiègne and councillor for greater Compiègne (ARC).
UTeam, a valorisation subsidiary 100% owned by UTC-Compiegne, is the gateway to access the competences and the means of UTC. It is the result of the will of the professors-researcher scientists to favour applied research, innovation and collaboration with the industry.
Danièle Bigey graduated in 1994, majoring in Computer Engineering at UTC-Compîegne, and immediately joined the Renault Automobile Group where she held various positions. On August 30, 2022, she was invited to give an inaugural lecture at the UTC.
Valérie Guénon graduated from UTC, majoring in Mechanical engineering (elective specialty-Materials and technological innovation) and is Vice- President Environment Policy at Safran Aircraft Engines products. She is also a member of UTC’s Scientific Advisory Council and the Godmother of the graduation ceremony for the class of 2022.
Anne-Fleur Andrle graduated from UTC majoring in Bio- engineering in 2011 and went on to do a Master’s degree in research at the State University of New York (SUNY), Buffalo. Interactions presents a portrait of a woman who started podcasting to satisfy her need for creativity.
Within the Renault automobile group, apprenticeship is a real challenge that allows us to support young people when acquiring their diplomas by offering them a first operational experience, but also to contributing to identifying possible recruitment pools.
After 15 years as their Chief Executive Officer, Jean-Louis Chaussade became Chairman of Suez in 2019. In 2016, he was co-opted by the UTC’s Academic Board of Directors and appointed President. His mandate was renewed in December 2021 for a period of 4 years.
Laurent Forny graduated from UTC, majoring in Process Engineering in 2004, and then went on to do what was then called a DEA (equivalent to today’s Master 2) and a PhD thesis. Since 2008, he has been a project manager with the Nestlé Group. In 2021, he was Godfather of the Guy-Deniélou thesis prize. Interactions is proud to offer its readers a portrait of a man who embodies a strong team spirit.
At the beginning of October, UTC had the privilege and pleasure to welcome the ‘scientist-adventurer’ Bertrand Piccard to the Maison de la Culture in Amiens. He gave a lecture on the theme: «When pioneering spirits invent the future» against the background of his experience with Solar Impulse. A look back at the amount of creativity and improvisation it takes to achieve the impossible sometimes.
Distance learning courses, telecommuting, placements/ internships… UTC students had a complicated year over 2020. For this graduating class, marked by the health crisis, a Godfather was needed to reflect the resilience they had to show. The person chosen for this role is Patrick Hokayem, a UTC-Compîegne graduate, who supervised the commissioning of the «Military field hospital» in Mulhouse in March 2020.
Christine Kerdellant is the editorial director of L’Usine Nouvelle, L’Usine Digitale, Industrie & Technologies, Bip and Enerpresse. She is the Godmother of the 2021 graduation ceremony. Interactions interviewed her!
Florent Latrive graduated from UTC majoring in Computer Science Engineering in 1995 but never in fact worked as an engineer. With a driving passion for the press and the impact of technology on Society, he is Editorial Director of digital journalism at France Culture and associate lecturer in digital journalism at the French Press Institute (University of Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas). Here Interactions offers a portrait of a man whose passion for the media has allowed him to open many hard-locked doors.
Antoine Macret is the Director of the Hauts-de-France region Innovation & Development Agency (HDFID) since March 2019. This UTC graduate reviews for Interactions the management of an unprecedented economic crisis, offering his views and, above all, relating his actions in the management of an unprecedented economic crisis. What role does the Hauts-de France regional development and innovation agency play in supporting companies and the Region’s innovation strategy?
For Ms Axelle Lemaire, Junior Minister for The Digital Economy, reporting to the Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Questions, “When we talk about the digital world and its actors, we often refer to young digital-intensive start-ups who produce hardware, software and associate services. Beyond being a purely technical domain, the digital economy often introduces new business models and totally changes the way we design, produce and distributes goods and services”.
How can we all take actions in a simple way to reduce our ecological impact? Everyone can do small things that make a big difference. One example is the start-up company OOPLA, cofounded by Thibaut Aaron, a native of Amiens, who started his crusade in June 2018. This company specialises in reducing our environmental footprint. OOPLA, for Only One Planet, designs and distributes solutions designed to accelerate the ecological transition by reducing our consumption of resources.
Jean Jouzel is a world-renowned paleoclimatologist and from 2002 to 2015 was Vice-Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Recipient of numerous scientific awards, he received, in 2002 with Claude Lorius, the CNRS Gold Medal and, in 2012 with Susan Salomon, the Vetlesen Prize, the Earth and Universe Sciences Prize, considered to be the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for these fields. Today, the Covid-19 pandemic and its health, but also economic and social consequences, give him hope that the future recovery will be greener and provide the opportunity to invent a more sustainable development model. Portrait of a man of commitments.
