Caroline Pétigny

Scientific relations

My career path 

I entered the ENSCMu (Mulhouse) in 1995, and was in one of the first years to be able to take part in an internship year before completing my studies. This amazing experience oriented me definitively to work in the domain of Research & Development and pushed me to do a PhD thesis at the University of Grenoble and then a post-doc in England. Since 2004, I have worked in R&D in pharmacy, both in a large company (Paris) and in a small to medium-sized one (Basle in Switzerland).

My job

I began working for BASF at the end of 2007 and was in charge of scientific relations of this company in France. This new position pleased me enormously because it enabled me to greatly increase my field of activity with the outside world, while remaining in close contact with the R&D sector and the researchers.

In conclusion

Over these 10 years, there have been many changes in my career both in terms of geography and function, but I have always kept a clear focus of where I was going and very clear goals. These different experiences were particularly enriching, as much on a personal as cultural and professional level.
All along my career, the greatest difficulty I ever encountered, but also I believe my greatest success, was to always maintain a good balance between my work and my personal life. For that, listening to oneself and listening to others and being open to them is indispensable. In fact, I now understand that it was these numerous exchanges which enabled me to move forward and get to where I am today, and that they will also help me continue on my way.