Sophie Duquesne

Lecturer – researcher

My career path

A teacher, former product engineer in Philips, guided me in my study choices after the baccalaureate: I wanted to study chemistry. On informing myself of the different routes that would permit me to enter a “Grande Ecole” of chemistry, I discovered the classes préparatoires intégrées (CPI) of the Gay-Lussac Federation. My choice was easily made as after two years, integration is automatic in one of the Schools of the Federation.

After the CPI in Lille, I went to the ENSCL where my objective was to specialize in materials. During my engineering studies, my career goal became more precise: to work in the research domain. A study project done in my second year of engineering studies (HE year 4) on the ignifugation of polymers enabled me to find the area in which I work today.

A Research Masters carried out at the same time as my final year (HE year 5) and then a European PhD done in Italy, England and Belgium completed my education.

My job

Today, I have the position of Maître de Conférences in the ENSCL (lecturer- researcher). This job permits me to do research and at the same time teach in the domain which has always interested me: chemistry and more particularly the processes in the elaboration of materials. I develop processes and material and ignifuge coating formulations which will find an application in different domains: materials in electrics, building, and textiles… I work more specifically on intumescent systems which « expand » to give fire protection.

What I find very enriching is coming into contact with many people with whom I can discuss points of view, such as the students, researchers and industrialists that I meet in the framework of research projects. It is equally fascinating to follow and to see the evolution of the students from their entering the CPI to when they leave the School or after a doctorate.

In conclusion

As I knew very quickly that I wished to work in the chemistry domain, I naturally directed my education towards the CPI and an engineering diploma in ENSCL. The discussions and exchanges with the teacher-researchers from the School helped me to make my professional project more precise: I wanted to become a teacher-researcher. I therefore completed my engineering formation by a Research Master’s then by a PhD thesis.

My education in research by the means of a Research Master‘s and a doctorate helped me greatly and continues to do so in my everyday work as I learn how to approach a problem in its totality. From my chemical engineering education, I am able to talk easily with the specialists from different domains.