LabTalk
We have launched a podcast called LabTalk, which dives into the backgrounds and experiences of figures from the world of science. This project not only highlights the academic achievements of these researchers and communicators, but also aims to reveal their personal stories, the challenges they have faced, and their vision of science today. The aim is to offer inspiring content, full of practical advice and food for thought for students, young researchers and science enthusiasts.
One of the first episodes features Marco Da Costa, a researcher at Sorbonne University. In this interview, he talks about his involvement with the iGEM team at Sorbonne University since its beginnings. He shares the lessons he has learnt from this international competition, its impact on his vision of science and his career path. Marco also discusses his academic career, tracing the key steps that led him to his current position. This dialogue is punctuated by practical advice for undergraduates or those considering a PhD, offering valuable insights for young people about to take their first steps into the world of research.
Another episode features the experiences of four former members of the iGEM 2023 team, who are currently working on their PhDs. They talk about their academic careers and share their experiences behind the scenes of the iGEM competition. These discussions provide an opportunity to better understand the challenges posed by such a competition, but also the opportunities it offers in terms of personal and professional development. Our guests also give their recommendations for entering and navigating the doctoral schools, as well as practical advice on how to successfully take your first steps in the academic world.
Finally, we had the honour of interviewing Élodie Chabrol, a former neuroscientist turned science communicator. She tells us about her exciting journey, from neuroscience research to the creation of Pint of Science, a festival that makes science accessible and fun in everyday places like pubs. In this interview, Élodie shares her views on the current challenges of science communication and discusses solutions for making science more attractive and understandable to the general public.
LabTalk aims to connect the general public with the scientific community, while showing that behind every great researcher lies a story of passion, perseverance and transmission.
Consulting experts
As part of our iGEM project, we had the opportunity to participate in the JEC World 2024 composite materials exhibition in Villepinte. This international event brought together over 1,300 exhibitors from more than 100 different countries, making it an essential hub for the composite materials industry. It not only showcases all the major global companies but also innovative startups in the field of composites and advanced materials, as well as experts, academics, scientists, and R&D leaders from renowned brands.
We were able to explore the latest advancements in this field, exchange ideas with experts, and discover potential applications for our research, particularly in the valorization of plastic and hydrocarbon materials. The conferences and technical demonstrations were a source of inspiration and provided us with interesting insights for the development of our project, especially in PET recycling.
We would like to thank Arkema, a leading company in advanced materials, for inviting us to this enriching event. Their commitment to innovation and sustainability has motivated us in our endeavours.
The event gathered not only all the major global companies but also innovative startups in the composites and advanced materials sector, along with experts, academics, scientists, and R&D leaders from prestigious brands.
Strenghtening iGEM ties
To strengthen the collaborative spirit iGEMers have kept building throughout the years, we participated in the 2024 edition of the European Meet-Up organised by iGEM Toulouse, where we had the opportunity to share, discuss, and engage with each-others projects. Along with 8 other european teams, we presented and defended our vision for a circular economy through a “Mini-Jamboree”. This enabled us to get closer to another team working with PET, and brought about the idea we will pitch to future iGEM teams of creating a database with keywords that every team could use to share their idea projects to other iGEM teams in the early stages of development, to identify similar projects from the get-go and thus make it easier to collaborate.This event also increased out awareness of the importance of clarity in public speaking in introducing your ideas to the world. Crucially, the conference on Bioeconomy by Pierre-Benoît Joly, President of the INRAE research institute, highlighted the importance of managing expectations as a researcher and entrepreneur, and balancing pitching realistic goals and giving ourselves the means to make them happen. Furthermore, this made us better understand the necessity of thinking systemically and globally about our project and about the necessary policies needed to reach our stated goals.
