A new student organization has been launched on the Châlons-en-Champagne campus: AMPEAK
(a portmanteau of "AM" for Arts et Métiers "PEAK" for summit)!
“Most of us are from the Alps. We grew up at the foot of the mountains and have seen firsthand the effects of climate change and overcrowding. This reality has therefore prompted us to take concrete action,” explains Timothée Pierrel.
The association is led by Henri Miginiac, Eloi Moroldo, Tristan Le Metayer, and Timothée Pierrel (president of the association)— , all second-year students in the Grande École Program at the Châlons-en-Champagne campus—as well as Louis Valentin and Tilio Kreel, third-year students in the Grande École Program.
They have set themselves three main goals: to take action for the environment, to tackle a major athletic challenge, and to raise public awareness. “Our goal is to combine our engineering education with pushing our limits, engineering, and environmental protection,” Timothée explains.
A student initiative dedicated to the environment
Specifically, AMPEAK plans to install a waste compactor at a high-altitude mountain hut and successfully climb Mont Blanc in the summer of 2026.
A practical solution
In fact, at high-altitude mountain huts, trash is transported back down by helicopter in large bags containing mostly bottles and cans that are 80% full of air. This system results in helicopter flights that are costly both financially and environmentally.
In light of this, the students designed a manual waste compactor to compress packaging. In practical terms, this could reduce the number of helicopter trips needed to transport waste by a factor of five. Five waste compactors will thus be produced for the Cosmic Refuge.
Designed and modeled by members of the association, the machine will be built from steel in the campus workshops. Sturdy, fully manual, and requiring no electrical power, it will be suited for use at high altitudes. After studying its environmental impact, the students demonstrated that the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing the press would be offset by the first helicopter flight avoided, confirming the project’s environmental merit.
As Timothée puts it: “As future engineers, we didn’t just want to pick up trash. We wanted to provide a real solution.”
A physical and personal challenge
Beyond the technical aspects, AMPEAK is also a sporting and human challenge. The goal is to climb the standard route up Mont Blanc between June and July 2026 in order to install the press at an altitude of over 3,000 meters. This stage will also provide an opportunity to produce video content designed to raise public awareness of environmental issues in the mountains, which will be shared on the association’s social media channels. From 3D modeling to workshop fabrication, including fundraising and physical training for mountaineering, the project serves as a real-world learning experience that complements their education.
“What brings us together above all else is the human experience,” Timothée emphasizes.
Next steps
The association has now been officially established. 3D modeling of their press is underway, and an agreement has been reached with the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc to provide the presses. To support their funding, they have also decided to launch eco-friendly T-shirts featuring the project’s logo, with proceeds going directly toward its development.
They are therefore entering an important phase of organizational development and fundraising.
In the short term, the priorities are:
The signing of the first financial or in-kind sponsors,
The start of production of the prototype press,
In the medium term, the students will continue their physical and technical training while finalizing the logistical details with the managers of the relevant mountain huts.
The project is set to reach its peak in the summer of 2026 with the alpine expedition, the installation of the waste compactor, and the production of awareness-raising content.
