The doctorate: first step in professional life

Interview with Alexandre, PhD student Arts et Métiers, Valeo
News

After earning a Master of Science degree Master of Science the University of Valenciennes, Alexandre Renault completed his thesis with Valeo at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Lille. His work led to the establishment of a research chair between Arts et Métiers the automotive supplier.

After completing his Master of Science Structural Analysis, Alexandre Renault had the opportunity to work for a year as a research engineer at the Laboratory of Automation, Mechanics, and Industrial and Human Computer Science.

"That's where I discovered research and laboratory work. It was this experience that made me want to do a thesis," Alexandre emphasizes.  
At the end of 2014, he applied for a CIFRE thesis offer published by Professor Olivier Thomas at the Laboratory of Physical and Digital Systems Engineering (then LSIS-INSM). The subject of this thesis, proposed with Valeo, focuses on vibration attenuation in automotive transmissions.

"What interests me about this subject is that vibrations are omnipresent in our daily lives and perceived as something obviously simple, but when you study them more closely, you discover rich and complex phenomena. Ultimately, reducing vibrations increases passenger comfort in vehicles and preserves the integrity of parts such as the clutch and gearbox."


During the three years of his thesis, Alexandre Renault divided his time between Valeo's Amiens site, where he was part of the Calculations and Simulations team and supervised by Hervé Mahé, and the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Lille, where he was part of LISPEN and supervised by Prof. Olivier Thomas . "It was this organization that enabled me to quickly produce models and validate concepts during my thesis."At the beginning of the third year, Valeo began to industrialize the concepts validated by Alexandre.

 From the moment I started my thesis,
, I knew that my professional career was beginning.

For Alexandre, more than just continuing his studies, the thesis is a three-year project. "Above all, you invest in yourself: you work on a subject that fascinates you, knowing that in the end you will learn a lot and develop your skills. The CIFRE thesis gives you your first experience in a company." Even before completing his thesis, Alexandre was hired by Valeo to continue developing innovative tools, a way of continuing his R&D work.

Interview with Alexandre

 

Latest news

It's vacation time! Find the closure dates for the Arts et Métiers campuses and institutes during the 2026 summer season.

News

Arts et Métiers recently Arts et Métiers two visiting professors to its laboratories: Erick Franklin, an associate professor at the University of Campinas (Brazil), and Nicole Demarquette, a professor at the School of Technology at

International, Research

From July 6 to 9, 2026, the L2EP laboratory organized the Summer School “Power Electronic Converters on Transmission Systems: From Fundamentals to Practical Applications, an event dedicated to the challenges facing power grids

News, Training

Choosing to become an engineer means choosing a career focused on innovation, solving complex problems, and transforming industries and society.

News, Training