Founded in 2015 , TEDx Arts et Métiers a student association licensed by TEDx at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers the Paris campus.

The TEDx Arts et Métiers team organizes an annual conference on scientific or societal topics, which are apolitical and approached in an innovative way.

On Thursday, October 6, 2022, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the Grand Amphitheater of the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Paris (155 Bd de l'Hôpital 75013 Paris), the association organized a conference entitled "The Art of Tricking the Brain" with a diverse range of speakers varied and high-potential :

• Lydwine MOTTE Certified Trainer-Coach in Relational Excellence
• Jonathan BEL LEGROUX, Hypnosis practitioner and trainer, mental coach for athletes, author
• Syrine KAOUANE, Student at Arts et Métiers
• Amine DIOUANE, Violinist and engineering student specializing in urban planning
• Justine PILUSO, Chef and culinary presenter
• Jacques TRENTESAUX, Editorial Director and President of Mediacités
• Mohamed BOCLET, World Speed Reading Runner-up

More than three hundred people attended this conference, which was a great success and received very positive feedback.

We met with Melinda Boulajaj, president of the TEDx Arts et Métiers association and a second-year student in the Specialized Engineering Program at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Paris.

• Melinda, could you introduce yourself?

My name is Melinda, and I am a second-year student in the Energy Engineering Specialization Program at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Paris. I am completing my work-study program at VINCI Énergies as an apprentice methods engineer. I am also president of the TEDx Arts et Métiers association.

• Why did you want to become President of the TEDx Arts et Métiers  association Arts et Métiers

Organizing a TEDx conference is a real challenge and a very stimulating experience. Our goal as TEDx organizers is to inspire, bring people together, and highlight passionate speakers from different fields. The role of president has given me an overview of the project and allowed me to define the steps needed to bring it to fruition.

• How was the theme for this TEDx talk chosen?

Choosing a theme is a crucial step in organizing a TEDx event. It sets the tone for our organization and our event. After several team brainstorming sessions, we chose the theme for the 2022 edition: "The Art of Tricking the Brain," which was proposed by our treasurer, Ajith KUMAR. The event consisted of showcasing the ideas and passions of seven speakers, all from different fields, who were ready to tackle the same theme. The goal was to inspire and "spread ideas worth spreading."

• After this wonderful TEDx event, what are your plans for your association and your career?

I have committed to serving as president of TEDx for two years. I will draw on the experience I have gained this year to work with the new team to make TEDxArtsEtMétiersParis 2023 an even more memorable event.  The experience of working with an association is a real added value. It allows us to develop skills, both on a human and technical level (project engineering, management, interpersonal skills, negotiation skills, use of new work tools, etc.). On a professional level, I am continuing my training at VINCI Énergies and exploring various opportunities to complement my training.

More information:

Instagram: @tedxamparis

LinkedIn: TEDxArtsEtMétiers

YouTube: TEDX Talks

Facebook: TEDx Arts et Métiers

The TEDx Arts et Métiers  office Arts et Métiers

• Melinda BOULAJAJ, presidentof the association;
• Baptiste AMORY, Vice President of the association;
• Ajith KUMAR, treasurer of the association.

Polymers, composites, and industry

Polymers and composites are materials that combine lightness, strength, aesthetics, and numerous functional properties (piezoelectricity, shape memory, etc.).

Many schools train "polymer chemists," but the industry also needs generalist engineers who are familiar with the various aspects of their implementation," explains Emmanuel Richaud, head of this field of expertise. The PA2 program thus prepares engineers who are capable of organizing and managing the production units for these technical parts.

Alongside the theoretical courses needed to acquire essential concepts, the wide range of equipment available at the PIMM laboratory—used in particular during the manufacturing project—exposes students to the actual processing methods used in industry.

What do students think about this expertise during and after their training?

• Interview with Hugo Peridy (An220)

Why did you choose this area of expertise?

I was already drawn to material-oriented expertise and I am passionate about aeronautics. Composite materials are widely used in this field (>50% in the case of recent aircraft), so this choice seemed natural to me at the time.

What would you like to do and/or learn there?

Above all, I would like to learn about the processes involved in creating polymer and composite materials, as well as their field of application, because I know that this is not limited to aeronautics.

To what extent do you think that the life cycle of polymers and composites studied in this course will be useful to you in your professional career?

Polymer and composite materials are mostly recyclable (the entire range of thermoplastics). However, as this aspect is still underdeveloped, I believe that understanding their entire life cycle is crucial for the future.

• The career of Tanguy Choupin (Me211)

After earning an engineering degree from the Grande Ecole Engineering Programme Arts et Métiers a Ph.D. with Airbus Group on composite materials, Tanguy Choupin went on to hold leadership roles in the innovation departments of various major corporations (Airbus, SNCF, Hexhel).

He is currently Materials Project Manager at SNCF within the SNCF Innovation Department and plans to move into operational roles in the future, for example in a train maintenance technical center.

A success that is close to his heart: the introduction of a new TGV nose for improved aerodynamics and resistance: TGV gets a new nose (sncf.com)

His advice to students: "Believe in yourself, don't be afraid of new challenges, and reach out to others!"

Contact: Emmanuel Richaud, professor and researcher at the PIMM Laboratory and head of expertise.

More information:

Development of polymer and composite parts | Arts et métiers artsetmetiers.fr)