Gilles Subra: “A doctoral degree confers high-level skills that all PhD holders share”
Gilles Subra, a professor in the School of Pharmacy and a researcher at the Max Mousseron Institute of Biomolecules (IBMM), has been appointed director of the doctoral college at the University of Montpellier, succeeding Marc Bouvy. This provides an opportunity to discuss with him the mission of this still little-known institution.
“The hardest part of writing a thesis is finishing it,” wrote Heloïse Lhérété in her now-iconic article The loneliness of the long-haul PhD student. Fatigue, stress, a sense of isolation for some, a lack of interdisciplinary exchange, uncertainty about what comes next… These are all challenges faced by doctoral students that Gilles Subra, a professor in the School of Pharmacy and a passionate researcher, knows well.“I’ve supervised many PhD students and I know how difficult the transition to life after the program can be. The doctoral college, through the training programs it offers and the events it organizes, aims to prepare them for life after graduation.”
A bridge between the business world and society
Established in 2017 with the launch of the I-site Muse, the doctoral college aims to pool training and career placement initiatives, and to enhance the interdisciplinary nature, appeal, and visibility of the doctoral program. It serves as a complementary tool to the seven doctoral schools it brings together and helps address the need to“structure doctoral training in a cross-cutting and multidisciplinary manner, moving away from siloed thinking, ”notes Gilles Subra. “The stakes are high; we want to demonstrate that the doctoral degree, beyond the discipline to which it belongs, embodies very high-level skills common to all doctoral graduates.”
These are skills to be highlighted in the job market, as helping young PhD graduates enter the workforce remains one of the doctoral college’s primary missions. Through its various initiatives, it“aims to serve as a genuine bridge between the business world and civil society, both in France and internationally. “We track and assess the career integration of our PhD graduates to better tailor the programs we offer,” emphasizes the new director.
Fostering a sense of belonging
The doctoral college serves as a unifying force that integrates doctoral students into the local scientific community. Bringing together the doctoral schools of UM, Institut Agro – Montpellier Supagro, IMT Mines-Alès,AgroParisTech, and ENSCM,“the doctoral college helps foster a sense of belonging to a diverse and broad scientific community that transcends the boundaries of doctoral schools and institutions and serves as an extraordinary breeding ground for interdisciplinarity ,” concludes Gilles Subra.
These are all tasks to which the professor of pharmacy will be able to devote himself during his five-year term.“Marc Bouvy, my predecessor, really did a remarkable job. We want to continue all the events and training programs that have been established, while constantly striving to adapt them to the evolving needs of doctoral students and, of course, to introduce some new initiatives. ” Among these new initiatives, Gilles Subra specifically mentions initiatives dedicated to knowledge transfer and outreach, including, perhaps, “a module on science communication or educational transformation for those planning to go into teaching, for example.”
Key events of the doctoral program
This coming year’s program features four key events designed to help you make the most of your time working on your thesis and prepare for your transition into the workforce.
- “My Thesis in 180 Seconds” and “3MT” Awards Ceremony: Originally scheduled for March 25 but postponed due to the lockdown, the “My Thesis in 180 Seconds” and “3MT” awards ceremony will take place at ENSCM on October 28. While attendance will be limited to 50 people, a live stream will allow everyone to watch this ceremony honoring the competition winners.
- Entrepreneurship and Career Integration Week for recent PhD graduates, originally scheduled for November 30–December 3: Due to the health crisis, the Doctoriales have been postponed until spring. In its place, a week of conferences, panel discussions, and interactive presentations on entrepreneurship and career integration is being organized with the participation of the BIC, SATT AxLR, and firms specializing in intellectual property or the recruitment of recent PhD graduates.
- Doctoral Students’ Back-to-School Meeting on January 22: While the afternoon sessions will be held at each doctoral school, the morning session will be open to all doctoral researchers doctoral college and will take place at the Triolet campus in the Dumontet Auditorium. The program will feature testimonials and short presentations on various topics such as open science, scientific integrity, and the role of research in addressing sustainable development challenges.
- Graduation ceremony in March (date and location to be confirmed).