Séverine Boulon: “Staying in touch with all staff members”
On January 12, the Board of Trustees, acting on a proposal by President Philippe Augé, elected fourteen statutory and delegated vice-presidents to oversee the governance of the University of Montpellier. Séverine Boulon, who oversees social responsibility and campus life, is one of the new faces on this team, and we caught up with her at (S)pace. Meet her!
Name?
Séverine Boulon
Position?
I have been Vice President of the University of Montpellier, responsible for social responsibility and campus life, since January 2026.
Social Responsibility?
Social responsibility encompasses promoting quality of life in the workplace and preventing psychosocial risks, as well as combating all forms of discrimination, in support of a university committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
What does your mandate cover?
My mandate consists of four main actions.
Promote recreational activities and organize events on the various UM campuses to encourage opportunities for interaction and socializing.
Support social services aimed at assisting employees and their families who are facing social and work-related difficulties, in collaboration with social workers.
We are committed to building an inclusive university that promotes equality and diversity and combats all forms of discrimination. To this end, we implement substantive initiatives and raise awareness through regular and special events, such as Anti-Racism and Anti-Semitism Awareness Week in March and Anti-LGBTQ+ Phobia Awareness Week in November.
Finally, improve the quality of life at work and prevent psychosocial risks by developing a concrete action plan in collaboration with the various stakeholders on the Psychosocial Risks and Quality of Life at Work Steering Committee, with the goal of fostering a positive work environment and promoting the well-being of staff and users within the UM.
The Boulon Method?
Stay attuned to all staff members, their challenges, and their needs—drawing on the comprehensive social report—and promote cross-functional collaboration among all departments and units involved in social responsibility within the institution.
First term?
No, I served as an elected member of the IUT council for ten years starting in 2014 and as associate department chair in the Department of Biological Engineering at the IUT Montpellier-Sète for three years, from 2019 to 2022. At the university level, I was also an elected member of the Research Committee and the Academic Council for four years. I am currently a member of the executive board of the Human Resources Committee for the Biology and Health Division within the University.
Education?
I primarily teach at the Montpellier-Sète University Institute of Technology (IUT) in the Department of Biological Engineering. I teach protein biochemistry, cell biology, as well as physiology and pharmacology. I also teach a few hours of classes in the teacher certification preparation program at the Faculty of Sciences in molecular genetics.
Are you a researcher?
I am a researcher, and I love what I do. I conduct my research in Edouard Bertrand’s team at the IGH ( Institute of Human Genetics), focusing on the role of molecular chaperones in cancer cell resistance.
From Montpellier?
I’m not from Montpellier; I’m originally from Lyon, but I came to Montpellier in 2000, first to pursue my master’s degree, and then to work on my dissertation in cellular and molecular biology. After five years of postdoctoral research in Dundee, Scotland, I returned to the University of Montpellier in 2010 as an associate professor.
“Oser!”
This is a training program I took in 2015–2016. At the time, the program was led by Françoise Le Mouel and was called Springboard. It was designed for female faculty members.
This program is part of the University’s Gender Equality Plan and is led by Agnès Fichard-Carroll, Vice President of the CFVU and Gender Equality Officer. Since then, the program has been renamed “Oser! Women in Higher Education and Research” and has been opened up to women working in administrative and technical support roles.
Due to Françoise Le Mouel’s retirement, I was trained to become a trainer myself. Since 2022, I have been co-facilitating this training program with Laure Parmentier (Rouages: “Working for Meaningful Causes”), who is the head of the Workplace Quality of Life Department within the University’s Campus Life Division.
VSS?
The University is deeply committed to addressing issues of gender-based and sexual violence. In this context, I was appointed, for the period from 2024 to 2025, as the point person for internal investigations into gender-based and sexual violence, working alongside Jean-Paul Udave.
In a nutshell!
Responsibility?
Social
Campus?
All campuses.
Work?
Wellness.
Discrimination?
To be avoided.
Science?
Future
Woman?
Proud to be one.
Values?
, Teamwork.
UM?
Engaged.