Armand Soldera: A Man of Conviction

Armand Soldera is a man of conviction. The dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Sherbrooke (UdeS) readily acknowledges this: his commitment is“deep-seated,” whether from a social, civic, or academic perspective.

You only have to look at his background to realize that this son of Italian immigrants doesn’t do things by halves. When he sets his mind to something, he doesn’t let go. Starting with his studies. Armand Soldera recounts this with a touch of humor, his unfailing smile on his lips:“I wanted to do a short degree program to become a high school teacher, but I loved research too much!”

After earning a master’s degree in physics, he began a Ph.D. in molecular physical chemistry at the University of Strasbourg, which he completed in 1992. Passionate about research, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Laval University (Quebec, Canada), during which he fell in love with the Belle Province before being hired as a research engineer at the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) in Tours in 1994. But the call of academia was too strong. In 2002, Armand Soldera resigned and returned to the academic world… on the other side of the Atlantic.

At the intersection of physics and chemistry

As director of the Laboratory of Molecular Physical Chemistry and a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sherbrooke, Armand Soldera has rediscovered “the freedom we enjoy in academia, which was something I truly valued.” His area of expertise: soft matter.“This refers to complex systems that lie between liquids and solids, such as gels, pastes, and slurries,” explains his mentor Éric Anglaret, a professor of materials physics and deputy director of international relations at Polytech Montpellier.

Armand Soldera has a particular interest in statistical thermodynamics and conducts multiscale studies—from molecules to materials—using computer simulations. He excels in a field at the intersection of physics and chemistry, driven by his passion for science as well as literature, philosophy, and more…

Focusing on student success

In 2018, Armand Soldera became associate dean of the Faculty of Science in charge of development and partnerships, a role that led him to strengthen ties with the University of Montpellier. The two cities, which became sister cities in 2013, were already collaborating on theMontpellier-Sherbrooke Scientific Meetings, held every two years since 2006. It was in this context that Éric Anglaret met Armand Soldera in 2019. Together, they established joint programs, including a dual-degree track that welcomes a handful of engineering students from Polytech Montpellier to Sherbrooke each year.

In 2020, they founded the International Laboratory for the Study of Technological Nanomaterials (LIANT), bringing together Professors Polytech Montpellier, the Montpellier-Sète University Institute of Technology (IUT), and the faculties of science, engineering, and education at the University of Sherbrooke to collaborate on educational innovation.“I am proud that UM is honoring Armand, because he is a colleague and friend who is committed to every aspect of our profession: research, of course, teaching—particularly the pedagogical innovation so dear to our friends in Quebec—and innovation, in close collaboration with industry, which has led him to file several patents,” his sponsor readily acknowledges.

1,300 km by bike!

The two men also share a common cause: environmental issues. This led to the creation of a bold project aimed at promoting eco-friendly transportation: in 2022, Armand Soldera undertook a 1,300-kilometer bike ride from Paris to Montpellier, passing through eight of France’s fifteen Polytech schools. For the final leg, he will be accompanied by some fifty students and faculty members from UM. In return, the people of Montpellier have committed to making the journey by sailing cargo ship to Quebec in the coming years.

Another equally“outside-the-box”project involved creating a beer designed and researched at Polytech Montpellier, with production taking place at the Sherbrooke training brewery in partnership with Siboire microbreweries. Named Debryde, this “hybrid beer challenge” was also sampled by participants at the 2024 edition of the Montpellier-Sherbrooke meetings.

Since the spring of 2024, Armand Soldera has served as dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Sherbrooke. This appointment came a few months after his four-month stay in Montpellier as a visiting researcher with the MAK’IT program. Rarely has an honorary doctorate recipient been so intimately familiar with the University of Montpellier, as its president, Philippe Augé, noted in his speech.  “None of this is about me, but about us,” Armand Soldera insists, as if promising an even deeper commitment that will forge lasting bonds.