Portraits of UM

Awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Montpellier, Joan Guàrdia i Olmo is a professor of behavioral science methodology at the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Barcelona (UB). Since 2020, he has also been its rector. He is committed to promoting a Europe of education and research based on shared values.

In charge of a long-term study program on chickadees, Anne Charmantier is interested in how these passerines adapt to climate change and the urban environment. Director of research in evolutionary ecology at CEFE, she is a 2024 CNRS silver medalist.

An advocate for green and responsible chemistry, Professor Philippe Dubois is an internationally renowned researcher in chemistry and materials science, particularly for his cutting-edge research on bioplastics. His innovative processes have led to numerous patented applications in industry, highlighting the essential role of chemistry in the ecological transition. As President and Rector of the University of Mons (UMons), located in French-speaking Belgium, he attaches as much importance to the international reputation of his institution as to the well-being of its students, teachers, and researchers. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier on January 31, 2024.

In Montpellier for ten months as part of the Mak'It program, anthropologist Tania Li from the University of Toronto is bringing together her work on social and environmental justice in Indonesia with that of her French colleagues from the SENS laboratory in West Africa, Mexico, and Myanmar.

Cécile Echalier's research goal is to develop new biomaterials that will have highly anticipated applications in health and regenerative medicine. The chemist from the Max Mousseron Biomolecules Institute has just been appointed associate professor at the University of Montpellier, where she herself studied as a student.

She is a remarkable figure who received an honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier at the end of December 2023. A leading Serbian teacher who is deeply committed to research in her field of expertise, Milena Dragićević Šešić has helped to develop cultural policy studies around the world, notably through the UNESCO Chair she has held since 2004.