Philippe Dubois: under the sign of green chemistry

An advocate of green, responsible chemistry, Professor Philippe Dubois is an internationally renowned researcher in chemistry and materials science, notably for his cutting-edge research into bioplastics. These 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.

Tania Li: anthropology and social justice

In Montpellier for ten months as part of the Mak'It program, anthropologist Tania Li from the University of Toronto is combining 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: aiming for biomaterials

Cécile Echalier's research objective is to produce new biomaterials with eagerly-awaited applications in healthcare and regenerative medicine. The chemist from the Max Mousseron Institute of Biomolecules has just been appointed Associate Professor at the University of Montpellier, the same university where she spent her student days.

Milena Dragicevic Sesic: a peaceful struggle for culture

It is a singular personality who received the title of honorary doctor from the University of Montpellier at the end of December 2023. A leading Serbian teacher, deeply committed to the involvement of research in her field of expertise, Milena Dragićević Šešić has contributed to the development of cultural policy studies worldwide, notably through the Unesco Chair she has held since 2004.

Jean-Paul Metzger: The ecologist in the landscape

In residence in Montpellier in autumn 2023 thanks to the UM's MAK'IT (Montpellier Advanced Knowledge Institute on Transitions) program, ecologist Jean-Paul Metzger, professor at the University of São Paulo, has extended his research linking ecology and quality of life with French counterparts.

Daniele Di Pietro: the maths aesthete

With his NEMESIS project, mathematician Daniele Di Pietro has just been awarded 7.8 million euros in ERC Synergy funding. His goal: to overcome the current technological barriers to numerical simulations of complex physical problems. The director of the Alexandre Grothendieck Institute in Montpellier, France, describes his career path in a discipline for which he was not originally destined.