MEchanics GAthering –MEGA- Seminar: Navigating the shift from academia to the industrial sector
Event details
| Date | 28.05.2026 |
| Hour | 13:05 › 14:00 |
| Speaker | Tristan Favre (LFMI, EPFL), Bertrand Cluzet (Hydrique Ingénieurs) |
| Location | Online |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
| Event Language | English |
Abstract: What does it mean to move from an academic career into industry after a PhD or postdoctoral experience? Which skills transfer naturally, which challenges emerge along the way, and how can scientists prepare for the shift?
In this seminar, two speakers from different scientific backgrounds will share their personal journeys from academia to industry.They will offer honest, complementary perspectives on leaving university research, exploring the practical realities, challenges, and distinct working cultures of the industry sector.
Through their experiences, participants will gain practical insights into recruitment processes, workplace expectations, and the opportunities available to scientists in industry.
Tristans's Bio: I got a PhD in aeronautical Engineering in 2011 from KTH, Stockholm, Sweden, with a thesis on Aerodynamics simulations of ground vehicles in unsteady crosswind.
After this, I worked with various Formula One teams from 2012 to 2025, starting as a CFD Engineer and moving to an Aerodynamicist role in 2014. Between 2022 and 2025, I have been involved in the development of the British Challenger for the 37th America’s Cup (iconic Yacht competition), leading the Fluid Dynamics team towards the end.
Since summer 2025, I am a scientist at LFMI on a FNS funded project “Why do albatrosses and pelicans morph to an arch-shaped wing configuration when gliding near the water surface?”.
Bertrand's Bio: After completing an Aerospace Engineering degree from ISAE-SUPAERO (Toulouse, France) and Université de Toulouse, where I specialized on Earth observation, numerical modeling and climate science, I completed my PhD at Météo-France's Center for Snow Studies (CEN, Grenoble, France). I worked for four years as a postdoc at the Snow and Avalanche Research Lab (SLF, Davos, Switzerland), at the interface between research and operational flood forecasting. Since 2025, I joined Hydrique Ingénieurs, in Lausanne, where I do numerical modeling for various projects related to water resources management and flood forecasting.
The talk will be followed by an informal apero!
In this seminar, two speakers from different scientific backgrounds will share their personal journeys from academia to industry.They will offer honest, complementary perspectives on leaving university research, exploring the practical realities, challenges, and distinct working cultures of the industry sector.
Through their experiences, participants will gain practical insights into recruitment processes, workplace expectations, and the opportunities available to scientists in industry.
Tristans's Bio: I got a PhD in aeronautical Engineering in 2011 from KTH, Stockholm, Sweden, with a thesis on Aerodynamics simulations of ground vehicles in unsteady crosswind.
After this, I worked with various Formula One teams from 2012 to 2025, starting as a CFD Engineer and moving to an Aerodynamicist role in 2014. Between 2022 and 2025, I have been involved in the development of the British Challenger for the 37th America’s Cup (iconic Yacht competition), leading the Fluid Dynamics team towards the end.
Since summer 2025, I am a scientist at LFMI on a FNS funded project “Why do albatrosses and pelicans morph to an arch-shaped wing configuration when gliding near the water surface?”.
Bertrand's Bio: After completing an Aerospace Engineering degree from ISAE-SUPAERO (Toulouse, France) and Université de Toulouse, where I specialized on Earth observation, numerical modeling and climate science, I completed my PhD at Météo-France's Center for Snow Studies (CEN, Grenoble, France). I worked for four years as a postdoc at the Snow and Avalanche Research Lab (SLF, Davos, Switzerland), at the interface between research and operational flood forecasting. Since 2025, I joined Hydrique Ingénieurs, in Lausanne, where I do numerical modeling for various projects related to water resources management and flood forecasting.
The talk will be followed by an informal apero!
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Organizer
- MEGA.Seminar Organizing Committee