The Last Word...

Dear Readers,

   The time has come to write my last words. Henceforth, days will be sunless, birds will no longer sing, flowers will no longer open out... More seriously I am sad at the idea of leaving the "Weallcan" adventure. As a matter of fact, because of the program I was fortunate to meet interesting people and to have preferential relations with Sylvain, an Alcan researcher. I could easily go on listing all that the program brought to me but I prefer focussing on the essence of the program. As you may now know it, the program help the students to discover the life of a young professional inside Alcan and to have a better idea of a work which they are interested in. As for me, I aim to become a researcher. But, as I explained it to the "Weallcan" team when we met, I still do not know if I want to do academic or industrial research. Unfortunately, I had no idea of industrial research's world whereas I already did an internship in a public laboratory. Fortunately Alcan gave me the opportunity to discover industrial research's world. I have to confess that the program gave me a better picture of indutrial research. Thanks to Alcan, I can now make my choice...
Moreover, I hope that my blog helped you to answer your questions if you are in the same case as I am. I strived to answer all the questions that I asked myself before taking part in the adventure. So this is high time that I got down to answer these questions:
Do we earn more money by doing industrial research rather than academic research? Is it possible to protect our family life when we do industrial research?
   In fact, it cannot be denied that an industrial researcher usually earns more his living than an academic one. Nevertheless do not think that an industrial researcher can not protect his family life! You are not driven to become a workaholic who has never time to seize the life,  if you want to be a successful researcher.
Do industrial researchers have larger means than public ones?
   Actually, it depends on the public and industrial laboratories. However industrial laboratories have usually more means than Alcan ones. For instance, if an Alcan researcher needs to attend a congress in Mexico or in Japan, he will not be refused to attend the latter, whereas a public laboratory has sometimes difficulties in financing such a trip. That is why industrial researchers are talked out of wasting time and money and can sometimes be more under pressure than academic researcher.
Is academic research more interesting than industrial one?
   Not at all! In fact, it depends on what you enjoy doing! If you enjoy deepening theory, you will like academic research.But if you enjoy discovering all the stages of a product's creation, industrial research will suit you. What a satisfaction when you can see your alloy in a new plane or a new car!
Is there no link between academic research and industrial research?
   No! Industrial and academic researchers have been working together for a long time now. They share their knowledge and they often met. Sometimes a public laboratory may be paid by a firm to carry out some scientific surveys.
Do firms prefer not employing doctors?
   Of course not! In Voreppe, a lot of researchers are doctors. Alcan need people who have specialized scientific knowledge.
May Alcan finance some PhDs?
   Of course! Some PhD are financed by Alcan each year! The epitome is probably my coach, Sylvain, who, after holding his engineering degree, obtained an Alcan grant to finance his PhD. Be sure that attending a PhD financed by Alcan is a good way to become an Alcan researcher!
Can a PhD financed by a firm hamper a student to become an academic research?
   Officially there is no reason. Nevertheless you must be conscious that you have to publish scientific articles and to become well-known by the other researchers if you aim to be an academic researcher; whereas you will usually be asked to patent if you do a PhD financed by a firm end patenting requires to be secret. However there are some PhD financed by some firms which will not hinder you to publish some scientific articles. You just have to be careful with the choice of your PhD.
If I do not want to do research during my whole career, do I have to choose academic or industria research?
   In fact, an industrial researcher can decide to work in production or in management for example. Alcan offers its researchers to change their career if it is their will. I have to confess that it is more difficult for an academic researcher to change his career.

    The "Weallcan" program helped me to find these answers, but it also allowed me to discover a job which could suit me. Even if we all are different and that our questions are not necessarily the same, I hope that my blog will drive some of you to be interested in doing research. If I would like you to learn one thing from my blog, it would be that Alcan research is The Job which allows you to discover all the stages of a product's creation and that is why Alcan often gives its researchers the oppotunity to change their career by working as a manager or a person in charge of production for instance.

The big question: Do I now know what I want to do?
   I am sorry for disappointing you but I still do not know what I want to do... In fact, before the beginning of the adventure, I had no real idea of industrial research and -to be honest- I thought that the main advantage of industrial research was the salary. Today, after the adventure, I am much more interested in industrial research. Thanks to Alcan I discovered a job! And I hope that I succeeded in making you discover the job! That is why , today, I know less about what I intend to do. As a matter of fact, before the adventure, I did not really contemplate  doing industrial research. But now, I am really beginning to wonder wether I will choose industrial or academic research...
Try your luck!
   If my aim was not to brainwash you into working as an Alcan researcher, I hope that now some of you who are still students, feel like taking part in the "Weallcan" program! Do not forget that it is an unique opportunity for you to discover a job which could suit you. Moreover it will make you progress and, to be honest again, it will allow you to be inclose touch with a young professional. The winner of the program is not the student who will go to Canada but the thirty-three students who took part in the adventure and met their coach. Do not forget that contacts with professionals is certainly a good point for your career! So try your luck because WE ALL CAN!
Thank you!
   First I would like to thank Alcan and the "Weallcan" team for giving us the opportunity of taking part in the adventure! Thank you Sandrine, Angélique, Edith and Marie-José! I am quite sure that you did not have a lot of free time during the adventure!
I also thank Alcan members whom I met in Voreppe or in Paris.
I also want to thank Marie my girlfriend and my friend Nicolas who helped me to create my blog! Unfortunately, if I am fortunate to win the trip, I will have to choose between you for going to Canada with me!...
Eventually I would specially like to thank my coach Sylvain. Sylvain, you was a great coach and you made me enjoy your job! Moreover you were careful with my questions and you told me your experience without brainwashing me into choosing your way. Thank you so much!...

                                             Try your luck because WE ALL CAN!