PSL voices | What does it mean to train for research through research?

One thing that I heard the most when doing my Bachelor's degree at PSL was that we would be trained "for research through research". At first, I didn't really know what that meant, but now that I've finished my third year, I can explain it.

Immersion into research begins with the Bachelor's degree

Learning through theory

During my three undergraduate years, training in research took many forms. First, most of our professors are faculty members and researchers who come from the different component schools that make up PSL such as Mines-PSL, Dauphine-PSL, and ENS-PSL, so we could ask them questions about the research world in France (and abroad). In some courses, a speaker would come and talk for two hours about their research topic: these courses were some of the most interesting I took. For example, we learned about what makes Alpine vegetation specific, various ways of fighting the spread of West Nile virus, or how to encourage behavioral changes to reduce atmospheric pollution from wood heating.

Learning through practice

One of the specificities of the Sustainability Sciences Bachelor's degree is that it allows students to perform two research internships before the end of the program (I say 'allow', but these internships are mandatory). So, during my second year, I did a one-day-a-week internship at the , a laboratory in the ENS Cognitive Studies Department. I talked about our research professors and faculty, and you should know that most students in my year (myself included) found our internships through our professors. In my third year, I went to the United States for a three-month internship at the University of Arizona, which was a great opportunity to discover the American research scene.

Finally, we were trained in research through what we call multidisciplinary projects. Twice during the course, we worked in groups for several weeks on a specific topic. For me, this was methane gas policies and controversies around persistent pollutants. During these research weeks, we learned to read scientific articles, so-called 'gray' literature (technical reports, working documents produced by government departments, briefing notes, etc.) and press articles. We met many key academic and non-academic players and drafted reports to present the results of our research. We even set up a workshop to explain science to teenagers at the.

What I learned by training through research

All these experiences have given me much more than just academic training; they have helped me to apply my theoretical knowledge to real-life situations. I also learned to work as part of a team, an essential skill for work, by collaborating with my peers on interdisciplinary projects. Training through research also helped me expand my (meager) professional network by meeting key academic and non-academic players, which is very important when your education has been multidisciplinary like mine. Finally, I learned to read and summarize a great deal of information from a variety of sources, which served me well in my courses and internships.

On top of these practical skills, I developed many valuable soft skills. I honed an intellectual approach by learning to reflect on relevant questions, to think critically about the sources of the information given to me, and to craft solid arguments. I also learned to manage my time effectively, share my ideas in a clear and concise way, and to adapt to new, unplanned situations. These skills are transferable to any domain, and will be useful throughout my studies and my career, whatever I might choose to do.

So, now you have a good idea of the training for research through research that I received in the Sustainability Sciences Bachelor's degree. And guess what! It worked out because next year I'm doing a research Master's!