Two UPPA Students Win National InnovaTech Challenge
The team coached by a PhD student from UPPA won the final of the InnovaTech women’s challenge, which took place on May 19, 2022 at the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Revitalization in Paris.
Organized every year for the past 6 years by the association “Elles bougent”, which aims to encourage young women to launch a scientific career, this challenge offers the opportunity to work on innovative projects while developing essential skills such as self-confidence, creativity and public speaking.
The teams, which are 100% female, are made up of high school and university students supervised by a mentor working in industry. In March, each team worked for 5 hours on an original and technically feasible project and presented it to a jury. The best team from each of the 14 regions was selected for the national final that took place on May 19 in Paris.
The team representing the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, after an original 8-minute pitch in the presence of the directeur général des entreprises and the 13 other selected teams, won the 1st prize for its project of a photovoltaic sunshade that can be used to recharge mobile devices ("Sun Collect").
Team members are:
- Marie-Laura, Lamiss and Jessyca from the Gaston Crampe high school in Aire-sur-Adour ;
- Élise Forçans, student at CY Tech Engineering school in Pau ;
- Sonia Valencia Nagel, graduate student in Computer Science at UPPA, doing a work-study program at Safran Helicopter Engines ;
- And their mentor Pauline Lacassy, buyer at Teréga and doctoral student at UPPA TREE laboratory (Energy and Environmental Transitions).
Congratulations to them!