As part of the “Researchers’ Voices” program led by the Île-de-France Region, our colleague Jad EID, a young Lecturer-Researcher in Biophysics and Head of the Digital Skills Axis at EBI, recently visited the Lycée Condorcet in Limay to present his research to students in grades 10 and 11. This initiative, implemented by the FSER Circle, aims to showcase the diversity of research careers and the different scientific paths available.

Through these encounters, students explore scientific disciplines and related careers in a practical way. The objective is twofold: to enrich their knowledge of science and to inspire vocations, particularly among those less familiar with research.

During his visit, Jad shared his passion and methods, illustrating how research is built on a daily basis. The session was punctuated by exchanges and questions, fostering curiosity and critical thinking.

An interactive approach to spark curiosity

The session was designed as a dynamic exchange, alternating between explanations, live questions, and active student participation. Through interactive tools, high school students were invited to reflect on what research is, its aims, and the ideas they associate with it.

This participatory approach helps to deconstruct certain preconceived ideas and to show that research is not limited to laboratory experiments. It also relies on collaboration, analysis, modeling, scientific reading, and the communication of results.

Understanding research through a concrete case

To make his presentation accessible, Jad Eid drew on his work in bioinformatics, illustrating how artificial intelligence and modeling now allow us to better understand living organisms. The students thus discovered how digital tools can be used to:

• Predicting the spatial structure of proteins,
• Simulating interactions between molecules and biological targets (molecular docking),
• Identify promising drug candidates before laboratory testing.

Through a concrete example relating to the perception of bitterness in the mouth, high school students were able to follow the different stages of a scientific project: from the formulation of a question to the analysis of the results.

An immersion in the scientific approach

The presentation also shed light on the realities of the research process. A key point was addressed: the difference between a hypothesis, a simulation, and scientific proof.

The students thus understood that:

• A discovery is based on a succession of steps, trials, and validations.
• The tools used are numerous (articles, databases, experimental techniques),
• The results must be reproducible and discussed before being recognized.

A variety of jobs that are constantly evolving

Beyond the scientific content, this meeting provided an opportunity to showcase the diversity of research professions. Jad Eid shared his career path, from his bachelor’s degree to his doctorate, as well as his daily life as a teacher-researcher, comprised of teaching, research, collaborations, and project development.

The students were also made aware of the emergence of new professions at the interface between disciplines, such as those related to artificial intelligence applied to biomolecules.

A workshop session was finally dedicated to imagining future scientific professions, inviting students to reflect on the societal, technological and environmental challenges of tomorrow.

To inspire scientific vocations

By showcasing a living, collaborative science rooted in concrete problems, this type of intervention helps to strengthen the understanding of scientific disciplines and to open up the field of possibilities for students.

The “Words of Researchers” program thus fully participates in the dissemination of scientific culture and the promotion of scientific careers, particularly among audiences who are far removed from them.

EBI is fully part of this dynamic by encouraging the involvement of its teacher-researchers in mediation and knowledge transmission activities.

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Discover the interview with Ms. Emilie PIC MOREL, Physics and Chemistry Teacher, Inspection Officer, Academic Trainer for the Tutor Network

More information at: https://www.iledefrance.fr/toutes-les-actualites/paroles-de-chercheuses-et-chercheurs-susciter-des-vocations-chez-les-lyceens

Feel free to contact the members of the FSER Circle team in charge of implementing the program at the following address: paroleschercheuses@gmail.com