Lucile

As a young girl in Grenoble, Lucile loved being active, running, and cycling. But mysteries fascinated her just as much. Immersed in detective novels or focused on a game of Cluedo, she loved looking for clues and solving puzzles. At school, she felt at ease: she enjoyed learning, spending time with her friends, and discovered that she had a real aptitude for mathematics and physics. With an engineer for a father, a career in science seemed like a natural path in her family, but it was her own curiosity that guided her.

During high school, Lucile was inspired by mathematics and physics teachers who were passionate about their subjects. By her final year, with a strong academic record, she was unsure what to do next. Preparatory classes seemed too stifling to her. The turning point came when a student visited to talk about his engineering school, INSA Lyon. The program, broader and less competitive, suited her perfectly. She took the plunge, then went on to pursue a PhD at CEA Grenoble. Her goal was clear: to have a career that would give her autonomy and independence.

For more than 40 years, Lucile worked at CEA Grenoble. Her day-to-day work? Using applied physics to develop consumer products, such as circuits for phones or image sensors. She alternated between experiments on test benches, observations under a microscope and computer data analysis. Research brings rewarding discoveries, but also failures. You have to investigate anomalies, understand why an experiment does not work as expected and, above all, work as a team to find solutions.

In a predominantly male technical field, Lucile progressed confidently, but sometimes encountered obstacles. On two occasions, as a project manager, she had to lead men who refused to accept her authority, partly because she was a woman. Faced with this impasse and a lack of support from her immediate management, she found help from her female colleagues. Thanks to their attentive listening and sound advice, she managed to resolve the situation by turning to occupational health services. This valuable lesson in solidarity enabled her to continue her career without being held back.