Manel

Between the ages of 6 and 10, in Tunisia, Manel trained in gymnastics at a high level for more than ten hours a week. There she learned that success is not magic: a movement is built through repetition and practice. This discipline became a rule for life. When a task proves difficult, she gets back to work, starts again, and perseveres rather than waiting for success to come on its own.

Her family’s moves, prompted by her father’s work, teach her from an early age that change can be enriching. Little by little, she develops a real ability to adapt to her surroundings. At 11, in a new town where gymnastics is not available, she turns to dance. As a teenager, she realizes that her dance friends, schoolmates, and family may all see her differently, even though she remains the same person. When one of these worlds becomes difficult, the others provide essential support and help her avoid being defined by the labels others place on her.

In her country, dance is not always seen as compatible with the idea that a young girl can be serious and ambitious. Manel therefore works very hard at school, not only for herself, but also for all the girls who want to dance without being confined by stereotypes. At the time, technical careers still seem distant to her, almost outside her world. Her father, aware of her talents, recognizes her potential before she does and changes her school guidance form to steer her toward an engineering school, setting one clear condition: if she wants to keep dancing, she must accept this path. Later, at engineering school, a professor becomes a genuine female role model for her in technology, finally giving her someone she can identify with. She then decides to follow in her footsteps exactly: pursue a PhD, then become a professor herself.

To pursue this path, Manel came to France fifteen years ago and carried out her PhD research in a research laboratory with industry partners. She then realized that research was not her calling, but that organization and communication came easily to her. When seminars and webinars needed to be organized and the lab needed to be kept active, she saw what she could contribute: helping others organize their work. Around the age of 25, she discovered project management.

Since making that discovery, Manel has changed environments to keep learning: she has worked at startups, small and medium-sized businesses, and a large corporation, changing jobs about every four years. At STMicroelectronics, where she has worked in Grenoble for three years, she coordinates experts based around the world. She is already preparing for a new step within the company, with different products and new challenges. For her, small successes unlock the next level.