After a 4-year higher education course in mechanical engineering completed in Argentina, Carola enrolled at ENSTA Bretagne in the fall of 2021. She took a double degree in "Advanced modeling of materials and structures" and a Research Master giving her a broader range of career opportunities.
What were your reasons for enrolling at ENSTA Bretagne?
JDoing an academic exchange in France was a long-term aim of mine. A former graduate from ENSTA Bretagne told me about the school and his majors in robotics and materials in particular. That inspired me to apply. I was eventually accepted, on an auditor basis, on to the final year of the engineering course, in the "Advanced modeling of materials and structures" major, as well as on the "Design engineering" course, for the "Mechanics, materials and civil engineering" option.
’avais depuis longtemps pour projet de réaliser un échange académique en France. Un ancien étudiant de l’ENSTA Bretagne m’a parlé de l’école et de ses spécialisations en robotique et en matériaux notamment. Cela m’a donné envie de déposer un dossier de candidature. J’ai finalement été acceptée en tant qu’auditeur en dernière année de formation d’ingénieur, spécialité "Modélisation avancée des matériaux et des structures" ainsi que dans le Master "Ingénierie de conception", parcours "Mécanique, matériaux et génie civil".
How did your induction go?
Really well! Although my French wasn’t perfect, I felt very welcome and settled in just fine. Students from the Students’ Union were always available over the first few weeks to answer my questions, help me with the various administrative procedures and show me round the school.
All year, the teaching and administrative staff – in the Cellule AcOr counseling and orientation team in particular – were a great help in answering my questions.
I really appreciated their attentive support as well as the social life and communal areas. I lived in the student residence on campus, so I could use the facilities like the students’ common room (Foy’z) and the gym. As part of the activities put on by the student clubs, I attended dance/fitness classes.
What did you think of your course?
I enjoyed the course. It was quite different from what I had been doing until then in Argentina, where my studies were more geared towards industry. At ENSTA Bretagne, the course focused on R&D and was closely associated with research.
The classes were well organized and the teaching staff were on hand to help us do our best!
I also took French lessons throughout the course which were really useful, even if I was always allowed to write up my assignments in English.
Where did you do your end-of-study internship and in what area?
I did my internship in Belgium at the R&D center of the company Hexagone. My internship subject bore on the application of artificial intelligence to optimize 3D printing processes.
I found the internship thanks to a faculty member at the school. It was a very rewarding experience!
I didn’t know much about Artificial Intelligence, so this was a challenge for me. It has always been a subject which has interested me though! The internship was an opportunity to immerse myself in this area, by combining it with 3D printing – a burgeoning industry in recent years.
The company helped me to steer my work. The objectives that were set at the start of the internship were all met.
What are your career plans?
To start with, I’m planning to return to my home country to see my family again and finish my studies. After that, I’m still not sure! Mechanical engineering provides a springboard to all sorts of sectors within industry and research.
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