Mialitiana Sylvia Andrianarison, 2024-2026 pre-doctoral scholarship beneficiary

An atypical career for great scientific ambitions

Originally from Madagascar, Mialitiana graduated from high-school with a scientific diploma in her birth country before starting medical studies. However, she was more interested in her minor in scientific subjects such as physics and mathematics, which led her to quickly change her orientation:
“I couldn’t see myself studying subjects I wasn’t passionate about for six years, even though I was fascinated by the job of researcher in neurology. After my first year of medical studies, I chose to apply for a training in engineering at Polytech Paris-Saclay. Industrial computer science and engineering allowed me to combine theory and concrete applications.” 
During these studies, she discovered the ENS Paris-Saclay. Wishing to become a researcher, she applied for the SAPHIRE training at the ENS Paris-Saclay, a specialised major in engineering. In her second semester, she joined the Nikola Tesla research department, where she is currently completing the second year of her master’s degree in Control, Signal and Image Processing.

Choosing the pre-doctoral scholarship in partnership with the 

 

Upon joining the ENS Paris-Saclay, she discovered the pre-doctoral scholarship program and decided to apply for it in the hopes of honing her skills and preparing a doctoral thesis in collaboration with the CEA-DAM. She chose this partnership for several reasons:

• A structuring project: the possibility of having an academic tutor at the ENS and two industrial tutors at the CEA-DAM.
• A fascinating research subject: metallurgy in extreme environments and studying phase transitions in tin, a subject tied to high-end technological discoveries.
• Customized support: “My tutors worked together to create my internship project, and guide me towards a doctoral thesis which fit my career. This support allows me to look forward to the future and not worry about it.”

The scholarship’s impac

For this student, the pre-doctoral scholarship was a game-changer:

• Financial independence: “Thanks to this support, I’ve become self-reliant and my parents don’t have to fund my studies anymore. This alleviated a huge financial burden on my family, and allowed me to focus entirely on my work.”
• Reinforced academic support: “We are already solidly supported at the ENS Paris-Saclay, and this scholarship provides even more personalized support. As an international student, this is all the more important. It means I can get help in conceiving a coherent and realistic project for my doctorate.” Mialitiana initially thought of spending a year abroad doing research. After discussing the topic with her tutors, she is now electing to spend an “interface” year to further her knowledge in physics and mathematics to complement her field of expertise.
• Future projects: “This scholarship gives me the necessary time and resources to think about my long term research goals, and how to achieve them.”

This program is a flagship initiative of the ENS Paris-Saclay, in partnership with renowned institutions such as the CEA-DAM, the IFPEN or the IRSN. It offers opportunities in high-end fields. Its diversity, in addition to its close support measures, makes it an ideal launching pad for students wishing to work in research, be it in academia or in the industrial sector.

 

With initiatives such as this one, the ENS Paris-Saclay affirms its commitment to working on wider scientific and social challenges. This program, a veritable bridge between the academic and industrial sectors, illustrates one of the school’s main values: encouraging exploration and research.