Erwan Faure, intern at InnoRenew CoE

• Where were you living in childhood and where do you live now?

As a child, I grew up in the Landes region, on the south-west coast of the Atlantic. Today, I still live there, but my school is in Nantes, further north but still on the west coast, and my company is in Bordeaux, which is close to where I live. So I’m not regularly at home, but I do have an apartment in Nantes for my studies and a homestay in Bordeaux.

• What have you studied and what were the motives for your decision?

I’m currently an apprentice at a timber engineering school and have a university diploma in civil engineering. My motivation to be here is to discover the research sector, especially in timber sciences, to develop new skills and knowledge and also to discover the Slovenian culture.

• How would you describe your work to someone outside your field?

This work consists of assessing the performance of structural elements in order to improve them and design them to have a lower carbon impact. Which is a real challenge! Even more so in timber engineering, a sector that is developing considerably throughout the world.

• What makes you excited about your work?

What gets me excited is finding new solutions or improving existing techniques. This helps to reduce the carbon footprint, the impact on the environment and also to moving things forward (for research, companies…).

• And what is the biggest challenge at your work?

The biggest challenge in my job is to make useful research, discoveries or innovations. Whether it’s for companies, but also for research, because it’s a way of moving things forward. Sometimes publications aren’t published or projects are abandoned, which is very frustrating in this environment. So the aim here is to make yourself useful!

• Which scientist or scientific achievement are you fascinated by and why?

One fascinating achievement in the field of timber or wood sciences is the development of cross-laminated timber (CLT). CLT is a revolutionary innovation wood product that has significantly advanced the use of wood in construction, particularly for tall buildings.

• Tell us about the work of art (books, music, movies, theatre, dance, visual arts) that has a special place in your life.

“Oppenheimer” holds a special place in my life not only because of its cinematic excellence but also because it provokes deep reflection on the intersection of science, ethics, and humanity. The film serves as a powerful reminder of the responsibilities that come with knowledge and the profound impact that individual actions can have on the history.

• What have you read, listened to, or watched lately?

I’m currently watching a series on the Six Nations Tournament, which is a rugby competition in Europe. And I’m also reading a lot of scientific publications in my research subject for this internship.

• Describe your very first impression of Slovenia.

Slovenia is a very natural and beautiful country. I noticed that there were places to do sport almost everywhere, which is pretty cool. It’s also a bit mountainous, which will make my future hikes sporty and, I think, very beautiful. For me, being by the sea is a good opportunity because it’s a really beautiful environment and we’re not far from Italy or Croatia, which is good for travelling.

• What makes you enthusiastic?

What gets me excited is learning and discovering new things every day, and above all without moderation!

• Characterize your life’s guidance or an important realization (or epiphany) you have experienced.

I’ve been enjoying nature since I was a child and I still want to enjoy it or pass it on to future generations. That’s why I’ve gradually decided to go into a profession that will have a positive impact on the environment through my future research (if I’m a researcher) or actions. Especially in the construction field – for example in France it is the biggest contributor to pollution in terms of the impact of its life cycle (construction, use and deconstruction).

• What does the charm of wood mean to you?

For me, wood is above all a natural and noble material.

Its charm lies in its uniqueness and diversity. Because there are so many different types of wood, each with its own differences. Its charm also lies in its diverse uses: joinery, construction, decoration, paper, chemistry, etc.

To conclude, it will be a very useful material for the future, with very interesting properties.