A sunny day when I wake up

Romain Jaffré, intern at InnoRenew CoE

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

I have spent my whole living in different parts of Britanny, a French region and I’m still living there.

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

I have studied embedded systems at a French engineering school. What makes me keen about this field is that it regroups a lot of different topics such as programming, but also digital and analogic electronics as well as the electrical and mechanical aspects of a system and that’s what driving for me.

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

I create little autonomous and innovative systems to make the work of my colleagues easier and better.

What makes you excited about your work?

I love to see real life problems being solved by applying all of the knowledge I have in various fields. What I enjoy the most about solving problems is the satisfaction I get when I successfully get something to work as I intended it to. However, I also love working in teams with people from different fields than mine because I can always learn something new.

And what is the biggest challenge at your work?

The most challenging aspect of my work is overcoming the frustration that comes along with developing embedded systems from start to finish, particularly when a certain functionality doesn’t work and I’m unable to pinpoint the cause.

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

I am amazed by Jean-Marc Jancovici and all of his work around climate change. What I like the most about him is his eloquence and his knowledge about nuclear energy.

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

For me, music has the biggest place in my heart. As a former guitarist I believe it’s one of the best forms of art, if not the best. With it you can express every single emotion one can feel, you can share it with friends and family. You can listen to it whether you are commuting, trying to sleep, having a party or even for better concentration when working!

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

When coming to Slovenia from France I watched Baby Driver.

Describe your very first impression of Slovenia.

It’s a very pleasant country. It has beautiful landscapes that I don’t ever see at home and I enjoy the fact that most people here speak great English.