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AFAM: On June 22nd and 23rd, Texas A&M-ENSAM scientific workshop took place in College Station, TX. What were the goals of this workshop?
Prof. El Mansori & Prof. Bukkaptnam:
The workshop is follow up of the TEES-ENSAM cluster in Aix-Provence to:
- Formalize TEES-ENSAM partnership for joint cluster in materials and manufacturing
- Define and develop plans for international excellence in advanced manufacturing
- Discuss and explore industry needs in the emerging manufacturing research and education
- Discuss and explore collaboration opportunities in research and education
AFAM: How come ENSAM and Texas A&M are strategic partners? Why not another university in the United States? What is the history of this partnership?
Prof. El Mansori & Prof. Bukkapatnam:
The ENSAM and Texas A&M partnership is a long story of faculty-to-faculty collaboration and significant similarities of the evolution trajectory, culture and traditions. Moreover, as the higher education and research system becomes global, it was time to bring these collaborations into a formal strategic transatlantic partnership. Both institutions have strong commitments and engagements to the industry especially of manufacturing and materials programs. Their manufacturing is one of the largest and fastest growing programs in the USA with over 35 faculty state-of-the art facilities.
AFAM: Every year around 30 students are coming to the US for their graduate studies? Will we see a lot of Arts et Métiers students coming to Texas A&M? And how many American students will study at Arts et Métiers every year? Where do you see the Student Exchange Program heading?
Prof. El Mansori & Prof. Bukkapatnam:
We plan in the next five years to have more than 12 PhD students in the ENSAM and Texas A&M joint program. Additionally, we are working to establish international master programs that can attract more than 20 students form each Institute every year. We also have a plan for internship program to bring students at all levels at ENSAM to work in US industry.
AFAM: What are the next steps for Texas A&M and Arts et Métiers partnership?
Prof. El Mansori & Prof. Bukkapatnam: The immediate step is to deepen our partnership and follow through various commitments with and from our partners.
AFAM: Thank you very much for sharing with AFAM!
About Prof. El Mansori:
Mohamed EL MANSORI is a Professor at the Department of Mechanical, Material Science and Manufacturing Engineering, Arts et Métiers ParisTech (France) where he leads the Mechanics, Surfaces and Material Processing Laboratory (MSMP-EA-7350)/Engineering. He is appointed as TEES Research Professor at TAMU (USA). He is a co-Director of TEES-TAMU-ENSAM joint research cluster. He served as Deputy General Director in Charge of Research & Innovation at the Arts et Métiers ParisTech, France. He also chaired the Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Research Group (LMPF-EA4106) at the Châlons-en-Champagne campus. He was a founder and head of project of the creation of the MSMP laboratory, which is a multi-campus laboratory of the same institution including at Aix-en-Provence, Châlons-en-Champagne and Lille. Mohamed EL Mansori received B.Sc degree in Physics from the University of Hassan II (Casablanca, Morocco:1993), and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from the Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (Nancy, France:1997) followed by he was employed as a post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Advanced Friction Studies of the Southern Illinois University, USA, and then he joined, before ParisTech, the research group at the ERMES (Nancy, France) for five years to conduct research on “the tribological behavior of engineering materials, especially under the influence of electromagnetic
environment”. His current research interests include the interface of thermo-mechanic characteristics of both metallic and composite materials and physics behind their tribological and manufacturing performance. The research activities carried out in the last decade were interdisciplinary by their very nature. They have been engulfed to the issues concerning the tribological characteristics of engineering systems and multiscale advanced manufacturing processes. These activities have led to the formation of a new research team which conceived and developed the concept of multi-scale process signature in conjunction with a new tribo-energetic approach for the fundamental understanding of advanced and sustainable manufacturing processes involving lightweight synthetic and/or natural reinforced composite materials, energy-efficient manufacturing processes, advanced tribological studies and new process development for improved product performance and sustainability, etc. The main interest of this approach was, in its capability, to "bridge the gap" between the traditional approaches of academia and the industrial requirements. These resulted with a strong publication record of more than 160 papers in JCR referenced international journals and more than 200 international and national conference proceedings. He has taught many short courses on tribology in the multiscale manufacturing process. Sevral invitations to technical/scientific meetings and international conferences can assess his strong international exposure.
About Prof. Satish Bukkapatnam:
Satish Bukkapatnam is a Professor at Texas A&M University, Director at TEES Institute for Manufacturing Systems. He is also a Rockwell International Professor. He is a co-Director of TEES-TAMU-ENSAM joint research cluster. Satish received B.Sc degree in mechanical engineering from the University Tirupati (India), M.S and Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Satish Bukkapatham has been awarded with several honors - OSU regents distinguished research award (2011), Best Paper Awards from IIE Manufacturing and Design Division Track (2009), OSU CEAT Halliburton Outstanding Award (Young Faculty 2011, Senior Faculty 2012) to name a few.
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- Tell us about your career path and area of expertise today. How did it come about?
I started to work for Airbus Nantes as soon as I finished my studies. I was working in the quality department, on the composite area.
After a year and half, I decided to find a smaller company and I’ve been hired by Serac, a company designing packaging machines
- What do you do every day at work? How does being a Gadz’Arts help you in your everyday tasks and team management?
As a project manager I’m handling completely the different projects for the Dairy industry: definition of the machine according to customer requirement, design of the machine, leading the other designers and the electrical engineer, following up the workshop assembly, etc… until the final acceptance of the machine at the customer plant.
Being Gadz’Art helped me to have the technical skills, a global vision of the projects and the ability to lead a team.
- How did you come to the US- why and when? How is your work life different than in France?
I arrived in the US two years and a half ago, I have the US citizenship so it was easier for me and I wanted to do something different, to leave outside of France. I contacted Aurore who helped me a lot to prepare my documents and to find a job.
Living in the US is much more different from France that I could have imagine. I would say that the way of working in the US is fairer than in France: if you’re good and you’re working hard, you can do anything you want. And this is a feeling that I didn’t have any more in France.
- What is the best advice someone ever gave you? Why?
My Airbus manager told me many times: “If you say something, be sure that this is true and that you fully understand why. If you don’t know, if you’re not sure or if you realize you made a mistake, say it immediately, don’t wait for somebody to found out”.
Being truly honest about what I know and what I understand helped me to have customer, manager and colleague trust. Staying humble and being able to admit when I don’t know something also helped me in many ways.
- What is one favorite way to spend your free time (hobbies, weekend activities)?
I usually enjoy playing tennis or any kind of sport. I like just walking in Chicago and discovering something new every day. I’m trying to travel when I have a chance to discover a bit more this amazing country.
Thank you again for sharing your experience and thoughts on life in the USA for Gadz'Arts! AFAM is grateful for your support.
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On June 22nd and 23rd AFAM was in College Station, TX, visiting TEES-ENSAM International Workshop on Smart Manufacturing for the Factory of the Future (TEES stands for Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station).
This TEES-ENSAM workshop occurred right after the co-located ASME International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference (MSEC) 2018 and the 46th NAMRI/SME North American Manufacturing Research Conference (NAMRC) hosted this year by Texas A&M.
On the picture: participants of TEES-ENSAM International Workshop on Smart Manufacturing, College Station, TX
The International workshop on Smart Manufacturing organized on June 22nd and 23rd is one of the illustrations of TEES-ENSAM growing transatlantic collaboration. The workshop was supported by Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and the French Consulate in Houston. ENSAM delegation in College Station, TX, consisted of Ivan Iordanoff, Arts et Métiers Deputy Director in charge of Research and Innovation, Mohamed el Mansori, co-director of TEES-ENSAM cluster, Philippe Collot, director of Aix-en-Provence Arts et Métiers campus and Philippe Viot, Director of Innovation.
Arts et Métiers ParisTech and Texas A&M have a long history of research collaboration. For 20 years, the LEM3 laboratory in Metz has been collaborating with researchers from Texas A&M. On November 30, 2017 the MOU was signed between Arts et Métiers ParisTech and Texas A&M giving birth to “Joint Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Research, Innovation and Education Cluster”.
Next steps for this promising joint cluster would be new collaborative research opportunities in partnership with French and American industry leaders such as Airbus Helicopters, STIL as well as offering of summer schools for Texas students and in the future - exchange semesters for both French and American students and dual degrees on the horizon of 2020.
The first day of the workshop visit, AFAM had a chance to see the new Center for Infrastructure Renewal (on Rellis Education and Research campus) enabling Texas A&M and its partners to perform cutting-edge research to provide practical solutions.
Pictures: Center for Infrastructure Renewal (Rellis Education and Research campus, Texas A&M)
The second day of the visit was dedicated to presentations of industry engagement in particular Airbus Helicopters and STIL, as well as joint research programs as the workshop participants could learn more about advances in the field of natural fiber composite materials presented by both ENSAM and Texas A&M researchers.
TEES-ENSAM cluster is a promising alliance based on mutual understanding and commitment. AFAM will continue to inform American Friends of Arts et Métiers community about TEES-ENSAM cluster and its actions.
From left to right: Philippe Viot (ENSAM), Philippe Collot (ENSAM), Albina Patou-Chebykina (AFAM), Ivan Iordanoff (ENSAM), Mohamed El Mansori (ENSAM, co-director of TEES-ENSAM cluster), Satish Bukkapatham (Texas A&M, co-director of TEES-ENSAM cluster)
From left to right: Eyad Masad (Texas A&M), Philippe Collot (ENSAM), Ivan Iordanoff (ENSAM), Dimitris Lagoudas (Texas A&M)
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On June 10th AAGEF Regatta took place. This amateur sailboat race has been organized by the French Grandes Ecoles Alumni Association. 10 boats, each representing a French Grande Ecole, have been racing for 2 hours around downtown Manhattan. The Arts et Métiers ParisTech team did not win the race but gadzarts' families and friends won a Supporter Prize showing once again how strong and supportive the Gadz Community is.
On the pictures below: members of Arts et Métiers ParisTech crew Jean-Rodolphe Guis and Jean-Baptiste Commans
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AFAM: Tell us about your career path and area of expertise today, Jean-Baptiste. How did it come about?
JB: I am a Principal in a strategy consultancy called the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), specialized in strategy of Financial Institutions (FIs). I have been working with FIs since the beginning of my career. After I graduated from Arts et Métiers, I went on to earn a Specialized Master from HEC. I was then recruited as a Financial Mathematician at Aon Global Risk Consulting, a consultancy.
After 2.5 years there, I had the opportunity to become the head of the pricing department of a client of mine, Credit Foncier.
Three years later, I decided I wanted new challenges, and a more international job. An A&M Alumni from BCG passed on my CV to the FI practice, and I was recruited as a consultant. Six years down the line, I have worked in 15+ different countries for more than 20 clients, on some of their more strategic matters.
AFAM: What do you do every day at work? How does being a Gadz’Arts help you in your everyday tasks and team management?
JB: Clients bring us in to solve some of their toughest challenges: how can we enter the Asian market? Should we invest in certain asset classes? How can we gain market shares?
As a Principal, I set up and manage ad-hoc teams of 3 to 6 extremely talented consultants to solve the issue. I have strategic conversations with the clients and bring my own expertise and brainpower to finding the answer to their issue.
Being a Gadz’Art is a fundamental part of my work-identity. As an engineer, I see my teams as machines, where all the wheels have a specific function, and all have to fit together for the machine to work. I always fine-tune the machine, ensuring people are put in an optimal position to deliver, leveraging their strengths and/or developing the skills we need them to have.
Besides, my extra-curricular experience organizing the A&M Fignoss Gala in 2004 somehow taught me to manage not overly relying on hierarchy and figuring out a way to solve problems for which I don’t have a roadmap. Which, come to think of it, would be a pretty accurate description of what I have to do now…
AFAM: How did you come to the US- why and when? How is your work life different than in France?
JB: My current employer, BCG, recruited me in Paris in 2012. After one year, I transferred to our London office. 2.5 years later, we launched an initiative to develop certain business lines in the US, and I joined the NYC office.
Though I am not sure this is representative of the US, New-York is definitely much, much more international and multi-cultural than Paris. My current team of 6 people boasts 4 different nationalities. New-York has entire neighborhoods with a clearly distinct identity, even language in some cases.
There is also something about the optimism of Americans. On average, they complain way less than we (and I!) do.
I however sometimes miss some good-old European sophistication in food, clothing, design, opera, etc. Things can be very ‘bling’ here.
AFAM: What is the best advice someone ever gave you? Why?
JB: To ask yourself what you want in life, and revisit the answer from time to time. Especially with regards to work-life balance. This doesn’t have to be precise, but maybe as a young graduate you will want to travel the world, while as a 30-something you will want to be more sedentary. Or maybe the opposite. All of it comes with trade-offs, and you will eventually have opportunities for every option. Your ability to seize the right opportunity at the right time is directly linked to the clarity of your aspirations.
Also, don’t be afraid. Turn down something because it doesn’t fit your aspirations, your project. Never, ever because you think it’ll be too hard.
AFAM: What is one favorite way to spend your free time (hobbies, weekend activities)?
JB: Two and a half years in, and I am still discovering New-York, its neighborhoods, its museums, its communities! I love a day at the beach at Rockaway, and Upstate New-York is beautiful. Also just hanging out, having drinks on rooftops with friends is something I will never get tired of.
AFAM: Thank you again for sharing your experience and thoughts on life in the USA for Gadz'Arts! AFAM is grateful for your support! And congratulations on your new responsibilities as a President of the East Coast Group!
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