Prix d’excellence en enseignement Catégorie Innovation

IRIC’s Academic Affairs team received the prix d’excellence en enseignement Catégorie Innovation – Soutien à la réussite étudiante thanks to the work of its Academic Affairs team: Sébastien Carréno, Julie Mantovani, Evelyne Muhire and Pascale LeThérizien. This recognition bestowed by the Vice-Rector of Student and Academic Affairs of the Université de Montréal underscored the outstanding contribution made by the team in supporting student success.

The Institute developed an innovative integrated and personalized support program for graduate students working in the Institute’s laboratories. The mission of the initiative set up by the Office of Academic Affairs is to provide support to students along their path, from the time they arrive at the Institute until they graduate. The program is aimed at improving the success rate, assisting with the physiological difficulties related to the stress of graduate studies and student isolation, and preparing them for their future career.

The success of the initiative rests notably on the daily work of the Academic Affairs staff which offers students a caring environment adapted to their needs.

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Julie Mantovani

Originally from France and holding a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Julie Mantovani has been a member of IRIC’s Academic Affairs Office for 10 years. As Office Chief for the past 4 years, Julie Mantovani is committed to developing projects that enable the Institute’s students to benefit from the most enriching university experience possible.

Her role is to ensure that everything is put in place for students carrying out their research at the Institute to receive the best support possible, and for their relationships with their Research Directors to be as healthy as possible. A member of the réseau des sentinelles de l’Université de Montréal since 2019, Julie Mantovani pays special attention to the well-being of students.

Pascale Le Thérizien

After studying administration in France, Pascale held positions in various sectors of activity, including with companies providing services and training for businesses, as well as research centres in both France and Quebec, where she relocated to in 1996.

For the last 15 years, she has occupied a Clerical and Administrative Clerk position in IRIC’s Academic Affairs Office where she has been involved in the Institute’s student recruitment process, and supports students from their arrival right up to their graduation, including their academic monitoring. She enjoys seeing these young people progress and feels that she is contributing to their career path.

She also assists investigators in organizing courses, notably for the summer school created by members of the Institute in 2006.

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Evelyne Muhire

After earning her undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Immunology from the Université de Montréal, Evelyne began a Master’s in Biochemistry at UQAM, under the supervision of Prof. Borhane Annabi. It was during that period that her interest in scientific outreach and communication was born, which naturally led her to register for a microprogram in education. Before coming to IRIC, she worked for the Canadian Cancer Society as a cancer information specialist.

As Academic Affairs Coordinator at IRIC, one of Evelyne’s mandates is to organize student recruitment activities and she also watches over the academic, professional and personal growth of students. Working in concert with the Institute’s investigators to train the scientists of tomorrow drives Evelyne to fulfill her duties on a daily basis and makes her feel particularly proud!

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Sébastien Carréno

Sébastien obtained his Ph.D. in Biology in Toulouse and carried out a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California at Berkeley. He was recruited as a professor by the UdeM and IRIC in 2008. His laboratory studies cell shape changes during the metastatic processes. Upon his arrival at IRIC, Sébastien got involved with the Academic Affairs Committee. He contributed, among other things, to setting up IRIC’s various Student Recruitment Events.

He has been the Director of Academic Affairs since 2017. As such, he assists in designing and developing the strategies and approaches required to ensure very high quality support for IRIC’s graduate students. More broadly, and working closely with Julie Mantovani and the other members of the Academic Affairs Office, he ensures the students’ success by providing advice and support when they are faced with a multitude of situations that are often complex.

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