Guillaume Grenon
Master's degree in research practices and public action, 2017
Knowledge transfer advisor, Cégep régional de Lanaudière (CERESO)
“One of the great strengths of the Centre Urbanisation Culture Société is its close ties with fellow students and teachers. The student community evolves in a professional environment that goes beyond the academic. As a student, this helps you to project yourself onto your career path.”
After obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Sociology in 2013, Guillaume Grenon chose to pursue his studies at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), where he undertook the Master's program in Knowledge Mobilization and Transfer under the direction of Jonathan Roberge, professor at the INRS Centre Urbanisation Culture Société. This choice proved decisive for his professional future.
Initially drawn to research on the identity construction of fan groups in North American stadiums, Guillaume is also interested in exploring the question of identity through the lens of popular culture in cinema. In the end, it was his meeting with Jonathan Roberge, a young professor specializing in digital environments, that steered him in the right direction. The opportunity to work on an innovative project and the recognized excellence of the Centre were decisive factors. “The proximity with fellow students and teachers is one of the great strengths of the Centre, enabling you to project yourself into your career,” Guillaume points out. INRS offered him a dynamic environment where interdisciplinary research and digital innovation were central.
As part of his training, Guillaume completed an internship at the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications, where he applied his skills in knowledge mobilization and transfer. This experience enabled him to learn to adapt to digital issues and play an active role in the transmission of knowledge, while discovering the diversity of careers offered by research.
“Beyond the program, which teaches us about collaborative research practices between research and practice settings, INRS itself is deeply rooted in these settings. INRS made me realize that research is a much broader professional field than I imagined when I was in undergrad. This is unusual, as many students feel anxious about projecting themselves beyond their general training, not really knowing where their career might take them next.”
After his time at INRS, Guillaume worked for a number of non-profit organizations and round tables, as well as for a national advocacy group. In 2021, he will begin a short graduate program in higher education pedagogy at UQAM, and in 2022, he will join the Montreal Success Network team as a development and liaison officer.
Over the years, Guillaume has acquired significant expertise in knowledge mobilization and transfer processes, coordinating concertation bodies, and supporting collective action.
In 2024, he joined the Centre d'expertise en innovation sociale at the Cégep régional de Lanaudière in L'Assomption as a knowledge transfer advisor, where he continues to apply the skills developed during his studies. There, he combines consulting and teaching, pursuing his aspiration to share his knowledge with future generations. “Joining the college network is a return to my roots in my native region, but also the realization of a dream, as it had a huge impact on my life in my youth,” he explains.
In conclusion, he invites current students to take advantage of INRS's proximity to the research and practice environments: “I would recommend that current students develop a solid understanding of the realities of the practice, research and decision-making environments in their field of specialization, in order to become reference players in the field.”
[Interviewed in July 2024]