Guillaume A. Girard (M.Sc. Energy and Materials Science, 2005)
Senior Systems Engineer, ABB Inc.
“In research, you have to learn to persevere”. It’s important to be open to criticism, he adds, and that can sometimes take a healthy dose of humility and self reflection.
It was pure chance that brought Guillaume Girard to study at INRS. Actually, a chance encounter, as he is quick to point out. He remembers the first time he met Professor Jean-Claude Kieffer, who not only shared his love of energy sciences, but went on to help him acquire valuable communication and research skills.
“In research, you have to learn to persevere,” Guillaume advises students. It’s important to be open to criticism, he adds, and that can sometimes take a healthy dose of humility and self reflection—whether it’s in reviewing an article, reworking a presentation, or what have you. This dedication to continuous improvement has served him all throughout his career.
What’s his favourite INRS campus memory? The opportunities to socialize and network with INRS staff and fellow students. Guillaume believes you have to seize every opportunity to broaden your network. He recalls the ties he forged with his colleagues and how everyone helped each other. He also remembers the friendly family atmosphere at INRS.
After earning a master’s in energy science and materials in 2005, Guillaume Girard worked as a research assistant at INRS for two years. In 2008 he joined ABB, a multinational energy and automation company, where he has carried out various engineering roles. Today he works in ABB’s Measurements & Analytics business unit, where he is involved in a number of large-scale projects in aerospace and measurement instrument development. Taking on duties ranging from reliability analyst to test manager and product coordinator, he has helped design and test a series of atmospheric probes that will provide more accurate data to improve weather forecasting.
It may have been chance that led Guillaume Girard to study at INRS, but it’s the perseverance he developed there that serves him most today.