If I had to define my current role, I would say “translating operational problems into mathematical models embodied in the form of executable algorithms, and developing decision support tools."
There was a time when I introduced myself with the words “music, maths and magic”, three activities that have always been my passions.
Then I added the “languages” dimension. The more languages you speak, the easier it is to learn new ones, which is what I do so that I can communicate with others in their mother tongue, which means I can speak to them on an energetic and emotional level without being hindered by the form of the exchange. It’s my quest as a perfectionist, to speak like a native, using as much specific vocabulary as possible, without neologisms or borrowing from other languages.
I speak 6, almost 7, fluently, and at the moment I’m learning 3 new ones.
In fact, I really enjoyed putting “European polyglot” on my CV!
I was born in Warsaw, but at the age of 3, I came to France, where I did all my studies. Polish is the first language I spoke and the one I still use at home. So for me it has an important emotional aspect. But I learned to learn in French, which also makes it a key language. In short, these two languages are the pillars of my education and development.
Since then, I’ve added other languages: German, Spanish, Russian, Italian and above all English.
I studied in the Paris region and in Paris, while spending my summers in Poland with my cousins and family.
It was after I joined the Ecole Centrale Paris (now CentraleSupélec) that I discovered the rest of the world through conferences in France and abroad.
During my studies, I worked on projects in the medical and biological fields, including an end-of-studies placement in England. I thought I would go on to do a thesis, but in the end I came back to France and switched to the energy sector when I joined the Research Department of Gaz de France, where I’ve stayed ever since.
Alongside my work as a research engineer, and then as a project manager, I’ve always been keen to pass on my knowledge. I continue to teach and lead seminars in applied mathematics, both at my original university and at Mines de Paris. So I keep one foot in the academic world, stay in touch with students and keep up to date with the latest technical developments.
This desire to pass on knowledge is something that’s very close to my heart. When I know that a process can be improved, that there is a more efficient way of doing things, I enjoy sharing my know-how and experience in all areas.
Perhaps the most honest answer would be “I don't know”... But if I had to define it, I would say “translating operational problems into mathematical models embodied in the form of executable algorithms, and developing decision support tools”.
Sometimes I act as a coach, an advisor or the lab’s “memory”, but I also enjoy the purely technical moments, developing or implementing computer code.
When I’m presented with a problem, I try to understand it and put myself in the customer’s shoes. I rephrase it and suggest a way of dealing with it, possibly adding extra functions. Then we put those solutions into work packages and that gives rise to projects, developments, then implementations and – if all goes well – customer deployments and training, with the ultimate aim being to save money and make people happy.
Finding an effective, elegant and long-lasting solution that meets the customer’s needs.
I like to be able to show a result quickly, and I like for my proposed solution to be as attractive as it is generic. I enjoy communicating, creating a dynamic and stimulating work environment, sharing energy, interaction and human contact.
There was a time when I loved working on algorithms, trying to find new ones and testing them, then publishing them, communicating about them and taking part in conferences to travel and discover new things. These conferences helped me discover other regions of the world such as the United States and South America. And if one of the articles we write this year is selected, maybe I’ll go to the World Gas Congress (WGC) in China. It will be another place to discover in a part of the world I haven’t yet explored.
What I’m passionate about at the moment is providing assistance, helping people through discussions and sharing experiences. It’s something that I find in all my activities, even ones outside work: team spirit, working together to achieve the same goal.
Yes, I could call myself a multi-disciplinary enthusiast... with music, maths and magic at the core. Then there are seasonal or circumstantial interests, mainly sports, and finally, there’s communication and language learning, which are just as essential.
I’ve been doing magic since the age of 8 and today I use it both for entertainment and to popularise science at conferences. I started with just a pack of cards, then joined a club at my engineering school, which gave me access to more equipment and peer-to-peer sharing, testing and experimenting. The 2000s saw the development of mentalism and memorisation techniques, which I use on a daily basis as well as in my shows.
But I stay true to my first love, cards, which are a simple and very versatile tool that I even used in one of my projects where I combined maths and magic, studying what’s known as the Faro shuffle (also called the weave shuffle or perfect shuffle ). In this shuffle, you take 2 packs of cards and interleave them one by one, as if you were crossing the fingers of one hand with those of the other. A card shuffle can be modelled as a permutation in group theory, which studies some algebraic structures in mathematics. When repeated a certain number of times, the perfect shuffle displays unexpected or surprising properties. You can thus achieve effects that seem magical but are in fact mathematical. Of course, this requires dexterity and technical training. It’s an example of the embodiment of a theoretical concept where you have to go through the real thing to have an impact on the public.
Magic requires control, mastery of yourself and your emotions, mastery of your space and also audience management. To be a magician, you have to be like a project director, guiding and managing your audience, taking them with you into your story, into your world, into your imagination, with the nuance that the magician is actually an actor playing the magician. Some people tell me, “Your personality changes when you do magic,” and it's true, I play a role, that of the magician.
Travelling isn’t a passion of mine but a way of discovering the world. With each new trip, I try to learn the basics of the language so that I feel less like a “tourist” in the country. I've noticed that making the effort to try to communicate opens up the desire to share and often leads to memorable moments.
Ultimately, that’s what I’m looking for with magic or music: to create a memorable moment, for myself and for others, something that leaves a trace that creates memories, and sometimes inspires the desire to go in new directions.
I’ve been making music since the age of 8 – I play the piano, I sing, I led the music club at Crigen, I directed a choir, I was part of a vocal group in Poland, I played the violin... At the moment, I play the clarinet while continuing to play jazz piano, so I’m continuing to learn and develop.
I’ve been registered with a competitive swimming group for a year now, but I also enjoy other seasonal sports, such as skiing and windsurfing. I’ve been doing couple dancing for a long time, even though it’s more of a form of entertainment or social activity than a competitive sport.
I try out a lot of things. Whenever a subject intrigues me, I try to learn more about it, to understand it and, a bit like a sponge, I give it my all to try and soak up as much information as possible.
And here too, as with magic, I’m aware that even if you’ve understood everything intellectually, the body needs time to learn.
Escape Games are all about an adventure as a team, research, investigation, puzzles, sharing, communication and, once again, experiencing a memorable event together, creating a collective memory.
Some time ago, I would have said “the secret of happiness is to be prepared for the worst and ready for the best”.
Now, I’d say “Go where it feels natural, go with the flow.”
Of course, no wind is favourable for those who do not know where they are going, but I direct my energy based on the opportunities that arise. When I feel opposition, it means that it’s not for me and that I’m going to take another route.
I think we need to inspire children to dream and inspire them to take up a career. Offer role models from an early age to encourage admiration and the desire to be enterprising.
Allay certain fears by reassuring people about their career path, and to show that they can have both a career and a family life.
Finally, we need to work on cross-fertilisation: there are fields in which there are lots of women, and we need to identify the factors that encourage girls and women to choose these sectors, so that they can be transposed to the research field.
I've already mentioned my 3 Ms – maths, music and magic – but I’d like to add three more: passionate, meticulous and creative.
I love learning, I love sharing what I’ve learned. And this approach is certainly something I’ve felt, lived and experienced in my family life and throughout my education.
I’m still in contact with some of my teachers, and if I had to add anything, it would be a special dedication to all the people who have helped me to develop and who have played a part in my career.
