2021 Chemistry Master's Day (Newsletter #11 – March 2022)

The 2021 Master’s in Chemistry Day, the fifth graduation ceremony for students in the Master’s in Chemistry program at the Faculty of Science in Montpellier, took place on Friday, November 26, 2021, at the University of Montpellier’s Triolet Campus. Gathered in the university’s Dumontet Amphitheater, the graduating students of the 2020–2021 M2 Chemistry class received their diplomas, marking the culmination of their years of university study.

See all the photos from the graduation ceremony

The event, hosted by Prof. Umit Demirci (Associate Director of the LMD5 Master’s Program in Chemistry), brought together approximately 150 people in person (graduates, faculty, and students in the Chemistry program) and was streamed live on UM’s digital platform so that the graduates’ families and friends could watch the ceremony remotely. The opening remarks began with a speech by Professor Alain Hoffmann, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, followed by addresses from Prof. Jean-Yves Winum (Director of the Chemistry Department) and Prof. Joulia Larionova (Director of the Chemistry Track of the LMD4 Master’s program). All three warmly congratulated the students on their success and wished them a bright professional future, hoping that they would not forget their years at the University and that, in the near future, they would in turn become, within their professional circles, ambassadors and valued partners of Montpellier’s university chemistry program.

As a result, participants had the opportunity to listen tothe conference “Zeolites: The Reasons and Risks Behind a Success Story”, presented by Dr. Francesco Di Renzo, Emeritus Research Director at the CNRS. This was followed by testimonials from two former students of the Master’s program in Chemistry, who reflected on their academic journeys and how those experiences have shaped their current professional lives.

Finally, representing11 different academic backgrounds, 84 of the 148 graduates from the class of 2020–2021took turns receiving their 2021 Master’s in Chemistry degrees, which were presented by Professor Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, who honored us with his presence at this event. The graduation ceremony concluded with the traditional tossing of caps, a powerful symbol of the culmination of a brilliant academic journey.

The Chemistry Master’s Day concluded with a buffet, during which recent graduates had the opportunity to talk with faculty members about their future careers.

Interview with Stéphanie Roualdès
Associate Professor
Physics and Chemistry Instructor