Every five years, a new dean’s office team—composed of associate deans and program coordinators—is appointed by the dean to represent him or her in carrying out specific tasks. This year, Professor Stephan Matecki was elected chair of the Scientific Council. Read his interview here: learn about his background and the projects he hopes to implement as part of his role!

You have been elected Chair of the Scientific Council. Could you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?

I am a physiologist and head of the Pediatric Functional Testing Unit and a research team within the UMR CNRS 9214–INSERM U1046 unit located at the IURC. I am also co-director of the Master’s program in Biology and Health. After completing my medical studies in Paris, I went on to complete my residency and my fellowship in Physiology in Montpellier. I have always had a deep commitment to scientific education and to supporting our students on their scientific journey. As a result, I have developed a comprehensive support system for our youngest students by establishing a dual health sciences program designed for all health sciences students. This program was recently accredited by INSERM and has been integrated into the national network of Medicine-Science tracks at our school. As a member of the Scientific Council, I have also been able to develop this support strategy through a system of early and regular mentoring for all our students pursuing careers in university hospitals—who will form the future of our Faculty.

How do you plan to balance your professional responsibilities with your role as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board?

When you love what you do, you don’t keep track of the hours. But as a physiologist, my professional obligations are less demanding than those of a clinician or a surgeon. Furthermore, I believe that my roles as director of the Master’s program in Health Biology and as head of a research team complement my responsibilities on the scientific advisory board very well. This role, I should point out, is heavily focused on mentoring and providing supportive guidance to our young students who are eager to pursue careers in university hospitals.

What will your contributions and goals be? What projects do you hope to carry out in your role?

I would like to focus on promoting transparency regarding the scientific policy of our Montpellier-Nîmes School of Medicine, in alignment with the Montpellier and Nîmes University Hospitals, by highlighting its core mission—education in the health field—and its driving force: our students. I also intend to strengthen our support for young candidates through the Scientific Advisory Board, which will be based on a relationship of support and mentorship.  The goal will be to train them to reflect on their scientific positioning—a positioning that will guide them in their future scientific careers. Support for applicants must be provided as early as possible, which will allow us to better advise and guide them so they can arrive at their interview with full confidence, since their academic path and scientific positioning will have been validated in advance.  Finally, I would like to continue developing dual degree programs in health and medicine, adapting them to the increasingly strong demand—especially since the implementation of the student’s academic track record, which will be taken into account in the matching process.

What motivated you to accept this appointment?

Above all, it’s the joy of giving our youngest students all the support they deserve. Their enthusiasm and willingness to listen are a real source of motivation for me—almost like a fountain of youth.