Henry Delroisse, PhD in Process Engineering, R&D Engineer in Oilfield Chemical Additives at Arkema (Lyon) – Cifre PhD Testimonial

What led you to choose to do a PhD through a Cifre contract?

After completing my engineering studies in chemistry, I did my final internship at an R&D center of a company specialized in building materials. This experience allowed me to discover the role of an R&D engineer, which immediately captivated me due to its innovative nature and its closeness to concrete industrial issues.

However, I noticed that to access this type of position in that company, a doctorate was often required. I therefore decided to continue my studies with a PhD while wanting to maintain a strong link with industry. It was with this goal in mind that the Cifre program appeared to me as an obvious choice: it enables the development of deep scientific skills while remaining immersed in the realities of the company, its strategic challenges and its operational constraints.

This choice met a dual ambition: to deepen my knowledge in applied research and to strengthen my profile to progress into high value-added R&D roles in industry.

What was your main mission within the organization?

My main mission consisted of studying the effect of ionic surfactants on interfaces and the agglomeration of gas hydrates. Concretely, I analyzed the mechanisms of action of these surfactants on the growth and dispersion of crystals formed of water and gas, called gas hydrates.

Thanks to the Cifre arrangement, I was able to carry out this research in collaboration with ARKEMA, working both on model molecules and on commercial products supplied by the company. This approach allowed me to connect the fundamental results obtained in the laboratory to concrete industrial applications.

During the three years of the PhD, I was based at the university laboratory of UPPA, under the supervision of a university professor and a CNRS research fellow. In parallel, I was also supervised by a scientific director at ARKEMA. Follow-up meetings bringing together all my supervisors were organized every two months, ensuring close coordination between the academic and industrial objectives of the project.

What concrete benefits do you gain today from this experience?

The first concrete benefit is professional: at the end of my PhD, Arkema offered me a position as an R&D engineer in the same field as my research topic. This continuity facilitated my integration, as I had already collaborated with part of the R&D team and gained in-depth knowledge of the company's products and processes.

On the scientific and personal level, the PhD was an extremely enriching period. It allowed me to master a wide range of characterization techniques and to deepen my analytical skills. I also had the opportunity to work with researchers from diverse backgrounds, both within the university and through exchanges at conferences and congresses, which broadened my perspective on research.

Finally, this experience taught me a lot about managing R&D projects: it instilled methodological rigor, the ability to structure the stages of a complex project, to handle unforeseen events, and to communicate results effectively, both in academic and industrial settings.

How would you describe your Cifre PhD experience in 3 or 4 words?

• Enriching – on scientific, technical and personal levels.
• Collaborative – between the academic world (UPPA, CNRS) and industry (Arkema).
• Applied – with concrete impacts on industrial products and processes.
• Structuring – for your career, with direct hiring into R&D after the PhD.

If you had to do it again, would you choose a Cifre PhD?

Yes, without hesitation, I would choose a Cifre PhD again. This experience was decisive in my professional path. It allowed me to develop solid scientific skills while remaining anchored in industrial realities. Working closely with a company throughout my PhD gave me a fine understanding of the sector's challenges, which directly facilitated my professional integration.

The position I hold today is a direct consequence of this path: it combines applied research, innovation and industrial issues, exactly what I was looking for. Beyond technical skills, the Cifre PhD also strengthened my adaptability, project management and communication abilities between the academic and industrial worlds.

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