Victoire, IMT Mines Albi student engineer, wins the Rolls-Royce Student Mini-Lecture Competition organized by the Royal Aeronautical Society, Rolls Royce and Airbus.

Can you tell us a bit about the Rolls-Royce Student Mini-Lecture Competition?

The Rolls-Royce Student Mini-Lecture Competition takes place every year in Toulouse. First of all, there is a pre-selection phase in which each participant has to make a 20-minute presentation in English on the subject of aeronautics or aerospace. Then three candidates are selected for the final phase. The three finalists receive a trip to London to visit Rolls Royce's factories and headquarters. The competition is organized by the Royal Aeronautical Society, Rolls Royce and Airbus.

Why did you decide to try this adventure?

I decided to give it a go because I love this kind of competition, where I can not only work hard on a subject that interests me, but also share my passion with people who are just as passionate as I am. What's more, the idea of giving a presentation in English was challenging for me, and I wanted to see if I could do it.

What scientific topic have you chosen to present and why?

I chose to present “Nuclear propulsion applied to space”, as I was particularly interested in this subject, since at the same time I was writing a popularization article on the subject. I also want to specialize in propulsion in my studies.

How did you prepare for this competition?

As I already knew the subject, all I needed was a little preparation to make the projected presentation and know what I was going to say. In concrete terms, what took me the longest was acquiring a precise vocabulary in English and being fluent in my presentation.

What are your plans for the future?

I'm currently doing an internship at Airbus Defense and Space, and would like to specialize in propulsion and onboard systems during my double degree at Cranfield University next year.