Merci beaucoup pour le témoignage
Can you describe your student journey before starting your PhD?
I did both my undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in Chengdu, China. My undergraduate major was industrial engineering, and I went on to study mechanical engineering for my master’s. My research during my master’s focused on intelligent fault diagnosis of rotating machinery, which falls under prognostics and health management. During that time, I managed to publish several conference papers and one journal paper, which helped me gain research experience.
When I started my PhD, I stayed in the same field, working on maintenance decision-making of drilling tools used in the oil and gas industry. So in a way, my research direction has been quite consistent throughout my academic journey.
What are the strengths of an industrial PhD under CIFRE funding?
The biggest difference between a CIFRE PhD and a traditional academic PhD is that it's industry-driven. A CIFRE PhD contract is a CDD (fixed-term contract) signed between the doctoral student and a company, rather than a government-funded academic position. This means the research is much more application-oriented.
As a CIFRE PhD student, you spend about two-thirds of your time working in the company and one-third in the university lab. This setup gives you both industrial and academic training. On the industry side, you get real-world engineering experience, while the university provides theoretical and research guidance.
Another major advantage is career prospects. Since you've already been working on company projects for three years, you have a much higher chance of being hired by the same company after graduation. In fact, many CIFRE PhD graduates sign a permanent CDI contract with their host company, continuing in their roles. Compared to purely academic PhDs, CIFRE graduates find it easier to transition into industry jobs.
Can you briefly describe your thesis?
My research focuses on risk-based maintenance strategies for drilling tools in the oil and gas industry. These tools are critical for drilling operations, and their reliability is key to efficiency and safety. Proactive maintenance is essential to minimize failures, but traditional maintenance strategies often lack precision.
My thesis introduces a comprehensive risk-based maintenance decision framework for D&M tools. This framework is built on four interconnected layers:
Data Layer – Managing data quality to ensure accurate analysis.
Risk Estimation Layer – Developing methods to assess risks, including an electronic board failure risk model and operational environment risk estimation.
Decision Layer – Introducing a tool compatibility index to improve tool selection and upgrade decisions.
Human-Machine Interface Layer – Creating a more user-friendly system for maintenance decision-making.
These innovations help overcome the limitations of traditional maintenance practices, making decisions more objective, data-driven, and cost-effective. In fact, my research has already been implemented in industry, leading to significant cost savings for the company.
What qualities do you think are necessary to succeed in a PhD?
A PhD is a long and challenging journey, so you need a few key qualities to succeed:
Perseverance - There will be times when things don’t go as planned. You need to push through failures and setbacks without giving up.
Communication skills - Your supervisor plays a crucial role in your PhD. Learning to effectively communicate your ideas and concerns can make or break your research progress. A good PhD student knows how to establish a productive feedback loop with their advisor.
Optimism - Research is full of obstacles. If you let failures bring you down, it will be very difficult to move forward. Keeping a positive mindset is essential to staying motivated.
What is your current job, and how has your PhD been useful in your work?
I’m currently working as a data scientist. I actually stayed with the same company where I did my PhD. Since my research was directly linked to industry projects, I gained a lot of practical engineering experience during my PhD. That experience made me a valuable asset to the company, so when I graduated, they offered me a permanent CDI contract right away. I didn’t even need to look for a job.
The skills I developed during my PhD are extremely relevant to my current role. Even though my title is "data scientist," the engineering mindset and research experience I gained during my PhD still play a big role in my work.
What advice would you give to a student considering a PhD?
Know your motivation – Before deciding to do a PhD, ask yourself: Why do I want this? If your main goal is just to earn more money, then it might not be the best choice. A PhD takes 3-4 years, and your salary after graduation won’t necessarily be higher than that of someone who started working right after their master’s.
Communicate with your supervisor – Disagreements will happen. Maybe you feel like your supervisor is guiding you in the wrong direction, or they think you’re not making progress. Instead of complaining, focus on building strong arguments and presenting evidence to support your ideas. A PhD is about developing critical thinking—use it!
Take ownership of your research – This is your PhD, not your supervisor’s. It’s up to you to explore, learn, and challenge existing ideas. Don’t just follow instructions blindly—be proactive and take initiative in shaping your research.