The context

If you are setting out to write a PhD thesis, then you have no doubt been working on a piece of research for several months, if not years. Now is the time to communicate all your hard work. But the pressure is high, as you know that it will be critiqued and marked by a jury of experts in your subject. All the more reason to know how to write about your research in its best light.

A PhD dissertation has a page count ranging between 200-300 pages and will take no less than three months of your time to complete. Even the bravest of us are intimated by the idea. Planning, writing, editing, science illustrations, figures, proofreading and supervisor feedback are just a few of the hurdles you will need to face. How do you get started? And what makes a good thesis dissertation?

A dedicated training session

This month, one of our science writing coaches trained PhD candidates from the prestigious Institut Polytechnique de Paris on how to write a thesis dissertation in English. This three-day training course was packed with techniques and custom-built exercises to help participants write and rewrite essential parts of their manuscript. Participants enjoyed a range of different examples and extracts from existing theses to learn how to improve their own work. Now, they have all the skills they need to produce a polished final draft in only few months.

Increasing competitiveness

Already under-represented in leading international journals, African scientists now face the prospect of falling further behind as AI becomes integrated into every aspect of research.

For Rwandan researchers, mastering generative AI tools is essential to gain international visibility. At Agent Majeur, we strive to give everyone equal opportunities. This is why the workshop was offered at an accessible price, as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

Learning advanced AI techniques

The workshop began by demystifying large language models (LLMs) and how these generative AI tools are trained.

The program then focused on the art of prompting, moving from simple instructions to Few-Shot examples and advanced techniques like Prompt Chaining and Tree-of-thought to elicit precise, high-quality responses.

The need

To produce their unique formulas, Prose offers a unique customer experience. First, the customer fills out an online questionnaire to diagnose their needs. For example: for curly or dry hair, dandruffs, etc. Thanks to algorithms developed in-house, a routine of products is suggested to address these needs: shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, etc. The customer then receives the selected products at home after they are manufactured on-demand. Finally, when the customer places a new order, they can use a tool to evaluate the performance of their products and improve the formula which takes customization to a whole new level.
In order to measure the effectiveness of their products compared to non-customized ones, Prose launched an independent clinical study. The brand hired Agent Majeur to promote the results.

Our vision

The client’s request was to highlight the results of the clinical study through different communication materials. To target the information, we started the mission with two brainstorming sessions with the R&D teams. They identified several types of arguments likely to interest their targets. Some arguments stemmed from the clinical study, as originally planned, others were meant to promote Prose’s original approach. Indeed, several challenges need to be met in order to develop tailor-made cosmetics: manufacturing unique products on a large scale, guaranteeing their quality, safety and regulatory compliance, all without compromising on performance.

The scientific poster was presented during the IFSCC congress in Brazil by Prose’s R&D teams.

In addition to producing the scientific poster, our team trained the researchers in public speaking to help them prepare the presentation. The researchers had two objectives: highlight their results and promote their original approach in the field of cosmetics.
We are very proud that this expertise “made in France” was showcased internationally during the IFSCC congress (International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists) in Brazil.

Context

Created under the aegis of Fondation de France, Fondation Ipsen has more than 40 years of experience in the dissemination of health-related scientific knowledge. Today, this non-profit foundation wishes to draw attention to rare diseases and to be recognized as a key player in this field.

Fondation Ipsen conducts communication campaigns targeting the general public and scientific community with three objectives: (1) raise awareness on rare diseases in order to facilitate diagnosis; (2) support rare disease communities, particularly patients and their families; (3) draw the attention of public authorities to the issue of rare diseases.

Our mission

Fondation Ipsen asked us to develop a communication strategy in order to increase the understanding of its position on rare diseases and boost their visibility.

Our recommendation was as follows: increase clarity and personification in communications. Rare diseases have many faces. Showing patients, families, doctors and researchers will help to humanize communication materials and emphasize the real-world applications of the implemented actions.

In order to move in this direction, three priorities emerged: develop the presence of Fondation Ipsen on social networks, redesign the website to better reflect this new position, and increase its visibility.

Winning over the jury

Funding programs for research projects involve multiple steps. First, applicants need to write the funding application, which specifies the objectives of the project, the partners involved, the budget and the necessary resources (e.g. equipment, buildings). Then, if the research project is selected, comes the time for the grant proposal presentation. This exercise requires a thorough preparation to convince the jury. The presentation must demonstrate that the project is viable and that its team is trustworthy.

Polishing the pitch

To prepare a high-stakes oral presentation, it is not unusual to ask colleagues or friends/relatives for advice. But those who decide to rely on the services of Agent Majeur are wise indeed. With our expertise, participants can select the arguments with the most impact, clarify their presentation materials, and gain confidence. Quite a challenge, given that participants only have a limited amount of time. Most of the grant proposal presentations last 10 minutes and candidates generally only have two weeks to get ready.

2 winning projects in 2022

In 2022, we helped two teams to submit their projects to a French research grant (the Programmes et équipements prioritaires de recherche – PEPR). For their grant proposal presentation in English, we coached the researchers on the team to help them clarify their content, coordinate their speech and speak with conviction. Both projects won, and were awarded 50 and 70 M€, respectively.

Funding university hospital institutes

In 2023, two teams from university hospital institutes requested our assistance for the preparation of their grant proposal presentation in English. We helped the speakers to better present the various pathologies, the stakes involved, and to show that they were competent to manage these institutes. The results came out last month. Not only did those two teams win, but they were awarded the maximum amount of funding, namely 30 to 40M€ each.

An evolving market

Scientific research on the International Space Station (ISS) or the in-orbit delivery of microsatellites have become common activities. And the space economy continues to grow. The global market is expected to triple by 2040 and should rise to more than 1000 billion dollars.

To answer the growing global demand for access to space, the European space industry is investing in technological research. The future of the European space sector will be reusable, scalable and designed for manned missions. And its sights are set on the lunar orbit!

These objectives require changes in logistics and new mobility solutions in space. Which is why these topics are at the heart of a major international Research & Technology conference. Agent Majeur provided coaching in public speaking ahead of the event.

Projects to promote

It is not the first time Agent Majeur has worked on the conference. For 13 years, we have trained speakers in English for each edition of the R&T Days. Combining group and individual sessions, this coaching allows all participants to perfect their oral presentation. Building the speech, improving PowerPoint presentations, managing the performance on stage are all aspects on which the experts work with our communication trainers.

During this 2023 edition, around 20 European researchers presented their research projects. They had 20 minutes to explain their approach and to share their results in order to meet the challenges hereabove. Nearly 250 people attended the event which took place in Bremen, Germany. These ambitious projects will undoubtedly help Europe to build a bright future for its space sector.