Please introduce yourself.
My name is Hamidreza Pourzarei and I come from Iran (I was born and raised among people who tell stories weaved on carpets).
What is your current profession?
Currently, I live in Montréal (Canada) and am a doctoral student and researcher at École de Technologie Supérieure. The subject of my research project is using Engineering Change Management (ECM) practices as a basis for accurate BIM (Building Information Modeling) and PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) comparison. I was also recently awarded the best doctoral proposal (https://lartic.etsmtl.ca/index.php/en/news/item/44-plm20-best-doctoral-proposal-award).
In parallel, I am a Student Ambassador at École de Technologie Supérieure.
Could you explain your job responsibilities?
As a Ph.D. student, I am working theoretically on my project to update the project with the latest research studies. I am also working with some industrial partners to evaluate and analyze the contributions of my research project.
As a Student Ambassador, I am collaborating with the Student Service Office to help the new students
.
What is your professional background?
I was working as a graduate researcher and project engineer.
What was your background before entering the Sustainable Industrial Engineering Master?
I had a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, as well as a degree in Project Planning and Control.
Why did you choose the Sustainable Industrial Engineering Master’s specifically and how did you hear about it?
One of the main ideas in applying for SIE was that I wanted to learn Industrial Engineering from a sustainable perspective, and I think I got what I was looking for! I found it on Studyportals.com.
In your opinion, what are the main strengths of the Sustainable Industrial Engineering Master’s program?
In my opinion, the first strength point of this Master’s is the great people that run it. Like Prof. Di Mascolo, Prof. Tollenaere, and the admissions staff, who helped me a lot. Also, most of the courses on this Master’s are selected precisely and are project-based. So, they allow students to learn both the theoretical and practical sides.
What was the most challenging course or project you had at Génie Industriel?
I should say that there was one course: Information System Management. I learned a lot on this course and it helped me find a path for my future, because it gave me an idea of the concept of Product Lifecycle Management, and I am working in this domain in my Ph.D.
How did this Master’s prepare you for your career?
From the beginning, I wanted to continue my studies at Ph.D. level and this Master’s helped me do a research internship. The internship was between the G-SCOP laboratory in Grenoble, France and a laboratory at Polytechnique Montréal. This Master’s opened the doors for me to achieve the future that I was looking for.
What do you think about the way of life in Grenoble and its area?
A beautiful city, quite simply. I should also say I would always remember Grenoble as a home.
Do you have an anecdote about your experience of studying here?
Hmm, the most challenging part for me was the first semester, because I arrived in December and the semester had started in September! I worked hard and got through it. However, after passing the first semester, the SIE manager told me that I had to get a good GPA in the second semester otherwise I would have to do the first year again. It was a frustrating period, but I was so determined to reach my goal that I worked even more and I got the result that I was looking for.
What advice would you give to a student from your country who would like to come and study here?
Define your goal, learn French, and be positive about the future. I would say also if you want something, go for it and you will get it.
Hamidreza Pourzarei graduated in 2017.
