Guillaume Pouget, PhD student at IMT Mines Albi, explores AI for radar systems at Jönköping University thanks to the EULiST program

Guillaume Pouget, winner of the call for applications for ITM doctoral student mobility

Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT), through EULiST (European Universities Linking Society and Technology), has launched a call for applications for PhD student mobility in 2024 as part of its initiative to strengthen research and innovation collaboration with its European partners. This call for applications promotes research and innovation collaboration between EULiST partners by offering mobility opportunities to ITM doctoral students.

Guillaume Pouget, a PhD student at the Industrial Engineering Center of IMT Mines Albi, is the winner of this call for applications. His research topic: Artificial Intelligence for radar systems.

Hello Guillaume, can you introduce yourself in a few words?

My name is Guillaume Pouget, and I have a master's degree in applied mathematics from the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse. I then worked as an engineer in image processing, setting up algorithms to detect defects and diseases on fruit and vegetables to automate sorting. Since January 2024, I've been working on my thesis in the RadaR-IO joint research laboratory.

This joint laboratory is made up of EPSI, a company specializing in radar technologies, and IMT Mines Albi. My thesis concerns the design of a method for implementing neural networks to characterize physical intrusions on physical sites. The use of these techniques requires a wide range of diversified data, to ensure that the models developed can be adapted to a variety of situations and problems. The aim is to create a robust system capable of accurately detecting and identifying different forms of intrusion, in order to propose an appropriate response.

Why did you choose to do your thesis with the Industrial Engineering Center at IMT Mines Albi?

I hadn't planned to do a thesis at the end of my course, so I went into industry. It was after reading the thesis topic that I said to myself: “why not do a thesis”, and that thesis was at the Industrial Engineering Center. You could say that it was the subject that made me choose the Centre Génie Industriel.

How did you find out about the call for applications for these stays in partnership with EULiST?

Matthieu LAURAS, Director of the Industrial Engineering Center, informed us that the ITM had just joined the EULiST program and presented it to us. Following this, I discussed it with my supervisors and we looked at the application procedure.

What was your motivation for applying?

My primary motivation for applying was to be able to benefit from a scholarship that would facilitate my six-month stay abroad, by covering my financial needs. However, beyond the financial aspect, I was also highly motivated by the idea of enriching my research by collaborating with an international laboratory, learning new approaches and methods, and exchanging with researchers from other horizons. Finally, the possibility of discovering a new culture, a different way of life and evolving in an English-speaking environment reinforced my desire to apply.

Why Sweden, and Jonkoping in particular?

To apply for the program, you had to select a university from a predefined list. I had a preference for Greece and Sweden, and started to look for laboratories whose themes corresponded to my research topic. After a week or two of searching, we received a message from a researcher at Jönköping University, expressing interest in hosting PhD students as part of the EULiST program. This considerably simplified my choice of destination, and we got in touch with Jönköping University.

On a personal level, I was also motivated by the desire to discover winter and the Scandinavian way of life, as well as taking advantage of the opportunity to explore neighboring countries.

What are your missions during this stay? What are your research objectives?

My missions remain exactly the same as in France, with the exception of teaching. I will continue to work on my thesis subject, but in a different environment, with new people. This experience will enable me not only to benefit from the expertise of my colleagues in Albi, but also to enrich my work by collaborating with new people, bringing new perspectives and ideas to my thesis.

 

What are you looking forward to in the next 6 months?

During these six months, I expect to make significant progress on my thesis, drawing on the resources and expertise available in the host laboratory. I also hope to discover the Swedish culture and way of life, by fully immersing myself in the daily life of this country.