Polytechnique - full of stories

"I'm naturally curious, so I hope that comes across through the blog's content, and in turn captures readers' attention. There's an absolutely fantastic pool of research stories at Polytechnique that the public deserve to know about," says Martin Primeau. “This is all the more true given that engineering research applications have a direct impact on people's daily lives. The blog seeks to highlight that fact, while also being entertaining, since my approach is not just educational. "

Equipped with a PhD in Cell Biology and winner of the Bourse Fernand Seguin en vulgarisation scientifique, Primeau has fine-tuned his talents as a communicator by reporting for various television and radio broadcasts devoted to science such as Découverte, Les années lumière, Les Débrouillards and Le Code Chastenay. He has also written articles for La Presse et La Terre de chez nous. Hired by Polytechnique in 2020, he happily immersed himself in the applied sciences, whose elegance and scope he wanted to share with the public.

Meet the researchers

The blog Le labo 2500 is a showcase for research conducted at Polytechnique, which explains its name. “Polytechnique is a massive lab for ideas and for the development of concrete applications," explains Primeau. As for the ‘2500’ - “It's a nod to the physical address - which of course is 2500, chemin de Polytechnique."

Blog posts take readers to meet researchers, and highlight the technological innovations being developed by them. Blog author Primeau seeks to situate the historical and scientific context which spurs on technological developments.

Attracting the public in the engineering sciences, and endeavouring to facilitate understanding science processes is a valuable goal - especially at a time when opinions seem to have more importance than scientific facts.

"To raise awareness, I believe that we must first demonstrate shared values, because it's on the basis of shared values that ideas are founded," says Primeau. “I also think science should invite questioning and ignite curiosity.” He himself admires the work of science writers such as Olivier Bernard, alias “Le Pharmachien,” or Jean-François Cliché, science journalist for daily Le Soleil.

“I'm thrilled to be able to share the blog with readers," admits Primeau. “In all honesty, I'll be happy if I succeed in leading readers to think about the technological changes that drive our society forward. In other words, what allowed the hunter-gatherers that we were to access our current way of life. "

Find Le labo 2500 at the following address: https://www.polymtl.ca/carrefour-actualite/en/blogue