Alumni

Julien AUBOURG

I graduated in 2021 from the Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT) with a double degree: an Engineering Degree in Materials Science and a Master’s in Optics and Nanotechnologies (NANO-PHOT program). This multidisciplinary training sparked my fascination with the nano world.

Through NANO-PHOT, I discovered my passion for electron microscopy and confirmed my goal: to explore and characterize nanomaterials with advanced microscopy techniques.
From November 2021 to December 2024, I completed a PhD in collaboration with JEOL Europe SAS and LEM3, developing a new detector for scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) in SEMs. This work bridged fundamental research with instrumentation innovation.

Since January 2025, I have been working as an Application Scientist at Bruker Nano GmbH in Berlin, specializing in energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). In this role, I provide expertise and training to research laboratories and industry, supporting the development and application of advanced electron microscopy and microanalysis techniques.

The NANO-PHOT program was pivotal in opening doors to professional opportunities in areas I am passionate about, allowing me to turn my fascination with the nanoscale into a dynamic and impactful career.

Xuan ZHOU

Xuan Zhou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).

She obtained her B.S. in Materials Physics from Xi’an Jiaotong University (China). She joined NANO-PHOT during her graduate research with Prof. Renaud Bachelot in Optics and Nanotechnology at the Université de Technologie de Troyes.

After a postdoctoral experience in photoelectrochemistry with Prof. Joaquin Rodriguez-Lopez at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), she joined the group of Prof. Dana D. Dlott at UIUC for postdoctoral research in explosives and metal-organic framework under shock wave.

She joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy of UTSA in 2022. The focus of her research group is on nano-photonics at high pressures.

Divya NIKAM

My name is Divya Nikam. I hold a Master’s in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology from Mumbai University(India). To broaden my expertise, I joined the NANO-PHOT Master’s program at Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT) as a Master 2 student.This program provided me with international exposure, strong scientific training, and the opportunity to attend a scientific conference.The supportive environment, inspiring professors, and financial mobility grant made my journey even more enriching.

NANO-PHOT helped me gain the confidence and skills to take the next step in my career. After graduation from UTT, I joined ENS Lyon as a CIFRE PhD student in collaboration with ITEN (Lyon). My doctoral research focuses on innovative materials for sustainable energy solutions.

NANO-PHOT was truly a turning point that opened global opportunities for me.

Mathieu JUAN

Mathieu obtained his PhD in nano-optics and nanotechnology in France in 2008 at Université de Technologie de Troyes, then worked as a post-doctoral researcher in Spain (ICFO), Australia (Macquarie University), and Austria (IQOQI) on various topics such as optical trapping, quantum optics, and superconducting circuits. In 2020, he joined the Institut quantique at Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), where he now studies hybrid quantum systems with an emphasis on magneto-mechanical systems that couple mechanical and microwave components via magnetic interactions. Leveraging quantum circuits, his current work focuses on controlling and preparing quantum states in mechanical resonators for sensing and transduction applications. In early 2025, he co-founded a company, SilQ Connect, to develop quantum interconnects.