Dive into research: the inspiring story of Nicolas, a student engineer at Télécom SudParis

"I wanted to understand how artificial intelligence really works. At Télécom SudParis, I had the opportunity to do just that... by contributing to a cutting-edge research topic."

For Nicolas Renout, a 3ᵉ year engineering student, there's nothing abstract about research. It is an integral part of his training. As early as his 2ᵉ year at Télécom SudParis, he joined the SAMOVAR laboratory, one of the most active research centers in the digital field. His subject? Automatic unlearning, an emerging theme in artificial intelligence that aims to make a model "forget" certain sensitive data.

A first immersion in a real research lab

During his academic internship, Nicolas discovered what it means to work alongside teacher-researchers, taking part in scientific meetings, coding, experimenting, sometimes doubting - but also progressing.He reprogrammed an LSTM neural network (an AI model for sequential data), then tested relearning methods. He drew a startling conclusion: " Re-training a poorly calibrated model with only 0.5% iterations yields performance identical to that of full training with corrected data. "

A result promising enough to be presented at a major international conference, IEEE ICC 2025.

Learning differently: through practice and encounters

Nicolas didn't come up with this project as part of a course. He initiated it himself, by talking to his teachers."You shouldn't hesitate to approach teachers. They often have subjects in mind, and they like to see motivated students."

Télécom SudParis actively encourages this autonomy. The teaching staff are available, the laboratories are open, and ideas are welcome. For Nicolas, it was a transformative experience, enabling him to gain in skills, scientific rigor and confidence.

A fast-paced daily routine, between engineering school and master's degree

In parallel with his training at Télécom SudParis, Nicolas is taking a Master's degree at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris as part of a double diploma program. It's a demanding but rewarding organization: "It's a real plus for deepening your knowledge in a specific field, while developing a distinctive profile."

Experience research as a personal adventure

Over the months, Nicolas has discovered that research is not just for experts or PhD students. It's accessible, lively and instructive. It teaches you to ask the right questions, solve complex problems and push back the boundaries.

Her testimony is a perfect illustration of what Télécom SudParis offers its students: a demanding but human training program, based on curiosity, autonomy and openness.

"At Télécom SudParis, I understood that doing research isn't about waiting. It's about daring." - Nicolas