Anaïs Machard selected to participate in the Homeward Bound programme
Each year, one hundred women are selected from almost one thousand international participants. The Homeward Bound programme aims to create an international network of 10,000 visible, collaborative, and committed women leaders in the fight against climate change by 2035. Anaïs Machard is the second researcher from La Rochelle Université to have been selected.
A new researcher from La Rochelle Université selected to participate in the Homeward Bound programme
After Emeline Pettex in 2019, it was now Anaïs Machard’s turn to have been selected to participate in the Homeward Bound programme (Leadership program for Women in STEMM). Anaïs Machard from LaSIE defended her thesis in 2021, the objective of which was to reflect on a design methodology for residential buildings by 2050, adapted to the future climate, which minimises the need for air-conditioning and guarantees indoor environments with a very low health risk during periods of heat waves.
After discovering Emeline’s experience through the University’s newsletter, Anaïs decided to try her luck. The Homeward Bound selection process consisted of sending a short video explaining her motivation and ambitions for the programme as well as answering a number of questions. Past winners sought to strengthen the French participants in order to form a national network, create synergy, and carry out large-scale actions.
Homeward Bound as a forward-thinking and transformative leadership programme
Homeward Bound is a forward-thinking and transformative leadership programme created by women for women, which consists of self-reflection in a caring environment. The programme runs with bi-monthly online courses for eleven months, during which the winners work on four themes: leadership, strategy, visibility, and science. The programme culminates in a three-week boat trip to Antarctica where the participants meet and work together. Covid-19 has slightly disrupted the departures of cohorts 5 and 6, but the trip is expected to take place in November 2022.
For Anaïs, being part of the programme is an incredible opportunity. She has already had the opportunity to exchange and reflect on the different themes through the different online courses. This programme allows one to take stock of one’s vision, one’s values, one’s aspirations, one’s goals, the message one wants to convey, and how to achieve it. Being part of this network of women is highly inspiring, with women participating at different stages of their careers. This training is very complementary to research: it helps not to lower one’s ambitions and pushes one to take initiatives to make one’s professional, personal, or social dreams come true.
