Sumit GUPTA, International Master in Computer Security at EPITA (Class of 2013) reflects on his first semester.

Studying abroad is an experience more than any textbook can teach you. It is about uncovering parts of yourself that you never knew existed. "Getting a Master's in Computer Security from EPITA is a great honor". The entire course is full of experiences which have shaped me into a stronger person to face the challenges of the real world. It enabled me to develop talents which I never knew that I possessed. It brought me into contact with lecturers and guides with an astounding amount of knowledge and personal experience. 

During this entire year I got wonderful opportunities to network with distinguished personalities from France and other countries.  I certainly think that this Master's degree and the specialization in computer security have given me the adequate tools to perform efficiently in my future job.

Baptistin Buchet, 22, a student in the final year of the "System, Network and Security" (SRS) specialization of the school will participate in the 4L Trophy as the pilot of the crew EPITA, alongside Vincent Bohly (EPITA - 2012).

What is the 4L Trophy?

Over a period of ten days, the 4L Trophy is a 100% student raid, combining good atmosphere and humanitarian actions. The 1,200 pairs or 2,400 students from all over France, travel nearly 7,000 miles through France, Spain and Morocco, driving a legendary car: the Renault 4L. In addition to this particular challenge, each participant will carry two hundred pounds of school supplies and sports clothing for the neediest children of Morocco.

What motivated you to participate?

It's been several years since I heard about the student raid. Whenever I met people who had participated in 4L Trophy, their description of the event was so attractive and was so mind boggling that I finally wanted to be part of the future participants.

Besides the meetings and sharing, Vincent and I wish to have an involvement full of emotions and achieve our first humanitarian experience. The final ranking will thus remain merely a bonus.

How are you and your co-pilot preparing yourselves for this event?

Although the feedback for preparation of 4L Trophy is pretty scary at first sight, it's totally affordable if the motivation and desire are present. The departure of a crew costs about € 6,000. With our limited student salaries, the first logical step is to reach individuals, associations and businesses for financial aid, such as grants or partnerships, to collect such a sum.

With Vincent, we have successfully met this challenge in just over seven months. It is the town hall and zoo of Thoiry and EPITA that are now part of our biggest partners. These funds are then used to purchase a Renault 4L and perform related technical preparations so that it can withstand the ups and downs of the Moroccan desert. Currently we are working with our hands dipped in dirty grease.

How to balance school and participation in the 4L Trophy?

Many students become discouraged looking at the work required to prepare for a 4L Trophy. It is true that at EPITA our free time is extremely limited. But I can assure you that with proper time management this preparation is quite feasible. So I will try my best to help and motivate future participants by proving that it is possible to balance school and participation in the 4L Trophy.

What is the specificity of this year's event?

Each year, the organizers of the 4L Trophy try to improve by learning from past mistakes. This year, the outstanding feature is the location of the big start on 16 February. While it was being done at "Stade de France" earlier, the 1200 Renault 4Ls will this year depart from the Futuroscope theme park to celebrate its 25 years.

International opportunities offered by the school are a source of enthusiasm and progress for students in preparatory classes (Year 1 & 2 of undergraduate studies at EPITA).

Interview with Marie-Laure Doucet, lecturer at EPITA specializing in Personal Development.
 
Can you introduce yourself?

Specialized in the field of Communication and in the field of Personal

 Efficacy (self-confidence, time management, stress management,

 organization, motivation), I specialize in training institutes or prestigious

 schools like Centrale or EPITA, for seven the past years.

What is your greatest teaching achievement?
My greatest achievement is to have appropriately adapted for schools the 'Terre de Com' method to train and master public speaking. Structured and fun, these workshops offer a variety of exercises and are based on the distribution of appropriate roles to target all participants. From assessments, resolutely encouraging, emerge strengths and areas for improvement adapted to each.

An interview with Romuald Rozan, EPITA - 2012 batch student and creator of the Hip-Hop unit within Episport.

Why did you decide to bring Hip-Hop to EPITA?

First of all, I wanted to share and extend a passion that I had developed six years ago. I love this dance and everything it represents. More than an art, this dance is a real culture and it provides an absolutely stimulating experience. The Hip-Hop culture includes not only dance and songs but also dressing styles, history and real life experiences.

For a geek, Hip-Hop is also a way to reconcile with the body. Dance is a matter of feeling the sensation it represents and you can easily feel it in case of Hip-Hop. Moreover, the mix of technical and unstructured aspect of Hip-Hop makes it really special and pleasing.

Hip-Hop is a very expressive dance. It's the urban American style - it comes from the streets and you can feel that right away. This dance helps to let go, to disinhibit, to escape - it takes you into a different world.

What exactly is the kind of Hip-Hop that you are learning?

Hip-hop has a history and there is a revolutionary aspect to it. Several movements, such as Tecktonik, got created from the scratch and gradually developed into a craze.

There are many variants of Hip-Hop like popping (including Pop, The Smurf, Boogaloo, etc.), Locking, The New Style, Jazz Rock, Break Dance, Hype, House, Krumping and Top Rock.

I am primarily a popper, but in the course of time I am shifting to The New Style - which has fluid, easier movements. The New Style is one of the most famous dances; we can see it in TV videos, involving dancers like Chris Brown.

How are the Hip-Hop classes organized at school?

The dance classes are organized as part of the sports association of EPITA known as Episport*. Classes are held once a week at school, on Tuesday evening at 19:00 (with an uncertain duration - around two hours in general). The sessions are open to EPITA students as well as to the students of other schools of Group IONIS such as Epitech, Sup'Biotech, e-artsup and Ionis-STM. Last year there were around 15 students registered, almost all at the beginner's level.

During the sessions, we do several exercises on basic movements and then we start learning about the sequence of steps. We try to set up the stage with multiple students and prepare different shows of about 5 minutes each. Participants get trained to perform shows in different events of the school such as the X'mas party or the integration party of Ionis-STM.

The sessions also aim to help students learn more about the hip-hop culture. In the middle of March, the most diligent students went to attend the largest international event of Hip-Hop known as "juste debout" (whic translates as 'just standing') at the Palais Omnisport Paris-Bercy. Further, I would also like to hold sessions to show some key movies on the origins of hip-hop.

* Episport

Episport is the office of sports for EPITA, Epitech and Sup'Biotech. This association allows students to participate in sports activities throughout the year. Students have the opportunity to experience team sports (Football, Rugby, Volleyball, Basketball, Handball and Street Hockey) as well as individual sports (Taekwondo, Tennis, Badminton). Weekly trainings are organized by volunteer students and inter-varsity games (FNSU) take place every Thursday afternoon.

After a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering awarded in Bangalore, India and a transit at  Accenture, Mehul Jain decided for the International Master of EPITA.

Mehul Jain, after obtaining a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering in Bangalore, has worked for over two years in India as a junior and senior program at Accenture. He finally decided to take further training by going to France to pursue the International Master at EPITA.

Why did you decide to do the International Master at EPITA?

I was eager to move up the corporate hierarchy.  I needed to get this additional training that gives me the guarantee of providing excellent technical and managerial level skills.  I also wanted to gain international experience outside India that could bring me the knowledge of methodologies used abroad.

On the recommendation of Campus France, I decided to pursue the International Master at EPITA - a school with an excellent reputation among companies and that gives the opportunity to do internships easily - an aspect I was looking for as well.

What have you gained during your stay at EPITA?

EPITA allowed me to deepen my knowledge of the algorithms, system architecture, fundamentals of programming and design methods. At the same time, I familiarized myself with finance, marketing and managerial concepts of management to work in an international environment with different cultures.

Your best memory?

My most vivid memory is that of snow in December. I had never seen snowfall before so I even requested to skip a class exceptionally during that day to enjoy the experience.

And regarding your projects?

In terms of my projects, my specialization is Information Systems Management (ISM).  As a web developer, I develop websites on behalf of my company. Benefiting from the knowledge gained at EPITA I wish to implement new websites for Accenture in India.

Interview with a graduate from EPITA (Year 2008) working at Thales in the field of air traffic control.

What was your career path after graduating from EPITA?

I chose to do my graduation internship at Thales Australia in Melbourne. As an intern, I worked on several research and development projects - especially developing tools to improve the effectiveness and use of the testing process.

At the end of this internship, Thales offered me an interesting position of a 'Software Integrator' for a project of one of its Australian clients. Most of my work is focused on the development of a new simulator used for training air traffic controllers. Recently I was assigned a similar project for a client in Singapore.

What is your position at Thales Australia?

Thales Australia in Melbourne works in the field of air traffic control. We develop Information Systems for airports that allow air traffic controllers to ensure the safety of the airspace. These complex systems must enable them to manage various issues related to the movement of different devices, data exchanges etc. It's an exciting environment and a stimulating project.

As a Software Integrator, my work includes to make sure that the components developed by different teams operate correctly. It comprises of configuration activities of the system and its middleware, system-level testing, support for development and validation teams - all kinds of interventions and skills mastered during my stay at EPITA.

Why did you choose another country?

I wanted to see what life was like elsewhere, in another culture. I chose Australia because we know a very little about this country in Europe.  Australia is full of treasures - lush nature in particular. The social activity here makes life very dynamic and we can interact with many people and professionals from around the world.

From a professional point of view, working in Australia also allowed me to strengthen my English skills. In addition, Thales is a French multinational present in many sectors; this allowed me to have a wide range of possibilities with respect to location and career.

 Loïc Dachary, graduated from EPITA in 1986, is the founder of FSF France - an association for defending free software.

Why defend free software?

The idea of defending free software is based on a philosophical belief: it is better for humanity to share software than enable people to keep it for themselves. To illustrate this idea, we could effectively use the analogy of mathematics: it would be undesirable and ridiculous to patent an algorithm; no one possesses the Pythagorean Theorem. Free software is relevant at all levels: At the individual level - it allows the software to be shared with parents or friends or to facilitate problem solving via the software. It is of interest at the government level. For education - notably all schools of a country can use free software, study and modify what is inside to help their students develop expertise. At the level of security: a consensus emerged to say that transparency is the best defense against cyber criminals. Free software is however less attractive for businesses, as it is less profitable for them in comparison to the proprietary software because of competition. But companies use proprietary software to force a dependence on their customers and this is why we must absolutely reject this form of modern slavery.

What does FSF France concretely do?

FSF France was founded as the first association that I created just a year after I left EPITA, at a time when there weren't any associations bringing together supporters of free software. Today, the role of FSF France is largely supplemented by that of APRIL - an association of which I am an active member. It has 5,000 members and promotes free software to the general public. FSF France has two roles - in addition to that of April - it provides home to projects and defends the rights (of authors of free software) that have been violated.

What is the future for free software?

Twenty years ago, we would have never thought that free software would become so advanced. Today, 90% of sales of the software are in the form of service: we are thus already in a situation in which if the proprietary software disappears it will not fundamentally change the economic structure built around the software. On the other hand, the entire infrastructure of the Internet and its operative are open source, which is a major result. It is unclear how one could go back. Now all companies are supporting Free Software, including its enemies. Microsoft has changed its position on the subject. The movement has become global. Free software might be less lucrative straightaway (than proprietary software), but the economy it engenders is still profitable. I wish that APRIL reaches between 10 000 and 20 000 members to have a really strong role. FSF France will then confine itself to a representative role.

What did you learn during your training at EPITA?

I was one of the students of the first graduation class of EPITA, i.e. of 1986. At that time, the school was still located in the 18th district of Paris. The main reason I went there was for the big machines that were present at that time. This route played a major role in the development of my enthusiasm for computers. There was a lot of competition, and I was able to make good friends there.

Returning from Spain, Thierry Robert offers us his memories from his ERASMUS semester...

"I joined EPITA, after my high school graduation, to follow the 5-year curriculum. At the end of my third year of studies at EPITA, I entered the GISTR major to focus my studies on embedded and real time systems. Then I had the opportunity to do an Erasmus mobility in Spain before my final internship. I chose to do that, because I wanted to find an internship in Spain and the Erasmus exchange program was a good way to prepare myself.

I went for 5 months to San Sebastian, one of the three campuses of the University of the Basque Country. I lived there with local students as roommates, which allowed me to practice the Spanish language every day, to learn informal ways of speaking and to learn more about the Basque culture.

I also got in touch with a lot of Erasmus students from various countries, which has been a great occasion to discuss about our cultures. I met Germans, Austrians, Americans, Mexicans, Italians, Portuguese, Brazilians, etc. And we all became very good friends!

I followed classes from the third year study program. There are a lot of interesting courses mostly among the optional ones. In my opinion the general level of the courses is excellent, especially among the theoretical ones. But in the two practical courses that I chose, the teachers used to give much more time than at EPITA.

In addition to this, I followed the Spanish language course. It was really interesting because the university creates level groups and because almost all the Erasmus students of the campus were attending it.

Finally, I can say that I will never regret anything I have lived during my Erasmus mobility. It has been rich of experiences and cultural exchanges."

Leading an active and brilliant career, now alumn, Rabih Haddad took the time to reflect upon his graduate experience at EPITA:

1. Introduce yourself in a few words.

I come from Lebanon and I hold a master degree in Electrical Engineering. I arrived to Paris 2 years ago to join the International Master's Program and obtain another master in Information Systems Management after 9 years of professional experience in Project and Product management.

2. Why did you choose to pursue an International Master at EPITA?

I joined the IM at EPITA because I was searching for School that provides an international profile with a market related curriculum and high ranking in the French graduate schools. I found the academic curriculum of the IM highly correlated with IT market needs especially in France. Cross-Border Management, BI, CRM, ERP, SCM, KM, ... are good examples of this curriculum.

3. Describe your experience at EPITA as a graduate student in the International Master.

The alignment between the market needs and the proposed program serves as a career booster for every graduate. In addition to leading the academic courses in a very trendy way, the school provided us with several multinational extra-curricular activities. These activities enhanced our multicultural management and exposed us to the French way of living. Also, EPITA warm welcoming for International students eases the integration in the French community.

4. What strengths have you gained during your studies in Paris?

During my stay in Paris I have acquired strengths in various directions. EPITA has provided a robust academic backbone and my internship in Paris delivered a colored professional experience. Needles to mention the cultural exposure that any person will gain by just living in the 'city of lights'.

5. In your experience, what opportunities are available for EPITA students and graduates?

Besides the academics, EPITA students have access on campus to many facilities. There are more than 20 clubs and associations that help the students built their extra-curricular skills and allow them to interact with students from other faculties. In addition, EPITA organizes enterprise forums twice per year for the students to either find internship or an employment.

6. If you could recommend EPITA's International Master to a friend, colleague, family member or acquaintance, what keys aspects of your experience would you focus on?

I would say: IT market oriented curriculum, international profile, high ranked among the French graduate schools, up to date technology and computer labs, warm welcome as feeling like you are at home...

 Interview with Joël Courtois, the Director of the school, on the position occupied by research in student training.

Consistently ranked among the best engineering schools in computer science, EPITA makes a point of honor to make research one of the fundamental components of its teaching. It offers a real training in research through research, integrating students within teams of teachers and researchers. Applied research is also present in the laboratories of the school to meet the needs in research and development of companies.

Why research is important for an engineering school?

Research is an intrinsic part of an engineering school. In fact we can not imagine a high-level training without a real overlap of research and teaching activities. This link is designed to allow students to carry out their studies by being immersed in the spirit of "research and innovation." Moreover, the participation of teachers in the activities of research laboratories ensures the constant updating of knowledge transmitted to students. Note also that if the original purpose of an engineering school is to prepare its students for business functions of all types, it is important to offer the opportunity to those who want to complete their studies with a doctorate or a PhD.

What is the role of research in EPITA?

Through the faculty members of the school, research is central in the teachings of common core and some specializations of the last year at EPITA. Indeed, almost all of the scientific and technical teachings of  EPITA are provided by the lecturers of the school, which ensures both the relevance of education and availability of permanent teachers with students. Three laboratories  coexist within EPITA: The Research and Development Laboratory of EPITA (LRDE), The Innovation Institute for Corporate IT (3IE) and The System Laboratory at EPITA (LSE).

Training in research through research?

If the will of many schools is to train research through research, it is clear that in many cases laboratories operate in parallel without impacting the education of students. We wanted, within EPITA, to make a real nest for students who are interested in teaching and research activities. To this end, the most motivated students have the opportunity to join research laboratories in the second half of the first year, during the first year of engineering. They enjoy the same working conditions as teachers and researchers and thus are truly immersed in research.

The students most interested in the fundamentals go up to the publication of articles in international conferences, even before the end of their studies, and many will continue with doctoral studies. For those who are more attracted to aspects of innovation, experience in research laboratories of the school will prepare them to join the research laboratories of companies and even create their own innovative structure.

How to give a taste of research to students?

To stimulate the interest of high school students to research and innovation, they are offered a seminar on the subject from the preparatory stage. For one week, faculty and industry present their business and  R&D activities. Students must then make a small innovative group project proposal. This is then reviewed by a committee of experts.

Successful projects may become the subjects of study for students following their education and lead to some of them towards the creation of a company. To date, more than 300 companies were created by former students of EPITA, and every year many thesis are supported by alumni of the school.

The laboratories of EPITA:

- The Research and Development Laboratory of EPITA (LRDE) focuses on basic research around image processing and modeling. This laboratory carries out many presentations each year at international conferences and participates in national level competitions.

- The System Laboratory at EPITA (LSE) is working on both aspects of research and development in the specific area of computer security. This laboratory has recently signed an agreement with the Central Office for Fighting Against Crime Related to Information and Communication Technology (OCLCTIC) to build a platform in collaboration with the intelligence services of the State.

- The Innovation Institute for Corporate IT  (3IE), is a structure to validate research at EPITA, specializing in innovative developments for SMEs as well as large industrial groups. It is accredited by the French Innovation Center as a center for transfer of skills. Every year, many companies rely on this laboratory for their project development. Today, many contracts are being carried out around the development of mobile applications.