Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Sebastián Zaera and I’m from Buenos Aires, Argentina. After graduating as Industrial Engineer from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), I studied the Energy Environment Master in Ecole Polytechnique to continue my career, in the context of the Double Degree Master Program of Innoenergy.
Why did you choose to pursue your studies at Ecole Polytechnique ?
I was attracted by Ecole Polytechnique master programs because they were a perfect combination between academic excellence, industry connections and international exposure.
Ecole Polytechnique’s professors are talented professionals with strong academic and professional experience. Each course provides students with a deep understanding of the fundamentals of Energy and Environment, and the learning process is combined with experiences in state-of-the-art laboratories that support this journey.
Secondly, there are also frequent lectures from industry leaders and entrepreneurs to give an updated business-oriented perspective. These moments provide students with a vast amount of networking opportunities to facilitate career development once the master finishes.
Finally, studying in an internationally recognized university allows people to connect with other students from all over the world. This is a very enrichening experience as it expands cultural horizons and helps you empathize with people from very diverse backgrounds.
Could you please tell us more about your current position?
I currently work as Digital Innovation Lead at Delterra, an independent, environmental non-profit on a mission to redesign human systems for the good of people and the planet. It combines a purpose-driven mission with a rigorous problem-solving approach of our founding partner McKinsey & Company.
I lead a team of 5 people responsible of all digital transformation projects related with the recycling value chain, covering the discovery, design and implementation stage. The objective of these projects is to enable the scalability of recycling projects in the global south and collect better insights to facilitate data-driven decision making.
What skills did you acquire during the MScT that you are using at work?
One of the things I really valued of this MScT program is its holistic curricula that covered topics ranging from sociological economy to science courses. Waste management is a multi-faceted challenge as the generation and treatment of waste is deeply interrelated with cultural practices, economic growth, inequalities, and operational challenges. When looking for solutions for complex systems, complex approaches are needed. I currently work with a interdisciplinary team of engineers, economists, sociologists, anthropologist, political scientists, environmental scientists and biologists, that come from countries from literally all over the world (from Argentina to United States, Europe and Indonesia) and I feel that Ecole Polytechnique provided me with tools to be able to succeed in this high-performing, multicultural and diverse teams.
What memories do you have of your time spent at l’X?
I enjoyed my experience in L’X a lot and I always feel a little bit nostalgic about that period of my life. I’d like to choose 2 small anecdotes to portray some of these feelings:
1- Living thousands of kms away from your home country is always a challenge and during those months, your group of friends become your family. I have thousands of memories of our life in Kley Residence, watching Champion League games in the common areas and playing though table tennis games in the corridors. It was a lot of fun!
2- In December 2018 I was walking down one of the campus corridors when I suddenly came across Gérard Morou, who had just been awarded with the Physics Nobel Price. I immediately felt overwhelmed by being in a University that was pushing the frontiers of knowledge.
Which words would you choose to describe the STEEM program in 3 words?
Multicultural, academic & excellence
What are your ambitions for the future?
When I joined the master’s program, I knew I wanted to develop my career in sustainability. I continue to feel that deep sense of purpose and I found technology as a mean to contribute to those solutions. I’m passionate about the Climate Tech movement and my ambition is to keep contributing with solutions on this space.
What advice would you give to future students ?
Enjoy your experience and take the most out of it! Use the opportunity to broaden your world, both in academic and personal aspects. Get to know as many people as possible, join all of the super interesting networking events and start paving the way for your life after university. And never forget to get the most out of Paris!