Each year, the French Society for Metallurgy and Materials (SF2M) honors outstanding figures from the materials science community through the presentation of awards and medals. During the 2025 Awards and Medals Commission and the SF2M Council, held on March 12 and 13, three researchers from the Georges Friedel Laboratory and the SMS center at Mines Saint-Étienne were recognized for the excellence of their work. The official ceremony will take place in November in Paris, during the Materials and Society Conference dedicated to “Materials for sustainable mobility.”
🎓 Jenny Faucheu, recipient of the Bastien & Guillet Medal
Professor at the Georges Friedel Laboratory (SMS center), Jenny Faucheu was recognized for her exceptional commitment to education and scientific communication. The Bastien & Guillet Medal honors individuals working to advance knowledge in metallurgy or materials science. Jenny Faucheu has distinguished herself through an original and interdisciplinary approach to materials perception, combining materials science and the humanities. A true “translator” of these disciplines, she develops educational tools adapted to diverse audiences, thereby contributing to a better understanding of materials-related challenges.
🔬 Alixe Dréano, recipient of the Jean & André Rist Medal
Assistant Professor at the Georges Friedel Laboratory (SMS center) since 2021, Alixe Dréano received the Jean & André Rist Medal, which recognizes promising work by young researchers each year. Specializing in the study of interactions between hydrogen and metallic materials, she is committed to developing more sustainable materials. Her thesis focused on high-temperature wear of stellites, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in aluminum alloy design for additive manufacturing. She is now developing an innovative research area on surface engineering under hydrogen, addressing energy and industrial challenges.
💻 Ayobami Daramola, recipient of the Jacques Dalla Torre Award
Former doctoral student at the Georges Friedel Laboratory (SMS center), Ayobami Daniel Daramola is now a researcher at the University of Edinburgh. A specialist in atomistic and multi-scale modeling, he was awarded the SF2M Jacques Dalla Torre Award for his cutting-edge work in numerical simulation of materials. His thesis, conducted under the supervision of Anna Fraczkiewicz and Ghiath Monnet, focused on the mechanical behavior of high-entropy alloys. His international career, from theoretical physics to advanced simulation, exemplifies the richness of Mines Saint-Étienne’s interdisciplinary approach.
👏 Congratulations to Jenny Faucheu, Alixe Dréano, and Ayobami Daramola for these well-deserved honors, which demonstrate the quality of research conducted at Mines Saint-Étienne and its impact in the field of materials science!
