The Strategic Committee (2025)
In January 2024, the CNRS President entrusted Marie-Hélène Beauvais (former Cabinet Secretary to the CNRS President) and Ali Charara (former director of the CNRS Institute for Information Sciences and Technologies) with the task of setting up the CNRS alumni network, assisted by an operational steering committee (COPIL) composed of representatives from various CNRS departments (see composition).
Following the launch of CNRS alumni in January 2025, the COPIL evolved into a strategic committee (COSTRA) with the main purpose of advising the CNRS President on the network's strategy. COSTRA is involved in determining the alumni network's strategy and monitoring its implementation and development
The CNRS President appoints the COSTRA members. They include alumni members, a representative of an international alumni network, and permanent guests reflecting the diversity of CNRS and its staff members.
Members of the COSTRA
- Marie-Hélène Beauvais : Co-chair
- Ali Charara : Co-chair
Alumni members
- Rachel Bray
Representative of an international institution/organization – CERN Alumni
Head of CERN Alumni Relations
Rachel Bray is the head of the unique and vibrant CERN Alumni Network, for which she was community manager from 2017 to 2020 before taking over management of the program in 2021. Prior to this she worked for 8 years in CERN's Engineering Department, in the domain of Product Lifecycle Management and 9 years within the IT section of CERN Supplies Procurement and Logistics Department.
In addition to her professional duties, Rachel is president of the Association of Sports Committees of European Research Institutes (ASCERI), founder and chair of the CERN Fitness Club, and a certified Zumba instructor. »
She is a graduate of the University of Rennes II (1996) and the International University of Geneva (2020) and is currently pursuing doctoral research in business administration (DBA) at the University of Plymouth.
- Antoine Bordes
CNRS researcher, section 06, specialist in Artificial Intelligence, on extended leave since 2014. He joined the CNRS in 2010.
Current position: Vice President Artificial Intelligence at Helsing
Co-director of the Meta (ex-Facebook) research center - Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) laboratory – from 2014 to 2023
VP IA at Helsing, IA & Defense specialist, since 2023.
- Valérie Lemarchandel
CNRS Senior Researcher, section 21, on secondment since 2010.
Current position: Scientific Director of The Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM, French Foundation for Medical Research)
Project manager for scientific communication at INSB (2006-2010)
- Patrick Maestro
Active member retired since 2023, CNRS medal of innovation 2015.
Scientific Director of Solvay from 2013 to 2023
President of the « Invest in Bordeaux » association, since 2023
Secretary General of the Euro-CASE association (European Council of Academies of Applied Sciences, Technologies and Engineering).
- Frédéric Serrano
CNRS Research engineer, on secondment since 2024.
Current position: Administrative Director of the Institut de Science Financière et d'Assurances (I.S.F.A, Institute of Financial Science and Insurance) (internal component of University Lyon 1)
CNRS Rhône-Auvergne Regional Office (Lyon) from 2016 to 2024: HR consultant then HR Recruitment and Development Manager
Director & Deputy Director of a music school: 2011-2014 (pianist)
Permanent guest members from CNRS
- Guillaume Stahl: General delegate CNRS alumni
- Marie-Pauline Gacoin: Cabinet Secretary to the CNRS President
- Hélène Maury: Director of the Human Resources Department
- Eric Chareyre: Senior Executives Office Manager
- Sofia Nadir: National Editorial Manager, representing the Communications Department
- Jan Matas: Director of the Washington Office, representing the European Research and International Cooperation Department
- Edwige Helmer-Laurent: Regional representative for the CNRS Centre-Est Regional Office
- Jacques Maddaluno : former Director of CNRS Institute of Chemistry (2017-2025)
- Anouk Desmet: Digital communications officer – CNRS alumni