Serah, the first PhD student cosupervised by Chimie ParisTech and the University of Nairobi

On May 11, 2023, Serah Wanjiku, who was then doing a master's internship in the i-CLeHS laboratory of Chimie ParisTech – PSL, attended in Paris the signing of the Tripartite agreement between the University of Nairobi, ParisTech and four schools – AgroParisTech, Chimie ParisTech – PSL, École des Ponts ParisTech, Mines Paris – PSL – as well as CentraleSupélec. This signature launched the partnership between French schools and the University of Nairobi alongside the construction of the Engineering and Science Complex. This partnership, financed by the French Development Agency (AFD), is built around university-business relations, a subject broken down into five pillars: governance, training, research, innovation, and internationalization. Serah is one of the first beneficiaries of this partnership: the University of Nairobi and Chimie ParisTech – PSL has signed a joint supervision agreement to supervise her PhD.

You did an internship in the frame of your master's degree last year at Chimie ParisTech. What happened afterward?

In June there was a workshop on electrochemistry at Chimie ParisTech with the University of Nairobi. I had to present my work to the French and Kenyan researchers. Prof. Leonidah Kerubo, then the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, was present as well as the chairman of the Department of Chemistry, Prof David Kariuki. My supervisors Sophie Griveau and Prof. Immaculate Michira, were also present, and nine other lecturers from UoN. After the presentation, they asked questions about my work and made some suggestions. I also had to write a report.

Then a meeting between Chimie ParisTech and UoN was organized with Sophie Griveau, Cyrine Slim,  Laura Trapiella, Leonidah Kerubo, Immaculate Michira, and David Kariuki on the PhD Co supervision. We discussed the topic, the cosupervision, and the procedure for the PhD project.

They decided what I had to do between September and January in Nairobi before coming back to Paris. After graduation, in October, I had to write a PhD proposal as it is a requirement by UoN. I have to follow the regulations of Chimie ParisTech and UoN. I prepared the proposal with the guidance of all my supervisors and then an online proposal defense was organized by UoN Postgraduate chairman Prof. Abiy because I was in Paris by then.

What is your PhD about?

The title is « Multiparametric biosensors designed by surface modification based on metallic and organic nanoplatforms for the detection of emerging pollutants ». The PhD is co-supervised by Sophie Griveau, Professor at Chimie ParisTech, and Immaculate Michira, Professor in the Department of Chemistry/Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Nairobi. I also work with lecturers Cyrine Slim and Laura Trapiella in Paris and Peterson Guto in Nairobi. I began the PhD in Paris in January and I will stay here till the end of July. Then I go home to Nairobi and I will come back to Paris in March 2025.

What are you working on and with whom?

In the first part of the project, I am exploring new electrode surface modification strategies for the development of the biosensor. I am working on creating a biosensor for monitoring emerging pollutants like pharmaceuticals, e.g. antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs in water. I will apply the developed sensor on real water samples from the Seine River in Paris and the Nairobi River in Kenya. The emerging pollutants I am working on are on the EU watch list for pollutants of growing concern. We are aiming to develop a portable, sensitive, and selective device for onsite analysis of these pollutants.

What can you say about the implementation of the « cotutelle » between Chimie ParisTech and the University of Nairobi?

So far, it's going on well I participate in a weekly meeting in Chimie ParisTech with my three supervisors in France and my two Kenyan supervisors will be joining this weekly meeting online very soon. And when I am back in Nairobi, my three supervisors here in Paris will join our weekly meeting remotely from Paris. I present my work of the week and my advisors provide suggestions and comments on how to continue with the work.

What’s the position of the PhD student in the lab? How do you feel about it?

I love it, it’s perfect. All members are inclusive, and everyone is respected. I work in the SEISAD team led by Ann Varenne. The team is excellent and helpful. There are PhD and masters students from different countries and cultures (China, Mexico, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brazil, Iran, France, and Kenya) but we get along. The SEISAD team has a meeting every Thursday. The students from master to PhD - present their work. It’s a good opportunity to interact, to meet the other students and professors, and to share our work. During these meetings inputs and suggestions are provided to help us with our work. We also get to share if we are experiencing any challenges or problems in the lab. Also, I get access to the state-of-the-art facilities available in the laboratory.

In France, in compliance with the regulation of the doctoral school, I must attend training (85 hours to be completed by the time I graduate): Where in addition to hard skills we are trained on soft skills. It’s great because this is one of the main differences between Chimie ParisTech and University of Nairobi as we do not have these mandatory trainings in our curriculum at UoN. For me, it has been life-changing and I have learned a lot. So far I have attended trainings on public speaking, effective writing, entrepreneurship (how to pitch), and how to identify my skills. In this training, we get to do practical exercises to apply what we learned and with these, I have been able to understand and improve so much. These training courses have been very insightful and useful. And oooh!! I still have my French classes.

We also have to attend seminars: 20 mandatory scientific seminars a year conducted by experienced researchers. These seminars are organized by the doctoral school (École Doctorale 406). Some seminars take place every Monday at 11:00 am on the Cordeliers campus and others take place at Chimie ParisTech and we are notified in advance to plan and attend these seminars. The topics discussed in these seminars are diverse and we get to learn a lot from these experienced researchers. It also helps us with networking: as we are provided opportunities to meet the professors after their talks. The speakers are not only from French labs, but also from other countries and we are able also to know what other labs are working on.  At UoN there are seminars organized by the department but it’s mostly students’ presentations and seminars from experienced researchers are few.   

In Chimie ParisTech, we have also a monthly meeting of the i-CLeHS laboratory where the different research teams get to present their work. At UoN the chairman chemistry department Prof Kariuki meets with master's and PhD students every month where we share our progress and the challenges we are facing in the lab and advise us on the way forward.

What are the next steps of your PhD?

I will travel to Nairobi by the end of July and in March 2025 I will be back in Paris, and I will stay for one year. For this cotutelle program, I have to stay 18 months in Kenya and 18 months in France. My work in Nairobi from August will be a continuation of my work in Paris for now. So, there is a complementarity between Chimie ParisTech and UoN. The application of the biosensor will be the last step for the PhD project. The PhD project is expected to end in December 2026.

What are your plans after PhD?

I would like to pursue a few post-doc positions in France to gain more knowledge and experience as I love the culture here. And then finally I would love to transfer the knowledge gained back home to the University of Nairobi.