ESM from the Inside!
Discover how ESM scientists interact and collaborate! Here’s a glimpse of our Innovation Challenge and the 3rd ESM event. Thanks to researchers and staff from CNRS, Le Mans University and Bel for the wonderful organisation!
“ESM in (bad) comics” is back!
This time we’ll discover one of the interdisciplinary approches the network is exploring: linking rheological properties and sensory perception of food. And we’re gonna do it following the recipe of the perfect caramel!
We thank Patrick Charbonneau (Duke University, USA) for his amazing lecture on the science of sugar delivered during the Summer School on Soft Matter and Sensory Perception (Cargèse, July 2026) that has inspired this comic.
And a big thanks to all the organisers of this incredible summer school (including our Project Coordinator Laurence Ramos) that some of our students had the opportunity to attend.
If you wanna know more about the topic, here’s Charbonneau’s article on the history of the original sucre à la crème https://lnkd.in/e_fVh8zD 🍬
ESM video series: “1 Minute, 1 Project”. Meet Sarah and find out what her PhD research at Bel is all about
Discover the first video in our “1 Minute, 1 Project” series! Meet Sarah and discover her project, “Improve design of plant based ‘cheese’: impact of formulation and environmental conditions on the mechanical properties”, in just one minute!
Edible Soft Matter in (bad) comics
For our first episode of the series “Edible Soft Matter in (bad) comics”, here is a briefly introduction to the motivations behind the ESM project. And (hopefully) some motivations to follow our projects and learn more about plant-based food!🌱
Take a look at our last publication for further insights on the topic https://edible-soft-matter.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/EdibleSoftMatter_RAMOSetal_epn2025563p21.pdf
And if we have really caught your heart, here are some suggestions for further readings🤓:
- Vilgis, T. A. (2015) ‘Soft matter food physics—the physics of food andcooking’, Reports on Progress in Physics, 78(12), 124602. https://doi.org/10.1088/0034-4885/78/12/124602
- Hannah Ritchie (2021) – “If the world adopted a plant-based diet, we would reduce global agricultural land use from 4 to 1 billion hectares”https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20260812-123851/land-use-diets.html
- Mekonnen, M.M. and Hoekstra, A.Y. (2012) ‘A global assessment of the water footprint of farm animal products’, Ecosystems, 15(3), pp. 401–415. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-011-9517-8
- Xu, X., Sharma, P., Shu, S., Lin, T.-S., Ciais, P., Tubiello, F.N., Smith, P., Campbell, N. and Jain, A.K. (2021) ‘Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods’, Nature Food, 2, pp. 724–732. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00358-x“
Training, Innovation and Science: ESM Meets in Vendôme and Le Mans
Our second ESM Training Event last week was a great success! We spent several days together combining training, scientific exchange, collaboration and plenty of opportunities to connect as a network.
We spent three days in Vendôme with the BEL team, who gave us a fantastic welcome and offered us the opportunity to visit their R&D facilities.
At the end of these three days, we launched the Innovation Challenge (IC), a collaborative activity that encourages creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving through practical challenges. The Doctoral Candidates (DCs) will work on the IC over the coming year.
The event continued in Le Mans, where we held our General Assembly. For the first time, we had the opportunity to hear our DCs present their scientific projects. The poster session was another highlight, bringing students and partners together for lively discussions and exchanges.
Many thanks to CNRS, LMU and BEL for organising such a rewarding event and for bringing the ESM community together.
We are already looking forward to seeing everyone again at our third Training Event!
Until then, stay tuned to our social media for more updates and news from the ESM network!
How do young researchers navigate mentorship, impostor syndrome, and early‑career uncertainty?
In the second episode, the discussion continues with a focus on guidance, support networks, and the doubts many PhD candidates face during their first year.
The researchers reflect on mentors who influenced their paths, how they manage moments of uncertainty, and why doubt can be an essential part of scientific progress.
🎧 Episode 2 — Mentorship, Impostor Syndrome & Navigating Doubt
This episode highlights the human side of research and the importance of supportive environments.