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Testimony from Alice Fabre, 2021 graduate of the TAS AERO Advanced Master

Alice Fabre

Eco-design engineer at Airbus Commercial Aircraft

Testimonial Category :

Alumni

Date :

23 May 2025

Testimony of Alice Fabre

AM TAS AERO alumni class of 2021

Identity card

Last name: Fabre
First name: Alice
Title of Advanced Master® attended: TAS Aero, Aircraft
Design
Graduation year: 2021
Job: Eco-design engineer
Company: Airbus Commercial Aircraft
City: Toulouse
Country of residence: France

Her career before ISAE-SUPAERO

What was your academic background before joining ISAE-SUPAERO?

After two years in the ‘Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles’, I joined INSA Toulouse as a student in the Process and Environmental Engineering speciality (GPE, now GP3E). This course offers in-depth training in industrial, chemical and energy processes and the transformation of matter, as well as in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, renewable and fossil energies, environmental regulations and life cycle analysis.

Why did you choose to pursue a Advanced Master® at ISAE-SUPAERO?

My end-of-studies work placement at INSA, at Airbus, gave me the opportunity to explore aircraft life-cycle analysis and planetary limits. These environmental issues, applied to the aeronautics sector, aroused a keen interest and motivation in me. Wanting to deepen my knowledge in this field, I identified the TAS AERO Advanced Master® as an ideal course. Its global and sufficiently detailed approach to aeronautics, without focusing excessively on one specific aspect, corresponded perfectly to my expectations. What’s more, as my career ambition is to move into eco-design, the Aircraft Design specialisation offered me a valuable perspective on the different levers available.

Her experience at ISAE-SUPAERO

What lessons, projects or activities at the MS have impressed you the most?

The group project on the design of a hydrogen aircraft made a particularly strong impression on me, as it brought together some of the knowledge and skills I had acquired during the Advanced Master®, as well as my interest in alternatives that could help to reduce the environmental footprint of aviation. The project was made all the more interesting by the fact that it was being carried out in collaboration with ONERA. I also found that there was a good balance between theory and practice.

How does the AM contribute to your technical and professional skills?

This Advanced Master® gave me the knowledge I was looking for about the product itself, so that I could better master the technical aspects, such as the materials used and their limits, dimensioning, optimisation, constraints, etc. Many of these elements enabled me to learn more quickly in my current job, and are useful to me today. Many of these elements enabled me to train more quickly for my current job, and are still useful to me today.

Did you carry out a work assignment or internship during your AM?

After the 6 months of theoretical training, and instead of continuing with a 6-month internship, I was taken on by the IRT Saint Exupéry for a one-year assignment at ISAE-SUPAERO, to work on research topics in decarbonisation and reducing the environmental footprint. In particular, I contributed, on a small scale, to the Aeromaps tool (formerly CAST), and helped develop a Life Cycle Analysis module in an aircraft sizing and optimisation tool (FAST-OAD).

Her current career path

What is your current position? In which company or organisation do you work?

I’m an eco-design engineer at Airbus Commercial Aircraft.

What business sector are you in today?

In aeronautics.

How has your Advanced Master® contributed to your professional integration or career development?

As mentioned above, the Advanced Master® enabled me to acquire key elements about the design, functioning and operation of an aircraft. It also enabled me to add this knowledge to that which I already had in the environment, making my profile attractive to the aeronautical sector, for which decarbonation is a very topical subject.

What specific skills developed at ISAE-SUPAERO do you use the most today?

Structure and materials, aircraft design, aircraft performance, propulsion.

Has the Master enabled you to achieve your professional or personal goals?

Completely. My ambition is to work in the aeronautical sector and on environmental issues.

Advanced Master in Systems Engineering – SEN

Date :

21 May 2025

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Date :

19 May 2025

Advanced Master in Systèmes de Propulsion Aérospatiale – SPA

Date :

19 May 2025

Advanced Master in Aviation Safety Aircraft Airworthiness – ASAA

Date :

19 May 2025

Advanced Master in Aeronautical and Space Structures – AES

Date :

19 May 2025

Advanced Master in Aerospace Project Management – APM

Date :

15 May 2025

Advanced Master in Aeronautical Maintenance and Support-Engineering & Management – MS AMS-E&M

Date :

15 May 2025

Advanced Master in Helicopter, Aircraft, and Drone Architecture – HADA

Date :

13 May 2025

“World Alumni Day”: Three questions for Aude Vignelles, 1991 graduate of ENSICA’s Aeronautical Engineering programme

Aude Vignelles

Director of Vignelles Space

Testimonial Category :

Alumni

Date :

12 May 2025

Testimony of Aude Vignelles

ENSICA alumni, class of 1991

Identity card

Full name: Aude VIGNELLES
Nationality: French (and Australian)
Country of residence: Australia
Position, company: Director, Vignelles Space Pty Ltd and Senior Advisor for Bryce Space Global
Sector: Space
Training at ISAE-SUPAERO: ENSICA Aeronautical Construction Engineering Diploma
Year of graduation: 1991

Can you tell us about your background?

I started my career at the European Space Agency in the Netherlands, where I was soon appointed Test Manager for the X-ray Multi-Mirror (XMM) mission, ESA’s largest scientific space programme at the time.

I then moved to London, where I successfully led the integration of the world’s first digital terrestrial broadcasting centre (ONdigital). I continued in this field in Australia, before becoming Vice-President of Technicolor, overseeing all programmes in the Asia-Pacific region.

Returning to space as Executive Director of NBN (National-Broadband-Network) Satellite Operations, I was then selected to become the first Chief Technology Officer of the Australian Space Agency, where I played a key role in developing the technical roadmaps for the civil space strategy, defining and managing the agency’s space programmes, and implementing national and international activities.

Today, I am Director of Vignelles Space, providing professional services and expert solutions to governments and space industries in all aspects of space programmes worldwide.

Why did you decide to pursue an international career?

I’ve always loved travelling, discovering other cultures and exploring new horizons. Very early on, I was struck by the fact that major space projects can often only be achieved through solid international cooperation. Seeing the first Ariane take off in December 1979 made me aware of this reality from an early age.

There are opportunities that you have to seize, like moving to London to follow my partner, but also daring to create and undertake: Moving to Australia was an adventure that he and I shared, and where we became the parents of three wonderful boys.

Going international teaches us so many things: A new way of approaching problems, richer solutions thanks to the diversity of perspectives, but also profound personal development.

What advice would you give to someone looking for an international career? Or one word that would define your career?

Be motivated, committed and passionate.

When you decide to move abroad, there’s a phase of wonder, but also enormous challenges. When I arrived in Australia, I was immediately seduced by the country, but professionally, I missed space terribly. There was no space agency at the time, so I helped set it up and became its first CTO – a dream job!

When you’re convinced you’re on the right track, when you have a clear vision and a deep passion, you have to test it out around you, refine it, perfect it and finally make it a reality. Working internationally requires resilience, adaptability and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone. It’s a journey that can be demanding, but also incredibly rewarding, both professionally and personally.