Discover People at Soitec

My name is Odile Mourey, and I’m a R&D projects leader for the development of innovative substrates at Soitec Lab.

A career rooted in research

I hold a Master's degree in nuclear science and a PhD in microelectronics. My specialization in plasma led me to spend six years working on plasma etching, first during my thesis and then at STMicroelectronics. Driven by the desire to broaden my perspective and take a step back from purely technical issues, I joined Soitec Lab to focus on integration, a highly cross-functional and multifaceted field.

I began my journey at Soitec as a product lifecycle engineer for new products, before moving into a project management role. My mission is to coordinate the technical development of these products in collaboration with various teams, with the goal of bringing them to market within five years.

What I enjoy most about my job is discovering and inventing new processes and new ways to stack the material layers that make up our wafers. It’s a stimulating and rewarding challenge every day.

Growing through sports values

I’ve been involved in the Handball Club Pays d’Allevard (HBCPA) for 3 years. It’s a small, family-oriented club with around 100 members, ranging in age from 3 to over 50. The goal is to introduce young people to handball, promote sports values, respect, and most of all, encourage physical activity.

We operate with a team of about 20 volunteers — including board members and coaches — and we also rely on the valuable support of parents. I serve as the club’s secretary, coach for the 3–6-year-olds, and referee. Most of my involvement happens over the weekend, with matches, training, and admin tasks. September is the busiest month, mainly due to managing player registrations, which takes me around 10 hours a week.

Originally, I got involved for my children, who play handball. At the time, the club was going through a transition period as several volunteers were stepping down, and I felt compelled to help revive the energy. I’ve always been active in the sports community, so stepping in came naturally to me.

I see a lot of overlap between sports and my professional life: trust, teamwork, mutual support. Refereeing, for instance, has taught me to make quick decisions with confidence. On the other hand, my work experience helps me take a step back in certain situations when volunteering.

The best moments are when the kids leave a match beaming with pride at how much they’ve improved. Or when we take them to see the Chambéry professional team play, and they get to walk onto the court with the players, eyes shining. That’s why we do it.

Another side of my personality

Whenever the opportunity arises, I try to help people around me: someone in need on the street, a visually impaired person wanting to cross, or just an elderly person who dropped something. I’m also environmentally conscious. Even if it sometimes feels like I’m acting alone, I try to do my part: picking up litter during walks, for example. These small daily gestures may seem insignificant, but they matter deeply to me and we often forget how important they are.