Ninon Forster: A new impetus for the CRISS department, between restructuring and collective ambition

Ninon Forster, associate professor of public law, is the embodiment of a classic academic career, but one rich in varied experience. After completing a bachelor's degree and a research master's in European Union law at the University of Paris Panthéon-Assas, she defended her doctoral thesis there. Qualified as a lecturer, she joined the University of Rennes 2 before passing the competitive examination for the agrégation in public law.

Her arrival at the Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France marks a turning point: she joins the Laboratoire de Recherche Sociétés & Humanités (LARSH), where she is entrusted with the management of the "Pouvoirs" axis of the Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en sciences de la société (CRISS) department. An experience that introduced her to the coordination of collective research.

"I quickly became involved in the CRISS department's Bureau, and then in the management committee. When Jérôme Maati left his post, I wanted to run for the position", she explains.

Ninon Forster's first months at the helm of CRISS are punctuated by a major project: structuring the department. "The challenge is first to listen to researchers, to understand their expectations and needs," she explains. The objective? To arrive, by June, at an organization that reflects everyone's aspirations.

But restructuring isn't just about internal reorganization. It also raises the question of collaboration with other LARSH departments.

For Ninon Forster, this restructuring is also an opportunity to reaffirm the role of the CRISS department and the University in the region. "Our mission is twofold: to respond to the concrete expectations of local players, while retaining this ability to stand back and analyze issues over the long term," she points out. "C'est ça, la force de la recherche."
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If Ninon Forster has one conviction, it's that leadership can't be solitary. "I'm there to synthesize ideas and federate teams," she asserts. The management committee, made up of four members representing each of the disciplines represented in the department embodies this philosophy.

"We don't have the same methods, the same practices, but it's precisely this diversity that makes us rich," she explains.

This collaborative approach also extends to support for young researchers and PhD students. For the latter, who are sometimes isolated and spread across different University sites, Ninon Forster is considering the creation of doctoral workshops within the CRISS department and in collaboration with the CEDOC² LARSH association. "The idea is to offer them a space for exchange, for collective work, without overloading them," she explains. "Their priority remains the thesis, but they shouldn't be left alone with their questions."

As for young researchers, she encourages them to set up projects or collaborate with experienced researchers. "We need to quickly show them how the Laboratory works, as they are often absorbed by their courses and teaching obligations," she emphasizes.