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Aurélien Billot | Paris, France
MA Candidate (BC11) | Stavros Niarchos Foundation Fellowship recipient
Aurélien Billot, in addition to being a qualified engineer from École Polytechnique in Paris, holds a Masters in Economics and Public Policies from Sciences Po. He completed military service as Aide de Camp to the Chancellor of the Order of Liberation and has worked as researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology and as project officer at the French Development Agency in Beijing.
From science and economics to international relations, Aurélien seeks to improve his understanding of the international field and to enrich his future career prospects.
Aurélien's recent internship in China gave him the opportunity to learn first-hand about the implementation of energy projects and the design of energy policies, while working actively in collaboration with the Chinese authorities.
"In each project you can see the value of engineering but it's also crucial to know the economics behind it," he says, "Development projects in China require both attention to detail and a comprehensive approach."
Aurélien's strong interest in finding energy policy solutions led him to study energy efficiency, renewable energy, urban development and carbon sequestration, particularly in China. This makes learning about context so important for his future career.
"China is moving so fast! When you want to know where you stand in the renewable fields, you need to know where the country stands in relation to the rest of the world. You need to be able to contextualize it."
Another reason he chose SAIS was for its educational style, "Professors don't hand out ready-made solutions, they encourage one to find one's way." This has led him to re-analyze issues in a dynamic, environment full of interested students.
"Diversity is a richness, which changes your perspective on the world," he says. "Among 200 students at the Bologna Center, you have 200 different points of view on burning issues: this allows you to chart your own path."
"I came to SAIS because I wanted to gain a general knowledge of International Relations, specifically regarding China, and to delve deeper into energy issues. There are few schools that can provide you with such a variety of world-class level approaches: one course focusing on technical aspects, another on economic aspects, a third one on diplomatic aspects," he says.
Aurélien enjoys the city of Bologna and is making time to explore it. "One of my first moves was to join the Orchestra of the University of Bologna and I don't regret it for a second! Music is a bridge between people of different cultures and it gives me one of the best possible insights into la vita bolognese," says Aurélien.
Degrees: École Polytechnique "Ingénieur de l'École Polytechnique" (Master-level)
Masters in Economics and Public Policies, Sciences Po, Paris
Major: Physics and Economics
Languages: French, English, German, Chinese
SAIS area of concentration: Energy, Resources, and Environment; China Studies
Other interests: music (17 years of Viola and a member of the Quatuor Chabrier), fencing, aikido, literature and debating
By Bianca Silva
M.A. Candidate (BC11)
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