ELI member of the week: Violette Zunz

Every week, discover a new profile of a member of the Earth and Life Institute. This week, meet Violette Zunz, the Institute’s EU Research Project Manager.

Could you briefly introduce yourself, your role, and the work you do in ELI?

My name is Violette Zunz, and I am a member of ELI’s administrative staff. 

As the Institute’s EU Research Project Manager, I support researchers throughout the entire lifecycle of their Horizon Europe projects, from the early stages of proposal development and submission to the management of funded projects. 

What was your career path before taking up your current post in ELI?

I graduated from UCLouvain with a Master's degree in Physics and a PhD in Science within ELI-C (under the supervision of Prof. Hugues Goosse). During my PhD I studied the variability and the predictability of the Southern Ocean sea ice. 

After my PhD, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher within the same team in ELI-C for one year, then in a private company on the analysis of satellite observations and later at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, focusing on Greenland ice sheet modeling. 

After taking a career break to care for my two unschooled children, I joined Interface3.Namur, a Belgian non-profit organisation. There, I managed projects aimed at encouraging women and girls to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

This experience strengthened my interest in supporting research and innovation from a different perspective, ultimately leading me to my current position in ELI. 

In practical terms, what is your day-to-day life like?

No two days are exactly alike in my job. A typical day can involve discussing a new proposal with a research team, helping solve an issue in an ongoing project, or advising researchers on Horizon Europe requirements and opportunities.

I work closely with researchers, UCLouvain’s central administration, and ELI’s administrative staff to help projects run smoothly from proposal to implementation.

Another aspect of my role is developing resources related to project management for the ELI community, whether by organising training sessions on specific topics, such as research data management, or by creating practical tools and guidance, including the ELI project management toolbox available on ELI’s SharePoint.

Do you have a hobby, a passion, a hidden talent, something you enjoy doing or care deeply about outside of work?

Outside of work, I spend a lot of my time with my two children, aged 6 and 10. Sharing activities and discovering new things together is a constant source of inspiration. 

I also enjoy learning and creating through a variety of hands-on projects (electronics, programming, 3D printing, digital cutting, sewing, etc.). I am always excited to develop new skills and projects, so my list of passions keeps growing.

Can you name one thing you particularly appreciate at the Earth and Life Institute?

One thing I particularly appreciate about the Earth and Life Institute is the diversity of research topics covered across its five research poles. 

ELI brings together expertise from a wide range of disciplines. I find it inspiring to work in such a multidisciplinary environment, where there are always opportunities to learn something new and discover different perspectives on the challenges facing our world.