Abdoulaye Ndiaye (X2010) is the winner of the first Africa NextGen Economist Prize, which was presented on May 15, 2026, in Kigali, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum. The prize, created by the media outlets Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report in partnership with the African Development Bank, recognizes the best young African economist under the age of 40.
Lauren Ramanantsoa, a Master of Science & Technology student at École Polytechnique specialising in artificial intelligence and computer vision, developed a passion for science – and mathematics in particular – at a very early age. This interest has fuelled her creativity and her desire to build connections between students from different programmes at École Polytechnique (engineering, bachelor’s and master’s). This led to the creation of ‘X’s Got Talent’, an inclusive event that allows them to come together and showcase the full range of their artistic talents.
Through a series of talks focusing on the work of female researchers and their career paths, École Polytechnique sought to demonstrate through real-life examples that women have a rightful place in science, thereby encouraging gender diversity within laboratories and research centres. Supported by the École polytechnique Foundation, this event brought together renowned scientists in astrophysics, artificial intelligence, bioengineering, biology, mathematics and plasma physics.
With more than 230 start-ups supported over the past ten years, École Polytechnique and its incubator, X-UP, are contributing to the growth of European entrepreneurship. Interdisciplinary research centres, support services, the X-FAB prototyping facility and the presence of entrepreneurs in the business incubator make the École Polytechnique’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation a unique environment that fosters creativity. Project leaders – whether they are students or researchers from École Polytechnique, other institutions within the Institut polytechnique de Paris, or from further afield – will find this the ideal place to bring their ideas to life.
Hong Wang (X2010), a Chinese mathematician and academic specializing in harmonic analysis, has just received two prestigious new international mathematics awards: the Clay Research Award and the New Horizons in Mathematics Prize. Hong Wang has distinguished herself in particular by announcing a proof of Kakeya’s conjecture in three dimensions, a problem that has remained open for over a century, at the intersection of analysis and geometry.
The École polytechnique incubator is looking for its new Promo for its X-UP CREATE support package for innovative technology start-ups in the seed stage.
Catherine Vautrin, French Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans, visited École Polytechnique on April 17 for the Defense Quantum Forum, organized at École Polytechnique by the Defense Innovation Agency. She reviewed the X24 and X25 classes and reminded them of the historic significance of the ties between their School, the Nation, and the Armed forces.
Inass El Hajj is a postdoctoral researcher in materials chemistry at the Laboratory of Interface and Thin Film Physics (LPICM*), as part of the Sustainable Energy Chair, supported by EDF. Her research focuses on the synthesis of graphene obtained through liquid-phase exfoliation and its use as a protective coating for metals in marine environments. At the interface between fundamental research and industrial applications, she is developing innovative solutions to combat material corrosion, particularly in the context of sustainable energy.
On Saturday 11 April, almost 350 secondary school girls from the Île-de-France region were welcomed to the École Polytechnique campus. There, they had the opportunity to learn about scientific study programmes and careers in various fields, such as aeronautics, defence, artificial intelligence, energy and the environment, and research, from 47 female professionals and 15 students. They also had the opportunity to meet Elisabeth Borne, the former Prime Minister (who was the second woman to hold this position under the Fifth Republic), and Laura Chaubard, President and Chief executive of the École Polytechnique.
A newly signed Memorandum of Understanding between École Polytechnique and the Tandon School of Engineering at New York University (NYU) underscores the shared commitment to encouraging and facilitating international mobility between both institutions, particularly for research internships. Seven École Polytechnique students are preparing to begin their third-year research internships in various NYU laboratories starting at the end of March.
Adrien Bilal (X2010), an assistant professor of economics at Stanford University, has been awarded the 2026 Best Young Economist Award. Adrien Bilal’s research focuses on the economic consequences of global warming. Two of the three other economists honored with this award are also alumni of École Polytechnique.
École Polytechnique announces the launch of a new MSc&T track in the 2026 academic year, focused on how businesses can create value through AI. This 13th MSc&T track offered by École Polytechnique complements a curriculum centered on contemporary challenges and highly sought after by recruiters.
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