Lucie Randoin, once celebrated in the Costa Rican newspaper *La Nación*, continues to make waves, twenty years later, as a symbol of international opportunities. From Burgundy to South Africa, her legacy transcends borders, highlighting the pivotal role of scientific research and innovation in forging ties between nations. In this article, we explore how this renowned biologist has become an inspiration for Franco-South African collaborations and how her influence continues to shape the future of research and entrepreneurship. See below for this article by Kevin Lognoné
«A Historic Day,» “Día histórico”: That was the title of an article published on January 10, 2003, about Lucie Randoin in the pages of *La Nación*, Costa Rica’s leading daily newspaper. Regarded as a high-quality, conservative yet modern newspaper, it remains highly popular to this day. Twenty years later, the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region now has a Rue Lucie Randoin in the biologist’s hometown of Boeurs-en-Othe. A Costa Rican melting pot twenty years ago, a French melting pot since the ceremony on September 23, 2023, and a South African melting pot? Looking ahead, Lucie Randoin represents a melting pot of opportunities.
By examining the «catalytic takeoff» of Lucie Randoin’s work—between her nurturing homeland and new frontiers of science—one might wonder about the etymological origin of Boeurs-en-Othe, her hometown. «Boer» means “farmer” in Dutch. Similarly, the Boers in South Africa and Argentina were pioneering farmers who came not only from the Netherlands but also from France.
The Germanic root *bur*—pronounced the same as the Dutch word *Boer* (the Boer War is, incidentally, *Burenkrieg* in German) – gave rise to the French words *buron* and *buronnier*, referring to a rustic dwelling in the mountains used during the summer grazing season and to the person in charge of these summer pastoral activities.
In the 12th century, Boeurs was a grange belonging to the Cistercian Abbey of Pontigny, which cleared the forest for its own needs and cultivated iron-rich soils in the surrounding area, particularly in what is now the town of Chailley, which was another of its granges.
«Our success is evident in the richness of our heritage, our amazing discoveries, our creativity, and our spirit of innovation. Our country, one of a kind, is proof that excellence is a source of opportunity.» This was the message conveyed by the South African pavilion at the most recent World Expo, held in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
South Africa is a key scientific partner for France and the European Union. In terms of co-authored publications, South Africa alone accounts for 30% of the African continent’s total. France is South Africa’s fifth-largest partner, with 5,433 co-authored publications between 2016 and 2020, following the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia. According to diplomats, «Franco-South African co-publications have been increasing by an average of 16% per year since 2008.»
To strengthen scientific ties between France and South Africa, the French Embassy in South Africa has implemented targeted initiatives to foster scientific and technological exchanges between the two countries, such as the Hubert Curien (PHC) PROTEA, scholarships, and highly ambitious collaborative initiatives focused on the oceans, energy, and agriculture.
On this last topic, the Franco-South African Institute of Agriculture (F’SAGRI), established in 2015, plans to build the capacity of three South African universities (the Universities of Limpopo, Venda, and Fort Hare) and research institutes in the agricultural and food sectors. It also aims to foster the development of innovative businesses and, more broadly, to establish close ties with companies in the agricultural and agri-food sectors.
The F’SAGRI Innovation Award has been held annually since 2019. The Innovation Award is open to young students and researchers from all South African universities of technology, as well as to emerging startups. The winning companies then participate in a
partnerships with F’SAGRI’s partner universities, by hosting interns, providing case studies, or participating in workshops.
The inauguration of the first Lucie Randoin class took place on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at the University of Burgundy in Auxerre, during the orientation for the first-year medical students—a program initiated by the Yonne Department thanks to the political support of its vice president in charge of health, Gilles Pirman.
The latter has agreed to help, through the Department, organize a scientific conference in Paris in 2024 or 2025. This is an opportunity to begin considering the creation of a Lucie Randoin campus, a crossroads between the fluid space of the world and the solid space of territories—a paradigm explored by chemical engineer Eugène Schueller, founder of the L’Oréal Group, through his «Sorbonne-Plage» project.
The health crisis has highlighted a real need, as pharmaceutical research is now the economic and industrial sector most closely linked to basic research. No other sector has such a great need for a strong, direct link between companies and university laboratories.
In this regard, we must also foster an entrepreneurial spirit on college campuses by incorporating the perspective of women’s entrepreneurship. This is the purpose of the L’Oréal-UNESCO International Award “For Women in Science,” which is presented each year to five distinguished women scientists. And this is the vision that could guide a Lucie Randoin campus open to the opportunities of tomorrow’s world.
Kevin LOGNONÉ
