Yohanna Crisci / Executive Assistant

« I truly value the human aspect of my job. I love helping others and my aim is to make scientists’ lives easier by removing administrative and logistical obstacles, allowing them to focus on their research.  I joined the ESRF in October 2023, in the Directors of Research’s Office and have become part of a fantastic team. We work in a very positive environment, where I feel my opinions and my experience are valued.

Having grown up in several countries, I am used to diverse cultures.  The multicultural environment at the ESRF was a big draw for me. I switch between languages multiple times a day and hear several languages daily, including English, German, Spanish and French.

The ESRF’s status as a not-for-profit research facility dedicated to advancing science was a major attraction for me. Before joining, I had no experience of synchrotrons. Now, I am captivated by the wide range of research areas, from palaeontology to fundamental physics, structural biology to cultural heritage. I enjoy listening to scientists discuss their work and I have discovered a new world in the accelerator complex that I never imagined.

It is hard not to be enthusiastic about the installation. I often find myself explaining the basics of particle accelerators and examples of research to friends and family. There’s never a dull moment here, the science is constantly evolving, and there is so much to learn.” 

Yohanna Crisci is French. She travelled a lot as a child, growing up in Ghana, the Seychelles and in Ethiopia. She studied languages (Langues Etrangères Appliquées LEA) at the Université Grenoble Alpes before moving to Paris to work in a service-oriented, international context for the local government. Yohanna joined the ESRF in October 2023 as Personal Assistant to the Director of Research for Life Sciences.