Florian Dufour
EPFL AVP-E CEDE
CE 0 94.1 (Centre Est)
Station 1
1015 Lausanne
+41 21 693 51 06
Office: CE 0 811
EPFL › VPA › VPA-AVP-E › AVP-E › AVP-E-CEDE
Website: https://cede.epfl.ch
Expertise
Psychology, Methodology, Artificial Intelligence and Education, Pedagogy, Applied Research, Applied Statistics, Interdisciplinarity, Business Economics, Coaching in Interdisciplinary Innovation
Mission
As an AI & Education specialist, I focus on integrating (if needed) generative AI into STEM teaching. This highly stimulating role, within a dynamic environment, revolves around equally exciting activities such as
- Documenting best practices, especially those that keep the human in the loop and ensure reliable, valid pedagogical approaches.
- Conducting pilot studies to test AI’s educational potential in real‑world contexts.
- Developing training programs to support the effective use of AI in education.
The overall goal is to improve teaching and learning while developing, promoting, and guaranteeing responsible use of artificial intelligence.
Current Work
I am currently working on several projects at the intersection of artificial intelligence and education.
The flagship initiative is a pilot study aimed at deploying AI‑enhanced Tutor Bots in the EdStem discussion forums (twelve EPFL courses in the fall semester of 2025, with further roll‑outs thereafter). This effort requires juggling project management, pedagogy, ethical responsibility, data analysis, and technical development in order to extract the maximum educational benefit from AI while maintaining responsible use and keeping sight of the genuine pedagogical objectives as well as the actual capabilities and limits of today’s technologies.
In parallel, I am co‑designing workshops for the EPFL community that focus on generative AI and its applications in education.
In 2026, my work will also include a project on computational thinking and how to evaluate it in the AI era.
The flagship initiative is a pilot study aimed at deploying AI‑enhanced Tutor Bots in the EdStem discussion forums (twelve EPFL courses in the fall semester of 2025, with further roll‑outs thereafter). This effort requires juggling project management, pedagogy, ethical responsibility, data analysis, and technical development in order to extract the maximum educational benefit from AI while maintaining responsible use and keeping sight of the genuine pedagogical objectives as well as the actual capabilities and limits of today’s technologies.
In parallel, I am co‑designing workshops for the EPFL community that focus on generative AI and its applications in education.
In 2026, my work will also include a project on computational thinking and how to evaluate it in the AI era.
Rather than a full autobiography, I’ll share a few overarching principles that have consciously guided a career focused on diversity and adaptability, followed by some “small idiosyncrasies worth noting.”
General Principles
General Principles
- Finding the keys to communicating, tackling challenges, and viewing the world from original / innovative angles are the guiding principles of my career. I have deliberately chosen a non‑linear yet coherent path, where each step fuels the next. While developing expertise in psychology (culminating in a Ph.D. from the University of Geneva), I also built strong skills in methodology, data analysis, and pedagogy.
- These strengths have enabled me to take on disciplinary and institutional jumps, continuously expanding my areas of expertise and adding new ones in business economics, innovation, digital ethics, and artificial intelligence.
- I actively cultivate an agile, creative profile that can add value to fundamental or applied research projects, teaching initiatives, and service offerings for public or private organizations.
- Forever in motion, I regularly join or lead a wide variety of projects.
PIMA – “Petites Idiosyncrasies Méritant Attention” (Small Idiosyncrasies Worth Noticing)
- I have worked, taught, and/or conducted research extensively at EPF, HEU, HEP, and HES - essentially covering the whole Swiss higher‑education spectrum! This includes public institutions, semi‑public bodies, and private one… sometimes within the same year.
- My exact teaching‑hour count has been lost in the ether, but I have delivered more than 4 000 classroom hours (front‑face teaching only) and I’m still going!
- I supervised 26 Bachelor theses for outstanding HES students in corporate economics (marketing, business development, etc.).
- I wear many hats; my favorite is that of the “Old‑School Methodologist,” a role that is practically extinct today (from an old-school methodologist point of view :))!
Curriculum vitae
See "Biography" and "Professional experiences" sections
Professionals experiences
AI & Education Specialist
See "Mission"
Scientific Expert/Contracted Consultant
Scientific expert and contracted consultant on various projects
- In-depth foresight analysis to support strategic decision-making.
- Predictive analysis addressing a strategic issue in education.
- Analysis of training data and applied-research data.
Lecturer/Trainer
Lecturer/Trainer to teaching and research staff, primarily PhD students in psychology or related fields.
Development or co-development of the course concept, instructional scenario, content and materials for the following modules:
Development or co-development of the course concept, instructional scenario, content and materials for the following modules:
- Data Analysis with R (beginner level)
- Data Analysis with R (intermediate/advanced level)
- Science Meets Practice
Instructional Designer
Instructional Designer for the co-development, co-implementation and co-delivery (video recordings and classroom presence) of the "Responsible Software" course and MOOC.
- Instructional design
- Production of learning resources (documents, slide decks, videos, etc.)
- Active participation in teaching sessions and assessments
Interdisciplinary Innovation Coach
Pedagogical supervision and mentoring of interdisciplinary teams during a one‑week “Innovation Crunch Time” process that brings together students, higher‑education institutions and private or public organizations.
Lecturer
Course Lecturer – Quantitative Methods: “Yes We Can!”
Centre for Disciplinary Didactics (2cr2d), Master’s programme in Disciplinary Didactics (MADD), HEP‑VS
Centre for Disciplinary Didactics (2cr2d), Master’s programme in Disciplinary Didactics (MADD), HEP‑VS
- Designed the course concept and pedagogical scenario.
- Developed all learning content, teaching materials and assessment instruments.
Trainer/Instructor
Training programmes for candidates to the Master of Advanced Studies – Human Development in Organizations (MAS DHO)
- Designing the overall course concept and instructional scenario
- Developing curricula, learning content, and teaching materials (handouts, slides, e‑learning resources, etc.)
Senior Lecturer and Research Associate
Senior Teaching Fellow and Research Associate – Quantitative Methodology & Methods (Teaching, Research & Consulting)
- Teaching and supervision duties – approximately 1 146 hours/year, plus 100 hours/year of self‑directed professional development.
- Applied‑research projects and consulting assignments – about 250 hours/year.
- Co‑responsible for the Master’s Coordination Committee (TM) of the Master INNOKICK programme.
- Delivered courses at both Bachelor and Master level for the INNOKICK programmes at HES‑SO.
Senior Scientific Collaborator
Senior Scientific Collaborator – Human Resources, Innovation & Marketing, Sustainable Development
- Teaching activities
- Supervision/mentoring activities
- Applied‑research projects and client‑service engagements (consulting assignments)
Teaching and Research Assistant
Research and Teaching Assistant – Faculty of Psychology
- Teaching responsibilities
- Research responsibilities
Teaching and Research Assistant
Research and Teaching Assistant – Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Methodology & Data‑Analysis (MAD) Group
- Teaching responsibilities
- Research responsibilities
Teaching and Research Assistant
Methodological and statistical consulting
- Providing methodological advice on study designs and data‑collection methods.
- Conducting power analyses and performing advanced statistical analyses.
Academic Tutor/Mentor
Tutoring for first‑year students
Junior Researcher
Junior Research at the Inter‑University Laboratory of Psychology
Administered a comprehensive battery of tests, interviews and questionnaires (average duration ≈ 2 h 30 min) for the “Mnemonic Self‑Efficacy: Causes & Consequences” (SAM‑CC) project, interviewing more than one hundred senior participants (incredible life experience!).
Administered a comprehensive battery of tests, interviews and questionnaires (average duration ≈ 2 h 30 min) for the “Mnemonic Self‑Efficacy: Causes & Consequences” (SAM‑CC) project, interviewing more than one hundred senior participants (incredible life experience!).
Education
Psychology
| Ph.D. Thesis: The role of perceived importance of the comparison dimension in the “Better‑than‑Average” effect: Theoretical and methodological contributions.
2007 – 2013
University of Geneva
Directed by
Paolo Ghisletta & Olivier Desrichard
Psychology: Neurocognition and social cognition
| Validation of the "French Over-Claiming Questionnaire" and French version of the "Narcissistic Personality Inventory"
2006 – 2007
Université de Savoie Mont Blanc
Directed by
Olivier Desrichard
Awards
University‑based scholarship awarded for academic excellence. Graduate (third‑cycle) scholarship for a Research Master (M2).
Université de Savoie Mont Blanc
2006
Selected publications
Nurse-led patient-centred intervention to increase written advance directives for outpatients in early-stage palliative care: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial with an embedded explanatory qualitative study
Katia Iglesias, Catherine Busnel, Florian Dufour, Sophie Pautex, Laurence Séchaud
Published in BMJ Open in 2020
Impact organisationnel des dispositifs médicaux sous l’angle de leur évaluation par le personnel soignant : protocole d’étude et premières étapes basées sur la méthodologie COSMIN.
Florian Dufour, Caryn Mathy, Jean-Pierre Uwitonze
Published in 43ème Journées des Economistes de la Santé Français, Paris [Full paper] in 2021
Increasing Tips in Less Than Two Hours: Impact of a Training Intervention on the Amount of Tips Received by Restaurant Employees
Sébastien Fernandez, Florian Dufour, Vânia Costa, Charlotte de Boer, Lohyd Terrier, Philippe Golay
Published in Cornell Hospitality Quarterly in 2020
Description et analyse d’un dispositif pédagogique destiné à renforcer l’interdisciplinarité dans un Master interdisciplinaire
Florian Dufour, Nathalie Nyffeler
Published in Revue Internationale de Pédagogie de l'Enseignement Supérieur in 2019
Interdisciplinary project teams: dynamics of interdisciplinarity, collaboration and performance.
Florian Dufour, Zarina Charlesworth
Published in LXXIXth Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Boston in 2019
Mesurer le risque social en entreprise. Le modèle de la réluctance socio-organisationnelle
Stéphanie Baggio, Florian Dufour, Pierre-Eric Sutter
Published in Psychologie du Travail et des Organisations in 2017
Développement des environnements intelligents (ubiquitous computing) dans le monde du travail et enjeux éthiques : analyse de l’attitude du public
Florian Dufour, Céline Ehrwein
Published in Interfaces Numériques in 2016
Do Robots Need to Be Stereotyped? Technical Characteristics as a Moderator of Gender Stereotyping
Florian Dufour, Céline Ehrwein
Published in Social Sciences in 2016
Validation d’une mesure d’autovalorisation Le Questionnaire Français de Surestimation des Connaissances (French Over-Claiming Questionnaire)
Florian Dufour, Olivier Desrichard
Published in Vive(nt) les différences. Psychologie différentielle fondamentale et applications in 2012
Approche multivariée de la créativité. Revalidation de modèles intégratifs avancés
Guillaume Fürst, Todd Lubart, Paolo Ghisletta, Florian Dufour
Published in Vive(nt) les différences. Psychologie différentielle fondamentale et applications in 2012
Teaching & PhD
Teaching portfolio: past and present
Post‑Doctoral / Doctoral – Teaching & Research Staff
- Hands‑On GenAI and Education Workshop - EPFL (targeted to the EPFL community)
- Micro‑MOOC - FlashLearn: Documentary Research & Information Quality – HES‑SO (Continuing Education, Economy & Services)
- Research Methods Workshops - Master of Advanced Studies in Human Development in Organizations (MAS DHO)
- R Data‑Analysis (Intermediate/Advanced) - CUSO (Doctoral Programme in Psychology)
- R Data‑Analysis (Beginner) - CUSO (Doctoral Programme in Psychology)
- Science Meets Practice - CUSO (Doctoral Programme in Psychology)
- Making Sense of Data (Donner du Sens aux Données) - HEIG‑VD (Teaching & research staff)
- Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling - University of Geneva (USMB teaching & research staff)
Master‑Level Courses
- Quantitative Methods: “Yes We Can!” - 2cr2d / HEP‑VS, Master in Disciplinary Didactics
- Research Methods (Master’s Thesis Module) - HES‑SO, MSc Integrated Innovation for Product & Business Development, Interdisciplinary
- TD Multivariate Data Analysis - University of Geneva, Psychology
- TD Structural Equation Modeling - University of Geneva, Psychology
- Methods for Developmental Psychology Research - University of Geneva, Psychology
Bachelor‑Level Courses
- Foundations, History & Science - HES, Applied Psychology
- Course & MOOC “Responsible Software” - EPFL, IC Section
- Interdisciplinary Innovation CRUNCH Time Supervision - HEIG‑VD, Interdisciplinary
- Methodology 02 - HEIG‑VD, Business Economics
- Statistics 01 - HEIG‑VD, Business Economics
- Methodology 01 - HEIG‑VD, Business Economics
- Survey Statistics - HEIG‑VD, Business Economics
- Communication 04 - HEIG‑VD, Business Economics
- Building an Analytical Approach - HEIG‑VD, Business Economics
- Methods & Statistics 02 – Université Suisse à Distance (future University of Valais), Psychology
- TD Statistics in Psychology 01 - University of Geneva, Psychology
- TD Statistics in Psychology 02 - University of Geneva, Psychology
- TD Introduction to Methodology & Data Analysis - University of Geneva, Psychology
Supervised Bachelor Projects (HEIG‑VD ‑ Business Economics)
- Gültekin, I. (2023). Analyse du marché et élaboration d’une stratégie marketing en vue d’accroître la visibilité de JM Contactless, une entreprise offrant des bracelets comme moyen de paiement cashless pour des manifestations. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- Murone, V. (2023). Analyse du marché romand et développement de recommandations concourant au développement d’affaires d’une start-up active dans l’expérience utilisateur. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel. Prix CVCI pour un Travail en Innovation (encore félicitations!).
- Amorim Martins, P. (2023). Conception d’un plan de développement d’affaires suite à l’étude des offres, services et opportunités d’affaires pour une entreprise active dans la distribution de produits et machines d’entretien. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- Thaçie, F. (2023). Développement d’une stratégie commerciale pour une entreprise active sur le marché suisse hautement concurrentiel des cosmétiques naturels. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- Rachez, A. (2023). Développement du rôle, des ressources et de la collaboration du secteur du Logement de la Ville d’Yverdon-les-Bains avec les coopératives de logements afin de répondre aux problématiques du logement. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail non confidentiel.
- Yaïche, M. (2023). Élaboration d’une stratégie de différenciation pour une PME suisse active dans la production et la vente de Cannabidiol (CBD, produit de cannabis avec un taux de THC inferieur à 1%) visant à accroître et pérenniser son activité. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- Nrejaj, J. (2023). Étude du potentiel de marché d’un nouveau produit et élaboration d’une stratégie marketing et communication pour une entreprise vaudoise, afin de construire une image de marque tout en promouvant la pratique du padel. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- Rosero Lara, A. (2023). Étude sur les facteurs qui poussent les apprentis de suisse romande à quitter une société anonyme de droit public et proposition d’améliorations de l’attractivité de l’entreprise. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- Grobéty, S. (2023). Mise en place d’une stratégie au sein d’un établissement d’assurances, visant l’amélioration de la performance des collaborateurs/trices suite à une récente réorganisation en matière de structure et de style de gestion de l’entreprise. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- Hoxha, F. (2023). Analyse de la satisfaction des collaborateurs de la Régie Duboux SA par rapport à leurs conditions de travail afin de proposer des recommandations permettant l’amélioration du climat de travail. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- To, L. (2022). Analyse du potentiel marché d’une plateforme de réservation pour des services de garages automobiles en Suisse romande et définition de la stratégie marketing visant à exploiter l’opportunité d’affaire pour une entreprise active dans le domaine du digital. Bachelor of Science HES-SO en Economie d’Entreprise (BSc HES-SO). Travail confidentiel.
- Gerum, S. (2022). Analyse des habitudes de consommation de viande et leur évolution dans les prochaines années en Suisse romande pour la société Micarna. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Blanc, L. (2022). Analyse du comportement des consommateurs de la nouvelle gamme de produits de l’entreprise Biscuits Agathe afin de développer sa stratégie marketing. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- King, B. (2022). Analyse de marché en vue de l’élaboration d’une stratégie marketing pour une PME active dans le domaine de l’assistance technique à l’étranger et du portage salarial, dans le but de fidéliser ses agents et d’attirer de nouveaux clients. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Neuschwander, J. (2022). Analyse B2B des entreprises alimentaires suisses pour une start-up de production de poudre de vers de farine afin d’élaborer une stratégie marketing. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Nadal, A. (2022). Élaboration d’une stratégie marketing pour une entreprise de thé dans le but d’accroître sa visibilité. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Folly, E. (2021). Analyse du marché du soutien et coaching en ligne à destination des étudiant-e-s des hautes écoles de Suisse romande pour déterminer l’opportunité de la création d’une plateforme e-learning et développer le modèle d’affaires d’un centre d’appui scolaire. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Bochud, D. (2021). Développement du modèle d’affaires et élaboration de la stratégie marketing d’une
- entreprise individuelle souhaitant développer une activité sur le marché des articles de transport canin. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Sauty, V. (2021). Analyse de la communication interne et externe en vue d’établir une stratégie de communication pour un réseau multidisciplinaire. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Kanar, I. (2020). Analyse du concours Les Négociales Suisse afin de développer sa notoriété et renforcer le positionnement de la HEIG-VD en tant que centre de compétences suisse en négociation. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Mitrovic, I. (2020). Stratégie marketing d’élargissement de la clientèle : étude de marché pour une entreprise active dans le domaine des super-aliments. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Dagon, M. (2019). Analyse des besoins d’une entreprise en matière d’entretien annuel et proposition de recommandations visant à l’amélioration du processus et de l’outil en place. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- De Souza Blanchet, V. (2019). Etude visant à développer une stratégie de marketing digital afin de renforcer la présence online d’une entreprise suisse distribuant des produits de haute technologie tant sur le marché national qu’international. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Penalva, J. (2018). Evaluation de la confiance portée par la population suisse romande à l’égard de l’économie et de ses principaux acteurs pour le compte d’economiesuisse. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.
- Ruegger, E. (2018). Etude du comportement d’achat du consommateur en milieu virtuel contextualisée au sein du jeu de rôle massivement multijoueurs (MMORPG) World of Warcraft. BSc HES-SO.
- Martinez de Tejada, S. (2018). Analyse de l’environnement et de la communication actuelle de l’Association des Mexicains et amis du Mexique Vaud et Neuchâtel afin d’élaborer une stratégie marketing, notamment la stratégie de communication, dans le but d’optimiser sa récolte de fonds. BSc HES-SO.
- Jasiqi, S. (2018). Analyse du comportement du consommateur pour une entreprise spécialisée dans la vente de produits de sports de glisse et de sports extrêmes. BSc HES-SO. Travail confidentiel.