Riad Haidar has been the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of ONERA since 1 January 2022. He succeeds Stéphane Andrieux, who has taken retirement. This means he is the head of the DSP (Direction scientifique et prospective - Scientific research and forward planning directorate), which includes the General Scientific Directorate (DSG), the CPVA (Centre de Prospective et de Veille Aérospatiales), ONERA's aerospace prospective studies and monitoring centre, and the DST (Direction de l’information scientifique et technique - Scientific and technical information directorate). We look back on his career path in the service of science and education.