The first mission of a university is to produce and disseminate knowledge - and this is what Avignon University succeeds brilliantly in doing, but we sometimes know very little about what goes on in our own laboratories... This newsletter should help us to share the highlights of the institution's scientific life, the results of the researchers' work, but also the rich news of the services that accompany them. It is therefore both a tool at the service of researchers and a space to promote their work.
This first edition comes in a particular context which requires social distancing and which exposes us to the risk of a slowdown in exchanges, whereas the circulation and confrontation of ideas are at the heart of scientific activity... but research continues, in our minds and in our laboratories. This newsletter should also help to make this known.
Launch of the University Research School Implanteus
The Implanteus University Research School (EUR) has opened its doors for the start of the 2020 academic year.
A new course in the Master's programme in Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences and Technology (STA2E) has been created: the International Master's programme in Agricultural Sciences (IMAS). The courses are taught in English. For this first year, eight students at M2 level from Algeria, Morocco, Turkey, Lebanon and France were recruited.
In the short term, the EUR should have about 30 students in its IMAS course.
Your contacts for the EUR are Sylvie Fayard, Project Manager, and Malaury Boissier, International Development Officer, and Olivier Dangles, EUR Director.
The 3A Platform is a set of shared equipment jointly administered by INRAE and Avignon University and consists of 3 distinct platforms:
An Environmental Control Platform (ECP)
An Analytical Platform (AP) comprising 3 platforms (Metabolomics, Spectrometry and Microscopy)
A Platform for Animal and Human Physiology (PPAH)
The platform benefits from state-of-the-art equipment in the various specialities as well as high-level infrastructures in order to meet the challenges of scientific research and innovation.
The operational management of the Platform is carried out by Olivier Chevallierrecruited as the project leader and supported by Simon Raynalwhich provides logistical and technical support for the equipment. The team is in charge of its scientific animation (management of the analysis and maintenance schedule) as well as its promotion among public and private research actors and the socio-economic world. In addition, the platform benefits from the support of Maud Albisson for financial management.
Research projects
Result of the ANR 2020 generic call for projects
Six projects led by Avignon University researchers have been selected following the National Research Agency's (ANR) generic call for projects for 2020. The 2020 success rate of 33.33% is a remarkable performance compared to the 2019 edition (17.39%).
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Distinction: nomination of Paola Ranzini as member of the IUF
Paola Ranzini, Professor in Theatre Studies (section CNU 18) at Avignon University, is a senior member of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF) since 1 October 2020.
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International
Hosting international researchers and doctoral students
Avignon University is a EURAXESS Local Contact Point and a member of the Euraxess France association. The EURAXESS Researchers in Motion network is a European Commission initiative launched in 2004 to facilitate the mobility of researchers in Europe.
Clément Dezord is a PhD student in Physical Sciences at the EMMAH (Mediterranean Environment and Modelling of Agro-Hydrosystems) - UMR 1114. He is working on the development of a measuring instrument on the surface site of the Rustrel Low Noise Underground Laboratory (LSBB). For him, 'the thesis remains an extraordinary adventure', despite a 'path strewn with pitfalls', which give 'the opportunity to grow'.
October 2020
Marilyn Nicoud is a professor of history specialising in the history of medicine and health in the medieval period. At the beginning of this academic year, she was much in demand by the media to explain the relationship between the Covid-19 epidemic and past pandemics.
September 2020
Serigne Gueye is a Senior Lecturer and HDR (Habilité à Diriger les Recherches) at Computer Science Laboratory of Avignon University (LIA).
He is specialised in operational research on the solution of combinatorial optimisation problems and their applications. In his portrait, he shares with us one of his achievements: a work combining optimisation of the location of activities in an urban area and multi-agent simulation with the MatSim tool.
Doctoral Schools
Upcoming thesis defences
Tuesday 24 November - Cyril SAHUC - LIA
Thursday 26 November - Aimeric AGAOUA - GAFL (INRAE)
Thursday 17 December - Antoine GRANDPERRIN - LaPEC
Thursday 17 December - Marta ZAFFARONNI - PSH (INRAE)
Friday 15 January 2021 - Alexandra MARZIOU - LaPEC
Upcoming HDR* defences
Tuesday 8 December - Richard DUFOUR
Konstantinos CHALIKAKIS
*Habilitation to direct research
Call for applications: "Eiffel" scholarship programme
The new call for applications for the Eiffel Scholarship Programme is open for the 2021 campaign until midnight on Friday 8 January 2021.
The Eiffel scholarship programme is a tool developed by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs to enable French higher education institutions to attract the best foreign students to master's and doctoral degree programmes.
2 December 2020: FIS Doctoral Students' Day - videoconferences
On 2 December 2020, the Société Informatique de France (SIF), in collaboration with SPECIF CAMPUS, is organising a day of videoconferences for doctoral students, young PhDs and Master 2 students in computer science. The objective is to inform and exchange on the valorisation of skills acquired during the PhD for a multiplicity of careers and to draw up a panorama of professional opportunities offered to young PhDs in computer science, in the academic and industrial fields.
On Canal U, more than thirty videos of MidiSciences popular science conferences are available, from 2017 to date. The latest one on 12/03/2020 was on "Sweeteners in food. A real sweetener for health?" and was moderated by Sydney Risdon (LAPEC).
Discover the regional activity of CSTI: activities, programmes, publications of the actors of Scientific Culture in PACA, on the Echosciences PACA website.
News on valorisation, partnerships and intellectual property
PACTE Law: Taking into account the inventive step for the granting of patents
As of 22 May 2020, all French patent applications must be for a new invention, with an inventive step and capable of industrial application, for the patent to be granted at the end of the examination phase. The criterion of inventive step has indeed been integrated by the PACTE law into Article L. 612-12 of the Intellectual Property Code, allowing the INPI to reject an application if this criterion is not met. Only patent applications filed as from 22 May 2020 are concerned by this criterion, patent applications filed earlier continue to be examined as before.
Taking into account the criterion of inventive step for the granting of patents makes it possible to strengthen the quality, credibility and validity of patents, since the lack of inventive step is the main reason for the annulment of patents in court.
A model framework agreement for international cooperation was drafted by the Maison de l'International and the Maison de la Recherche and after submission to the SAJ was validated by the Board of Directors of the University of Avignon on 7/07/2020.
It can now be used by both directorates for any request for international cooperation with a foreign partner.
The 4 new innovation support schemes
Avignon University has set up 4 innovation support systems: the Passeport Innovation Entreprises business support programme; the possibility for researchers to create Business Units; the partnership chairs programme and finally the "coup de pouce" grant for young entrepreneurs.
21 November & 28 November7.20 pm: "Prioriterre" programmes on France 3
Presentation of the work of the members of the IMBE (Mediterranean Institute of Biodiversity and Marine and Continental Ecology) at the IUT of Avignon University:
- Subject of the programme of the 21st : the use of harvester ants in the Crau for ecological restoration ;
- Subject of the 28th : the installation of green roofs at the IUT of Avignon. >> Replay to come here
8 December Symposium: Symposium of the Agorantic Research Federation
Theme: "Robotics and Society: What future? >> Information and registration
The House of Research
The Maison de la Recherche supports the research activities of its laboratories.
It participates in the implementation and operational management of the University's scientific policy and supports the research community in its relations with the various partners in the socio-economic world.
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