7 LABEX - 1 EQUIPEX

7 Laboratories of excellence (LABEX)

AGRO

Partner laboratory: LGDP

The Agro Labex project is dedicated to plants of agronomic value. It brings together some thirty research units and more than 1200 scientists who together contribute a broad range of multidisciplinary expertise (biological sciences, engineering sciences, human and social sciences) in fields ranging from genetics to the end uses for plants. They also have recognised expertise in numerous temperate, Mediterranean and tropical species of plant. The network's scientific expertise falls into five closely related scientific areas:

• Genetics and economics, plant improvement, ecophysiology;
• Plant diseases and pests, integrated crop protection, population ecology;
• Agro-ecosystem management;
• Transformation technology management and food and non-food product quality;
• Social innovation management.
   
 

ARCHIMEDE

Partner laboratory: CRESEM

ARCHIMEDE aspires to being a centre of excellence for research and education about the ancient Mediterranean region and Egypt, and to bring together regional research bodies involved in archaeology and ancient history. It includes four scientific programmes:

• Identities
• Powers
• Economy and environment
• Symbolic representation

 

CeMEB

Partner laboratory: IHPE

The CeMEB carries out work into the dynamics of biodiversity and ecosystems and how they work against a backdrop of significant environmental changes – changes caused by anthropogenic activity in particular.
One of its key aims is to predict the biological consequences of changes to the planet using scenarios, and to anticipate the evolution of ecosystem services and human societies.
These research units look at all types of ecosystems (terrestrial and marine systems from the equator to the poles) and all types of living organisms (ranging from microorganisms to large mammals), and focus in particular on "wild biodiversity” within the framework of numerous long-term research programmes out in the field.

CORAIL

Pilot laboratory: CRIOBE

CORAIL aspires to providing a knowledge platform about coral reef ecosystems, designed to bring about more effective management of them. The CORAIL Laboratory of Excellence brings together various strands of French research and has gained a worldwide reputation, standing shoulder to shoulder alongside a number of major Australian, American and Japanese laboratories. A number of major universities in France's overseas territories and their associated bodies will be special partners in this project, resulting in the emergence of a French knowledge platform focused on tropical systems and providing possibilities for exploration out in the field. A LABEX project on coral reefs grouping together 80% of the French community is coherent. Unfortunately, French research into coral reefs is too scattered. And the result is that the French community's profile in this area is not very high at international level. United under the same project, they would rank the LABEX in second place at world level in research into coral reefs, just behind the Australian Centre of Excellence for Research into Coral Reefs, and well in front of various US and Japanese institutions.

ENTREPRENDRE

Pilot laboratory: MRM

The ENTREPRENDRE labex is made up of several research teams from the fields of law, economic and management, all specialising in entrepreneurship. Classed A by the international LabEx assessment jury, it is the only “Laboratory of Excellence” devoted to entrepreneurship retained in France as part of the Future Investment Programme.
Its brief is to create and share knowledge about entrepreneurship at the intersection of law, economics and management sciences. Its aims:

• Bolster entrepreneurial dynamism across the country
• Ensure that new companies are able to survive
• Devise legal, economic and management support schemes

SOLSTICE

Pilot laboratory: PROMES

The aim of the SOLSTICE (SOLar: Science, Technology and Innovation for the Conversion of Energy) is to create the country's leading research unit and one of the two leading European research groups in the field of concentrated solar power technology, including all conversion modes: production of electricity (thermodynamic and concentrated photovoltaics – CSP and CPV), synthetic fuels (CSF) and industrial heat for processing solids. It also sets out to set up key teams working on solar processes for recovering low-temperature heat for use in building air-conditioning systems, processes for developing thin layers for use in photovoltaic systems and photochemical processes for wastewater pollution removal (organic pollutants). The five research projects for these areas are as follows:

 
• High-efficiency, low-cost conversion processes for solar energy
• Ultra high-temperature materials for the next generation of solar power plants
• Synthetic fuels from solar energy
• Solar eco-technologies
• Optimisation of solar processes

TULIP

UPVD partner laboratory: LGDP

This labex promotes an interdisciplinary approach, combining biology and ecology, and focusing on the interactions between organisms within communities, in natural or human modified environments. The objectives of this project are the following:

• Strengthen research of excellence,
• Improve the attractiveness of its laboratories,
• Structure local research,
• Regroup its constituting laboratories to foster the emergence of new concepts and applications in environmental technologies.
• The final goal lies in gathering these projects and fostering the emergence of new concepts and applications in environmental technologies.

1 Equipment of Excellence (EQUIPEX)

SOCRATE

Pilot laboratory: PROMES

The aim of the SOCRATE (Concentrated Solar Power: Advanced Research and Technologies for Use in Energy) project is to create a national test platform with an international dimension to research concentrated solar power. The platform boasts all of the resources needed to conduct research and develop technologies for the sector – concentrated solar power in particular. The main objective is to improve and extend existing facilities. But the project also provides for the development of new facilities.