Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet TEESFtrain (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

For increasing the amount of freight transported by railway, freight trains have become longer and faster in recent years. The rising speed brings large motion resistances, including wheel-rail contact forces, suspension forces, and wind forces. On one hand, larger motion resistances consume more energy, producing more carbon emissions. On the other hand, violent wheel-rail forces and wind forces lead to high risks of derailment and overturning for high-speed freight trains (HSFTs).  To save energy consumed by motion resistances (ECMR), some scholars reduced wind drag forces on HSFT by adjusting the train composition, and some scholars regarded HSFT as a mass point to optimize switching points of accelerating, cruising, coast, and braking based on empirical equations of ECMR. Previous studies did not evaluate the complete ECMR of the wind-vehicle-track coupled system precisely, not to mention juggling ECMR and operation safety of HSFT. Thus, this project adjusts motion resistances of HSFT by optimizing its structural parameters and control strategy to simultaneously decrease ECMR and improve operation safety, thereby reducing induced carbon emissions safely.  This project will establish the ECMR model for trains under wind actions. On this base, the train configuration and cargo loading position will be optimized for energy efficiency and operation safety. The operation condition of HSFT will be adjusted according to track conditions to reduce ECMR. Finally, a semi-active control strategy of suspension dampers will be proposed to decrease ECMR and carbody vibration.  This project can provide an effective tool to evaluate ECMR and take comprehensive measures to realize multi-objective optimization for energy efficiency and operation safety. If widely applied within the EU, the research outcomes can save €1.3 billion and decrease 0.3 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. This project will greatly support the EU’s blueprint for climate neutrality by 2050.

Mots clés : vehicle system dynamics railway engineering train aerodynamics multi objective optimization energy efficiency multibody dynamics simulation

Participants :
- École polytechnique de Milan (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 157112.46 €
Projet TANGO (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

On-Orbit Servicing (OOS) is flourishing. According to the EU future space ecosystem, autonomous servicing satellites are needed to revolutionize the use of near-Earth orbits, and to ensure space sustainability. Indeed, autonomy is a key asset to reduce operational cost from ground operators, but also to enable more complex and essential in-orbit tasks (satellite refueling, debris removal). The human-in-the-loop approach induces inevitable delays in the satellite operational loop, especially on the Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) subsystem, making it unable to complete critical tasks with guaranteed precision and safety. Nowadays, satellites are equipped with onboard vision sensors to compute and execute autonomously their operational task, yet, these tasks are still relatively simple. The project TANGO (Task-based visual Autonomous Navigation and Guidance in uncooperative close-proximity Operations) aims to couple event-based and RGB (Red Green Blue)-based vision to allow satellites sensing rapidly and accurately their environment, to select and track a target satellite, and to operate vision-based guidance for solving challenging, if not currently impossible, operational tasks in low Earth Orbit (LEO), free of human intervention. The main objectives of TANGO are first to develop a fast relative navigation algorithm to enable closed-loop vision-based guidance, and to develop a stable and robust visual servoing guidance law to complete on-orbit services. Then, these algorithms will be implemented on space graded hardware to proceed with a complete and credible dynamic validation using cutting-edge optical and robotic facilities to mimic LEO environment. The final target is to provide a proof-of-concepts of on-orbit servicing missions, satellite refueling and satellite removal, both covering a wide type of in-space services, and both being at the heart of current research and industrial questions to enable a sustainable use of the low Earth orbit.

Mots clés : satellite navigation, event camera, satellite guidance, visual servoing, satellite gnc, robotics, astrodynamics, optimal control

Participants :
- École polytechnique de Milan (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 193643.28 €
Projet QNOIWA (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Worldwide efforts are undertaken today towards improving the detection of gravitational waves (GW). The detection of these waves allows to deepen our understanding of the Universe, its composition, and its creation. Today, environmental or technical sources of noise of GW detectors are well controlled. As a result, the strain sensitivity of most GW detectors is fundamentally limited by quantum noise throughout most of their detection bandwidth. In particular, one effect called the quantum back action (QBA) is dominant typically below 100Hz, while shot noise dominates at higher frequencies. One common solution to beat the fundamental quantum limit is to use squeezed light, but this technique is only effective within a relatively narrow frequency band. For broadband detection, it is necessary to impose a frequency-dependent tailoring of the squeezed light source, an expensive solution which requires the construction of large scale (hundreds of meters) Fabry-Pero cavities. In this research project, we propose the experimental investigation of an alternative solution for beating both shot noise (high frequency) and QBA (low frequency) simultaneously. The technique relies on the macroscopic entanglement of the GW detector and an atomic spin ensemble which behaves as a negative-mass oscillator. By probing both systems using a non-degenerate entangled source of light, it becomes possible to beat the quantum limit over a large spectral bandwidth. We intend to build a compact proof-of-principle setup which would serve as a prototype for applications in existing large scale GW detection systems, as well as in the upcoming Einstein Telescope due in 2035. We believe it is competitive with state-of-the-art techniques currently implemented on GW detectors, with nevertheless a great advantage in price, compactness and versatility of integration. If successful, our project could significantly contribute to the next generation of GW detectors.

Mots clés : gravitational waves, quantum noise, quantum back action, interferometry

Participants :
- Université de Copenhague (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 214934.4 €
Projet EXTRADARK (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Stellar streams are sensitive to both the distribution of dark matter and the population of dark matter subhalos in galaxies, which both vary depending on the nature of the dark matter particle. In galaxies beyond the Milky Way, extragalactic systems, we can apply a hierarchical inference approach, where we draw from expected distributions to look at thousands of stellar stream properties in a statistical sense. My proposed research will lay the theoretical groundwork and fill the missing gaps in our knowledge of streams in external galaxies to prepare for the wealth of incoming stellar stream data materializing over the next decade from the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and Euclid. The objectives of this proposal is: 1) to map where the missing thin stellar streams from globular clusters, which are most sensitive to perturbations from subhalos, are located in external galaxies, 2) to develop tools to recover dark matter potentials from stellar streams in external galaxies, and 3) to place constraints on dark matter substructure through statistical analyses of streams and underdensities in dwarf galaxies. To achieve these objectives, I will analyze publicly released catalogs of globular cluster formation and evolution models, develop numerical techniques to model multiple streams at once in external galaxies, and run state-of-the-art Nbody simulations of disrupting globular clusters in dwarfs. This work will facilitate direct comparisons between upcoming data and models from various dark matter particle candidate predictions. My proposed work provides a fundamental method of mapping the otherwise invisible dark matter, and will impact the interdisciplinary direction of dark matter research, in both particle physics and astrophysics.

Mots clés : stellar streams, dark matter halo, dark matter subhalos

Participants :
- Université de Copenhague (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 230774.4 €
Projet Hochschild (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

This project will combine methods from commutative algebra, representation theory and rational homotopy theory to improve our understanding of Hochschild homology and cohomology, especially the open problem of determining their growth. At the project's core is the deep interplay between Hochschild cohomology and the cotangent complex, a bridge that will be exploited in both directions. I will use techniques pioneered in his solution of Vasconcelos' conjecture, which were further developed in my work with Iyengar to drastically improve our knowledge on the cotangent complex. Concretely, the first objective is to show that non-complete intersection rings exhibit exponential growth in their Hochschild homology; through the theory of free loop spaces this will be applied to Vigué-Poirrier's conjecture on rationally hyperbolic spaces, and to Gromov's closed geodesic problem. Second, the same novel methods will also be used to shed light on the long out of reach Second Conjecture of Quillen on the cotangent complex. Third, I will develop the theory of natural operations on Hochschild cohomology, filling a gap in the state-of-the-art and adding a tool to be applied in the first two objectives. Each of these problems directly impacts our understanding of the homological behaviour of complete intersection rings, and will indirectly be used to develop and unify the theory of "non-commutative complete intersection rings" which mirror their behaviour. The proposed project will be hosted a world focal point for homotopical methods in algebra, and supervised by two leading experts in algebra and topology; it will raise my research profile to the top level, establishing my position as a leading figure at the intersection of commutative algebra, non-commutative algebra, and topology.

Mots clés : commutative algebra, non commutative algebra, homological algebra, hochschild co homology, complete intersections, cotangent complex, b infinity algebras, loop spaces, rational homotopy theory

Participants :
- Université de Copenhague (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 214934.4 €
Projet TSBC (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The goal of this project will be to create a general theoretical framework to study the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of biological systems with particular focus on synthetic circuits in cell-free environments. To do this, we will rely on the recently developed theory of stochastic thermodynamics, which makes it possible to study the fluctuating thermodynamics of small-scaled systems arbitrary far from equilibrium.  Firstly, we will construct a framework to determine the thermodynamic performance of any given synthetic biological circuits. This can be done by breaking the complicated circuits up into specific modules and derive general expressions for the thermodynamic properties of these individual modules. We will first look at cell-free translation-free nucleic-acid networks, and subsequently extend the results to transcription-translation systems and cellular implementations.Secondly, this framework will be used to optimize the thermodynamic performance of some of the most important biologically relevant circuits. We will first focus on simple network motives such as toggle-switches and oscillators, where we will study the optimal network structures leading to the correct behaviour. Subsequently, we will move to more complicated systems such as molecular amplifiers and absolute concentration robust sensors, where we will look at optimal designs, but also derive general trade-off relations between dissipation and robustness.  We expect that our results will lead to new design principles for synthetic circuits and give a better understanding of what can and cannot be done using these synthetic networks, but we also believe that our results will lead to a better understanding of the motives behind the evolution of real gene-regulatory networks.

Mots clés : stochastic thermodynamics

Participants :
- Université de Copenhague (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 230774.4 €
Projet circlePLANT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Enhancing plants’ natural innate and immune systems for the generation of primed plants that will better withstand stressors, can be an effective way to reduce losses in crop production. These systems are broadly defined under the plant transgenerational inheritance (TI) of stress memory, which is based on the heritability of attained traits caused by environmental conditions. I propose a new player in plant TI: the extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA). EccDNA is recognized as a major source of genetic variation behind key adaptive traits. I hypothesize that stress-responsive eccDNAs in the soma of a plant can be considered as adaptive toolkits, that can be transferred to the gametes during meiosis, and thus to the progeny. Thus, I have developed an ambitious but feasible plan, to bridge two major gaps in this context: (1) We require innovative technologies to prove causation, so I will develop the first and novel genetic toolbox to study eccDNAs in plants, by targeted circularization driven by the novel CRISPR-C system; (2) We lack knowledge about how eccDNAs are inherited, so I will characterize the transmission of eccDNAs from the soma to the gametophyte in Arabidopsis, through genome-scale (Circle-seq) and cytological analysis (FISH). CirclePLANT offers a unique opportunity for the development of a new line of research, with potentially remarkable impact because it will explore the bases for eccDNA-based technologies that may be useful in crop breeding, ultimately leading to the generation of stable climate-smart crops, which fits with the environmental objectives of the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of improving crop yields by applying low-input agricultural practices.

Mots clés : extrachromosomal circular dna, transgenerational inheritance, meiosis, crispr c, arabidopsis thaliana

Participants :
- Université de Copenhague (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 214934.4 €
Projet InvasOME (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Biological invasions are one of the major threats to biodiversity worldwide, due to the many impacts and rapid spread of invasive alien species (IAS). However, the exact mechanisms underlying invasiveness remain poorly understood. I hypothesise that metagenomic plasticity may be involved in invasions, i.e. IAS may be able to quickly acclimate and adapt to their new environment and oust native species thanks to the higher dynamism of their microbial community structure and/or gene expression patterns. I will study microbiome dynamics in two phylogenetically-close mammals: a successful invader (grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis) and a native species ousted by the former (red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris), investigating the diverse interplay among their gut microbiome, parasite infection, dietary flexibility and behaviour (individual personality). I will employ an observational approach in a natural experimental setting, comparing variation in the microbiome-phenome dynamics of the two species at both the individual-level (across seasons) and population-level (along a natural-urban gradient). InvasOME will help disclose the mechanisms behind invasiveness and rapid adaptation of IAS, offering useful insights that may prove relevant for the prevention and management of biological invasions. This project is highly multidisciplinary and perfectly integrates several disciplines part of my skill set (invasion ecology, parasitology and behavioural ecology) with state-of-the-art metagenomics in which I will receive advanced training by the proposed host, who has a relevant experience and an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to these fields. I designed this project also to enhance my transferable skills, making the most of the host institution initiatives. I am thus confident that InvasOME will both open an under-explored line of research and at the same time greatly enhance my potential, helping my transition to an independent researcher position.

Mots clés : invasive alien species microbiome animal behaviour parasites squirrels

Participants :
- Université de Copenhague (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 214934.4 €
Projet GOVERN-ANIMALITY (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

"History of Animal Governmentality: Models of Animal Exploitation and Resistance in Europe (mid-17th-19th Centuries)" (GOVERN-ANIMALITY) investigates the different forms of animal exploitation taking place in Europe between the mid-17th and the 19th century. By linking together concepts and practices of human relationships to other animals, my aim is to write an epistemological and political history of animal government. To this end, I use different kinds of historical sources, ranging from philosophical, naturalistic, and economic texts to technical manuals (equestrian, veterinary, and zootechnical works). My central question is: what are the actual logics of power over animals, and how did they change over the course of the modern period? By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, GOVERN-ANIMALITY intertwines the epistemological problem of the status of living beings in the history of philosophy and science, with the material history of animal husbandry. This project uses methodological tools that have not been previously employed in the analysis of animal exploitation: namely, historical epistemology and Foucault’s genealogy. By including the voice of the technicians of animal exploitation – who provide abundant testimony of animals' needs and resistance –, this project also aims to restore, at least in part, the agency of animals. Moreover, it looks at the connections between animal inferiorization and mechanisms of animalisation deployed against a variety of human categories. Within the context of a growing academic and social interest in the relationship between human societies and nature, intensified by recent ecological and pandemic crises, GOVERN-ANIMALITY thus provides a critical reflection on the shaping of modern forms of knowledge-power over living beings, characterising Western societies.

Mots clés : historical animal studies governmentality biopolitics zootechnics acclimatization domestication and reproduction in 18th and 19th century europe animal agency and resistance

Participants :
- École des hautes études en sciences sociales (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195914.88 €
Projet BretPal (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

BretPal seeks to answer the main question of what is Breton Caroline minuscule, who wrote it, and where? Despite advances in our understanding of early medieval Brittany's political history, our knowledge of Brittany's literary and intellectual history remains stunted due to a lack of being able to definitively ascribe manuscripts (and, therefore, the texts contained within) to Brittany. BretPal will establish parameters to identify those manuscripts from early medieval Brittany (c. 780–1100) based upon palaeographic and Digital Humanities methods. The project offers the first comprehensive narrative of the scribal and literary culture of early medieval Brittany, as well as an open-access digital database using the Archetype software. Further, the project will examine the wider impact that Breton intellectual culture had upon wider early medieval western Europe through the Breton diaspora from the ninth century onwards. BretPal will be hosted by the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) and will be carried out under the auspices of the Moore Institute with a secondment at the École Pratique de Hautes Études, Université Paris, Sciences & Lettres.


Participants :
- Université nationale d'Irlande à Galway (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 211024.4 €
- École pratique des hautes études (France) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €