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LabEx MATISSE
MATerials, Interfaces, Surfaces, Environment

Director's message

MATISSE is an acronym for Matériaux, Interfaces, Surfaces et Environnement (Materials, Interfaces, Surfaces and Environment). The aim of this project is to bring together scientific expertise and technical skills of laboratories of the UPMC working on aspects related to materials in Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences.

I would also like to point out the presence in the consortium of four teams working on heritage issues, some of whom are members of Sorbonne Universités. It is thus a project with a structuring effect within Sorbonne Universités, based on a research program and interdisciplinary training, probably unique in the French community of materials science. MATISSE includes about 300 researchers and academics, and about 100 engineers and technicians.

 

The striking originality of MATISSE, based on the skills of its participants, is to study both natural and synthetic materials, materials in their environment for example by studying their alteration or biodegradation, as also materials developed for the Environment for applications in areas such as pollution control and energy.

 

The scientific objective of MATISSE is twofold, a fundamental approach leading to a better understanding of the organization of matter and resulting properties and a more applied approach to the creation of new materials with novel properties.

 

For its training program MATISSE relies on existing masters and doctoral programs, in particular international programs to enhance attractiveness and international visibilité.

What are the major challenges for society?

MATISSE is based on strong partnerships with industry since 8 major groups have given their support to this project (Saint-Gobain, Essilor, Air Liquide, Arcelor-Mittal, Sagem, EADS, LVMH, Lafarge cement) as well as national institutions such as IFP, CEA and ANDRA. This reflects the confidence of these partners in the ability of MATISSE to address the main challenges facing society in the materials science field such as the  management of mineral resources, waste disposal, protection against corrosion, soil remediation and development of environmentally friendly materials.

 

Moreover, thanks to the presence in the consortium of teams working on Heritage related aspects from the ‘Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle’, the ‘Musée du Louvre’ and the ‘Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques’, MATISSE will also work in closely with French cultural agencies by making available scientific and technical advances for conservation purposes, and for heritage management and development.

 

Coming to educational aspects one of the points in the MATISSE training project could be the creation of dual programs like ‘Physics and Chemistry of Materials’ or ‘Science and Heritage’.

What were the challenges you faced while developing the project?

MATISSE is a true cross-disciplinary operation within the UPMC that brings together all players working in Materials Science, including those who would probably not have done so spontaneously. Chemists and physicists are already used to working togethe, with in particular a common Doctoral school entitled ‘Physics and Chemistry of Materials’, but contacts between UPMC chemists and geologists are rarer. The development phase of the project has already established a dialogue between the three communities.

 

It is also has a structuring nature within Sorbonne Universités with teams from the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, but also from the Université Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris 4). In particular, MATISSE has been instrumental in bringing closer the collections of minerals of the UPMC and the Museum, both being among the richest in the world.

 

30/07/15

Traductions :

Director's message

MATISSE is an acronym for Matériaux, Interfaces, Surfaces et Environnement (Materials, Interfaces, Surfaces and Environment). The aim of this project is to bring together scientific expertise and technical skills of laboratories of the UPMC working on aspects related to materials in Chemistry, Physics...

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Key figures

MATISSE : 

4 disciplines

  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Earth Science
  • Cultural heritage

18 partners

 

400 researchers

Contact

Direction :

Florence Babonneau

Administration :

Laurence Bonnet-Lericque

Communication :

 

 

matisse @ upmc.fr

Tél. (33) 1 44 27 62 36