research

main research interests

Paleoceanography

My research interests encompass paleoclimatological reconstructions in the intertropical zone, based on late Cenozoic sediment records. I focus on paleoceanographic reconstructions, with a particular interest in understanding the subsurface structure of the water column—critical for constraining heat content and biogeochemical gradients across a range of timescales.

Ecology and Biodiversity of Plankton

We work primarily on the ecology of planktonic foraminifera, notably through the FORCIS project funded by the Fondation pour la Recherche sur la Biodiversité – Centre de Synthèse et d’Analyse sur la Biodiversité (CESAB).

Historical changes in planktonic foraminiferal assemblages have yet to be synthesized at a global scale, despite numerous individual collection efforts. The FORCIS project addresses this gap by compiling a global dataset of species diversity and abundance using modern digital tools for data management and analysis. The ultimate goal is to understand the influence of major stressors—such as temperature and ocean acidification—on species distribution and calcification processes, with a focus on present and near-future ocean conditions.

Micropal Robotics & Software

We are developing novel tools to facilitate the work of micropaleontologists and to generate large, curated datasets of microfossils. This work is conducted within the MANTA platform at CEREGE (formerly known as Microautomate).

  • MiSo – Microfossil Sorter: A fully automated large-scale sorting machine, developed with ATG Technology and protected by patent, that enables z-stacked imaging of particles from coarse sediment fractions (150 µm–2 mm). It separates individual particles into microtubes using imaging-based neural network techniques. Watch the system in action: MiSo movie. (Credit: Ross Marchant & Martin Tetard – screenplay, acting, filming, and mixing.)

  • SASHIMI – 3D Printer + Camera: A low-cost system for z-stacked image acquisition of individual particles.

Our in-house software includes:

  • MiSo Control Software: Licensed to ATG Technology, this software manages all MiSo operations.
  • Particle-Trieur: A tool for image annotation from any imaging source, managing associated metadata, CNN construction, morphological metrics, and more.
  • Sashimi: Control software for the Leica MZ16A/Isopro/Basler imaging setup.

Oceanographic Cruises

I have participated in over 15 oceanographic cruises and am actively involved in two major projects, including a trans-Pacific expedition aiming to recover sediment records along an east–west transect for reconstructing past ENSO dynamics.

Administrative Duties

I have held several scientific and administrative responsibilities at CEREGE:

  • Co-head of the Climatic Variability and Impact on Ecosystems theme (2012–2017)
  • Head of the Climate group (January 2018 – December 2023)
  • Member of the CEREGE collegium (2018–2021)

At the national level, I have served as Chair of the Ocean and Atmosphere Scientific Committee (CSOA) since January 2021.