Research units

HCERES report on research unit: Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont Ferrand LPC Clermont

Under the supervision of the following institutions and research bodies: Université Blaise Pascal – UBP Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique – CNRS

Evaluation Campaign 2015–2016 (Group B)

Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Evaluation report

This report is the sole result of evaluation by the expert committee, the composition of which is specified below.

The assessments contained herein are the expression of an independent and collegial reviewing by the committee.

Unit name: Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand

Unit acronym: LPC Clermont

Label requested: UMR

Current number: UMR 6533

Name of Director Mr Alain FALVARD (2015–2016):

Name of Project Leader Mr Dominique PALLIN (2017–2021):

Expert committee members

Chair: Mr Luigi ROLANDI, CERN/PH, Geneva, Switzerland

Vice-Chair: Ms Manjit DOSANJH*, CERN/KT, Geneva, Switzerland

Experts: Mr François COUCHOT, CNRS/IN2P3/LAL, Orsay

Mr Alain GLEIZES, Laplace, Toulouse

Mr Raphaël GRANIER DE CASSAGNAC, LLR/École Polytechnique, Palaiseau

Mr Frédéric GUITTARD*, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice

Ms Fabienne LEDROIT, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS/IN2P3, Grenoble

Mr François MONTANET*, Université Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS/IN2P3, Grenoble

Mr Gilbert MOULTAKA, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier

Mr Ivan TARASSOV*, GMGM, Strasbourg

* Members of subcommittee for Health and Environment (see section 4 / team 4 and section 5).

2 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Scientific delegate representing the HCERES: Mr Michel GARÇON

Representatives of supervising institutions and bodies:

Mr Alain ESCHALLIER, Université d’Auvergne

Mr Pierre HENRARD, Université Blaise Pascal

Mr Serge KOX, CNRS/IN2P3

Representatives of Doctoral Schools:

Mr Jean-Marc LOBACCARO, ED n°65, École Doctorale Santé, Agronomie et Environnement

Mr Patrice MALFREYT, ED n°178, École Doctorale des Sciences Fondamentales (EDSF)

3 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

1  Introduction

History and geographical location of the unit

LPC Clermont is a UMR (Unité Mixte de Recherche) under the joint supervision of the University Blaise Pascal and CNRS. It is located on the university campus Les Cézeaux. LPC main activity is research in physics of the fundamental interactions and the laboratory is primarily attached to CNRS/IN2P3 (Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules). The diversity of the research of LPC justifies its secondary attachments to CNRS/INP (Institut de Physique) for theoretical physics, to CNRS/INSU (Institut National des Sciences de l’Univers) for cosmology and to CNRS/INSB (Institut des Sciences Biologiques) for biological sciences.

Since its foundation in 1959 the main thrust of LPC has been on particle and hadron physics with participation in experiments in various laboratories including CERN, Fermilab and JEFFERSON Lab.

In the last decade the scope of the research at LPC has been enlarged including multidisciplinary activities at the border between physics and other sciences such as biology, health and earth science; these cover roughly 30% of the activity of the laboratory.

In the context of the new policy for the merging of the two universities in Clermont in the new Université Clermont Auvergne, three research units will be joining LPC on January 1st 2017:

- Laboratoire Arc Électrique et Plasmas Thermiques (LAEPT) whose main scope is the study of the properties of thermal and non-thermal plasmas and the interaction of these plasmas with the environment;

- Mitochondrial Genome Repair (RGM) whose main scope is the study of mitochondrial changes during aging and mitochondrial DNA repair mechanisms;

- Characterization and Biologic security of nanostructured surfaces (C-Biosenss) with the goal to assess the relationship between clinical applications and material sciences.

Management team

The director, the technical manager and administrative manager form the laboratory management team. Deputy directors, in charge of important matters may be appointed for a limited time. They work with large autonomy and have frequent contacts with the director. The technical manager has the responsibility of monitoring the technical actions. The administrative manager directs the administration.

HCERES nomenclature

Domaines scientifiques :

- P : ST2

- S : SVE2

Domaines applicatifs :

- P : Santé humaine et animale

- S : Environnement

- S : Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, matériaux et procédés

- S : Technologies de l’information et de la communication

Scientific domains

LPC is presently reorganizing into six research teams:

4 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

The team ‘Particles and the Universe’ includes activities in the fields of experimental particle physics (D0@Tevatron in Fermilab/Chicago until 2013, ATLAS@LHC at CERN, LHCb@LHC at CERN and preparation for future colliders) as well as astroparticle activities (ANTARES) and observational cosmology (LSST). Research is connected to fundamental physics questions: Standard Models and their extensions, dark matter and dark energy. The groups are involved in physics analysis and in detector construction.

The team ‘Quarks and Nuclei’ studies the properties of the Nucleon and those of the quark-gluon plasma. They have been involved in experiments at Jefferson Lab (Newport News, VA, USA) until 2011 and are now participating in experiments at MAMI in Mainz/Germany and in the ALICE experiment at LHC at CERN. They are contributing to physics analysis and to detector construction.

The team ‘Theoretical Physics’ works in close connection with ‘Particle and Universe’ and ‘Quarks and Nuclei’. Its research topics include Lattice QCD and perturbative methods, Beyond Standard Model Physics, precision tests of the Standard Model and dark matter.

The team ‘Health and Environment’ includes all activities where the technical competences of the laboratory are exploited for research at the interface with other disciplines. ‘Health’ includes topics like development and characterisation of biomaterials, dosimetry and online dose control in particle therapy, multi-scale dosimetry and evaluation of radiation-induced damage, radiation therapy physics and e-health & biomedical applications of grids and clouds. ‘Environment’ includes natural radioactivity and volcanoes, radiation and evolution of living organisms and the use of high-energy muons in the cosmic rays to probe large and dense structures like volcanoes (muography).

The team ‘Technological Innovation and Transfer’ has been formed only recently to promote research in instrumentation and informatics where the laboratory could develop innovative instruments or systems to be exploited in fields different from pure research.

The team ‘Plasma Physics’ studies the properties of low-temperature plasmas and the interaction of these plasmas with the environment with emphasis on electric arcs and thermal plasmas. This research domain covers a large number of applications.

Unit workforce

Number on Number on Unit workforce 30/06/2015 (LPC/LAEPT/RGM 01/01/2017 /C-Biosenss)

N1: Permanent professors and similar positions 46 (32/5/6/3) 47

N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions 20 (20/0/0/0) 20

N3: Other permanent staff (technicians and administrative personnel) 47 (41/3/2/1) 53

N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.) 5 (4/0/1/0)

N5: Other researchers from Institutions 5 (4/1/0/0) (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral students, visitors, etc.)

N6: Other contractual staff (technicians and administrative personnel) 3 (3/0/0/0)

N7: PhD students 31 (26/3/2/0)

157 TOTAL N1 to N7 (130/12/11/4)

Qualified research supervisors (HDR) or similar positions 45 (33/5/3/4)

5 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Unit record From 01/01/2010 to 30/06/2015

PhD theses defended 38 (31/5/2/0)

Postdoctoral scientists having spent at least 12 months in the unit 20 (20/0/0/0)

Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) obtained during the period 9 (8/1/0/0)

2 Overall assessment of the unit

Introduction

LPC Clermont is one of the important laboratories of IN2P3. It has strong involvement in elementary and hadronic particle physics, both in theory and experiments. Its researchers contribute to large international collaborations like ATLAS, LHCb and ALICE at CERN doing research with the most powerful accelerator ever built. They contribute to data analysis with a large number of publications and to detector construction. The theory group has high international reputation.

LPC researchers have consolidated the contribution to observational cosmology with the participation in the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope currently under construction in Chile.

LPC researchers are highly connected to the local multidisciplinary research contributing for example to earth science with tomography of the local volcanoes. They have important involvement in health related research in national collaborations that will be further enlarged in scope with the acquisition of two research units on mitochondrial genome repair and on characterization and biologic security of nanostructured surfaces.

LPC scope will be also enlarged to plasma physics with the merging of the ‘Laboratoire Arc Électrique et Plasmas Thermiques’.

The experimental teams rely on highly performing services on electronics, informatics, microelectronics and mechanics. The organization of the laboratory and the scientific leadership offer a stimulating environment for researchers and technical staff resulting in very good scientific production.

Global assessment of the unit

LPC is well established and plays a role recognized at local, national and international levels.

The involvement in three large LHC collaborations with important responsibilities ensures a long-term high quality scientific return at the forefront of elementary and hadronic particle physics.

The recent involvement in Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) enlarges the scope of the laboratory to high quality observational cosmology.

The consolidation of research activity in high-quality multi-disciplinary domains (biology, medical and earth science) profiting from the instrumentation, techniques and methods developed for fundamental research, creates strong links with the local and national scientific environment.

LPC has strong links with University and contributes to teaching and professional training at different levels.

Strengths and opportunities in the context

The experience developed during several years in LPC in fundamental physics research at the energy frontier resulted in the design, construction and operation of complex detectors, the processing and analysis of data and in

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their theoretical interpretations. LPC is involved in international projects of the highest level like ALICE, ATLAS, LHCb and LSST.

The detectors they contributed to build and operate produced data of excellent quality that allowed important discoveries including the Higgs Boson and the measurement of the very elusive branching fraction for the decay of the

Bs meson in muon pairs. The new run at LHC offers concrete opportunities for new discoveries.

The cosmology activity with LSST, which started recently with good momentum, will grant LPC privileged access to one of the largest deep surveys over an enormous area of sky with high discovery potential.

The LPC teams rely on four performing technical services (electronics, informatics, microelectronics and mechanics) that offer the full range of skills needed to carry out ambitious experimental projects.

The technical expertise developed for fundamental research has allowed a wealth of spin off in multidisciplinary domains related to health and environment, which have grown to become one of the research unit’s specificity. These domains have strong links with the society both at the local and national level. The field of applications is a source of innovation and offers LPC a strong route for innovation and technology transfer and involvement with societal challenges. These activities will profit in the future from synergies with the new research units that are joining the LPC in the next contract.

Medical physics and radiobiology applications are well integrated within the regional and national collaborative networks. There are strong links between the environment studies at LPC and locally strong groups in volcanology and geology.

Weaknesses and threats in the context

The planned merger of the University of Auvergne and Blaise Pascal University in the future University Clermont Auvergne has triggered a policy to define coherent priority research axes among the new university and the local research institutions. Fundamental research is not among the priority axes.

The involvement of LPC in fundamental research results in a good visibility of the laboratory at international level; however the participation of LPC members to the central management of the large experimental collaborations was rather limited.

The contribution of the LPC to the operation of the LHC detectors that they have designed and constructed and to their upgrades requires a continuous commitment of human resources that is more difficult to sustain when the number of permanent researchers and post docs is decreasing.

The possibilities to fund the PhD contracts are decreasing.

Most of the research groups have a large fraction of (assistant) professors with large teaching duties, which lowers their impact in research.

With a few notable exceptions, most of the research groups are formed by a small number of researchers. This fragmentation of the research lines makes them fragile on many aspects.

The LPC technical expertise has strengths that allow planning research and development of instruments and methods that have potentiality to be useful for the society. However in some cases this planning does not include a thorough study of the needs and usefulness of the potential technological transfer.

The recurrent financial support is steadily decreasing with time.

Recommendations

The ‘raison d’être’ of LPC is fundamental research. Fundamental research is also what makes LPC strong in technical expertise. It should be pursued during the next contract profiting from the participation of the LPC in large international experimental collaborations and from the discovery potential of these researches. The international visibility could be improved also exploiting the potential synergies between the theory group and experimental groups beyond what is already happening. Proactive participation in international conferences organization and editorial activities should be encouraged.

7 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

The field of applications is very important for LPC because it boosts its interaction with the local academic, social and economical environment. It gives access to regional and national contracts. It is coherent with the new policy of the site. It relies on the strong technical expertise developed for fundamental research and has developed since its own specific know-how. The resources devoted to this field should not be reduced, however the field should be consolidated on projects with strong and well-defined technological transfer goals building on the success of the presently active projects. This consolidation should profit from the merger with the new research units. International cooperation should be encouraged.

Fundamental research is not among the priority axes defined by the new university and the local research institutions. LPC should be proactive in trying to change these priorities on the basis that without a strong involvement in fundamental research and in the large international experimental collaborations the technological level of the laboratory would rapidly decrease with detrimental effects on its applied research and potentiality for technology transfer. In this context LPC could act in favour of and would benefit from an increased synergy among the high energy physics units of the newly merged region.

8 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

3  Detailed assessments

Assessment of scientific quality and outputs

The scientific production of the LPC teams includes several hundred publications in journals with large impact factors (Physical Review Letters, Physical Review, Journal of High Energy Physics, Physics Letters, Journal of Astrophysics, Nuclear Physics, Journal of Physics D, IEEE Transactions Plasma Science, European Physics Journal D, etc.). These include the measurement of the t-channel single top quark production (170 citations), a study of the new physics in B-Bbar mixing (more than 200 citations) and a review of the next to minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (more than 600 citations).

LPC is unique among IN2P3 laboratories since it is contributing to three out of four large LHC experiments at CERN. The ALICE, ATLAS and LHCb LPC groups are doing studies at the forefront of the current particle physics research using the highest available energies. After having significantly contributed to the building and installation of the detectors at CERN, they have successfully operated their equipment over the whole first run (Run 1) of the LHC, from 2010 to 2013. They are now contributing to Run 2 and to the upgrades of the detector in view of the High Luminosity phase of LHC. They are leading a number of important analyses.

The CERN activity is in partial synergy with ‘Theoretical Physics’ team, which spans a rather wide range of timely issues in particle physics: Field Theory and Light-Front quantization, Lattice Quantum Chromo Dynamics (QCD), precision tests of the Standard Model and New Physics beyond the Standard Model.

LPC is also active on hadron physics and more precisely on the structure of the proton and the neutron with experimentation in international collaborations at the MAMI electron accelerator in Mainz.

During the present contract LPC has expanded its participation in observational cosmology joining the LSST project with a new group contributing to some hardware construction for the telescope, to developments of data analysis tools and to supernovæ science.

The technical expertise developed at LPC for fundamental research has allowed a wealth of spin off in multidisciplinary domains with strong links to the local and national society. These domains include health related topics and environmental aspects that are described elsewhere in this report. The scientific production varies a lot from one topic to another, both in intensity and in nature. Some items have a high level of publication with a rather high impact, others have led to patented methods and technics, some are less productive because either too recent or targeting a very specific and narrow ‘niche’ domain. A global characteristic of these activities is intrinsic cross- disciplinary synergies with external teams. These interactions occur at the local, national or international level depending on the item. With the merging of the RGM and C-Biosenss groups, some to these cross-disciplinary synergies will also happen internally, within the LPC.

The third ‘new’ research unit is active in the field of discharge plasmas and their applications, with emphasis on electric arcs and thermal plasmas. The research links theoretical studies of basic plasma properties with experimental works based on original setups and diagnostics.

These applied researches are done often in the context of national initiatives and/or of specific contracts co- funded by CNRS region and university or in collaboration with industries. They have developed new technologies and methods that in some cases have been patented.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The production and the scientific quality of research conducted at LPC are very good with some areas of excellence. The laboratory is involved in both major international projects in basic science and in smaller interesting projects in applied science.

Assessment of the unit academic reputation and appeal

Members of the LPC had or have important managerial responsibilities in international collaborations in which they contribute. They include aspects of the management of hardware projects (ATLAS Tile Calorimeter Institution Board chair, LHCb Calorimeter project leader, ALICE muon trigger project leader), coordination of operational aspects

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(ATLAS Tile Calorimeter run coordinator, LHCb run chief, LHCb Preshower/SPD commissioning coordinator and operation responsible, LSST PetaSky DataBase Working Group coordinator, ALICE muon trigger coordination) and coordination of physics production (ATLAS subconvener single top physics, LHCb convener Charmless B decays, ALICE convener Heavy Flavour physics).

Members of LPC act as reviewer of important physics journals: Journal of Instrumentation, Nuclear Instruments & Methods A, Journal of High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics B, Physics Letters, Physics Review D, European Physics Journal C, and of the Review of Particle Physics (PDG) and participated in more than 50 national or international juries for PhD or HDR.

Members of LPC received more than 150 invitations as speakers to international conferences and participated in the organization of several international conferences and national conferences. However LPC has never organized a major international conference.

Several members of the research unit have been involved at various levels in local, national and international academic and research structures: membership of the UBP Physics Department Council, membership and presidency of the LPC council and scientific council, membership of a CNRS selection committee, membership and presidency of a selection committee and of the Permanent Commission of the National Council of Universities. Members of the laboratory have also taken part in several expertise boards, including, selection committees, AERES/HCERES expert committees, French CERN-Fellows selection committee, the International Light-Cone Advisory Committee.

The (terminated) JEFFERSON Lab activity brought some reputation to the laboratory, with an ANR chaire d’excellence and a CNRS bronze medal.

Three members of the LPC were prize winners of the program ‘Nouveaux Chercheurs’ from the region Auvergne. One member has been awarded a Junior ‘Institut Universitaire de France’ membership during the year 2014, while another was awarded the Paper Award 2010 in IEEE Power & Energy Society general meeting. Two PhD students won a Prize in 2014: 17th Young researcher prize of Clermont-Ferrand, and the best thesis prize of the France-China Particle Physics Laboratory.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The academic reputation and appeal of LPC is very good but not excellent. While the presence of LPC in the large LHC collaboration is well established, the level of the managerial position covered by LPC members is not impressive. The average number of presentation to international conferences is large but there are very few plenary presentations at major international conferences.

Assessment of the unit interaction with the social, economic and cultural environment

The research on Health aspects exploiting progress in physics instrumentation and methods in multidisciplinary way with biology and medicine has intrinsic societal impact in different areas and aspects of health and well being like oncology, radiation therapy and hadron therapy, dosimetry and biomaterials. Also environmental research has effective or potential intrinsic societal impact: links to volcanology and archaeology, to health through the effect of irradiation on living bodies, to potential new ways to monitor volcanoes or nuclear safety exploiting cosmic muon radiation.

The ‘Plasma Physics’ team has important interactions with the economic (mainly industrial) environment. In 2012 they have been involved in fabrication and use of a special fuse favouring the transfer of technology between universities and industries. Collaborations are developed with big companies such as SAFT and Schneider Electric. The team organised also a special course for industrial partners (‘formation continue’). This team contributes to the economic development of Africa in the framework of the European Project Edulink with the project RAMSES (Réseau Africain pour la Mutualisation et le Soutien des pôles d’Excellence Scientifique: Mali, Burkina Faso, Congo, Tchad).

Several members of the LPC have contributed to the diffusion of the scientific results to a non-specialist public with a) interviews in local and national journals, radio, television, b) conferences in local high schools, at Vulcania and all over France; c) webcasts; d) numerous popular talks at UBP (‘Wednesdays of Science’), at université ouverte, université inter-ages; e) participation in debate-cafés of several towns around f) participation in international master classes and to the university open days.

10 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

The discovery of the Higgs boson was celebrated with the conferment of the title of docteur honoris causa de l’Université Blaise Pascal to Francois ENGLERT and with the edition of a nice popular book ‘Sur la route du boson’.

Short appreciation on this criterion

LPC has an excellent interaction with the social and cultural environment, based on a strong involvement in the local society with groups working on health and environment and on plasma physics. This effort is supported by a well- organized public communication covering the whole scientific program of LPC.

Assessment of the unit organisation and life

The six research teams are supported by four technical services (electronics, informatics, microelectronics, mechanics) and one administrative service. These technical and administrative services include all ITA and ITRF of the laboratory. A head of service appointed by the director manages each technical service.

The director, the technical manager and administrative manager form the laboratory management team. Deputy directors, in charge of important matters may be appointed for a limited time. They work with large autonomy and frequent contacts with the director. The technical manager has the responsibility of monitoring the technical actions. All other topics related to the life of the laboratory are treated by the Research Unit Council (conseil d’unité), RUC, composed by the director, seven elected members and three members appointed by the director. The RUC meets every month. On simple request, any laboratory member may be invited to attend the RUC meeting without right to vote. Any laboratory member may propose an item for the agenda of the RUC meeting, such requests being considered with high priority.

The RUC elects a board of three of its members that deals with urgent matters in between meetings. The director consults the office regularly.

LPC has a scientific council, chaired by an internationally renowned scientist, formed by internal and external members appointed by the director. The scientific council has the responsibility of monitoring the evolution of the scientific projects.

An organization of the laboratory based on teams/projects/actions has been put in place in 2014 and will be fully operational during the next contract.

Each team is managed by a steering unit elected by the team members. The teams are divided in projects. Each project is coordinated by a project manager and is typically structured in actions (scientific or technical). An action manager coordinates each action. Projects and actions have operational roles for daily research, the prospective being driven mostly by teams.

Technical actions are monitored under the responsibility of the technical manager by a technical monitoring unit (CSAT), which includes the director, the technical manager and heads of technical services. All technical actions report regularly to the CSAT.

The staff of the research unit has been quite stable during the last five years with 100 permanent contracts and 30 limited-duration contracts. However there has been a restructuring of specific services and there is generally a move to promote the development of skills to adapt to new knowledge and new needs, also using training opportunities.

The web site is quite nice, with however pages of few research groups being out-dated.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The organization of the LPC in teams, groups and actions is quite effective. In some cases the level of internal discussion in the team is good. However some boundaries between the teams are quite artificial. In team 4 many different groups that appear to be quite loosely connected among them compose one team.

The monitoring of the technical actions by the CSAT is effective, however the setting of the priorities in assigning technical resources is often influenced by external events compromising the efficiency of the system. The

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integration of the new research units and their access to the technical resources of the laboratory should be monitored to guarantee correct setting of priorities and sharing of resources.

Assessment of the unit involvement in training through research

Members of LPC have central responsibilities in several schools:

- Master of Particle Physics (PP) that is part of the Master’s ‘Science de la matière’ whose primary purpose is to offer training through and for the research in the field of subatomic physics;

- Master of Physics and Radiation Technologies for Industry and Medical Physics (PTR-IPM) offering training in applied physics for students aiming at nuclear industry or medical physics;

- Doctorate School of Fundamental Sciences (EDSF) covering most of the research fields of the LPC (including the research done in LAEPT) and the material science at the Pascal Institute;

- Master in Microelectronics and Architecture of Integrated Circuits (MACI), partially led by one LPC member, part of the Master’s ‘Engineering Electronics and Energy Systems’, and benefiting from the skills of the microelectronics service of LPC;

- Doctorate school of Engineering Sciences (EDSPI) in which some students of the MACI school continue their education.

There are 33 HDR at LPC (before the merging with the three new groups). In the last 5 years 31 PhD students have been trained, 94% at EDSF and 6% at EDSPI.

Since 2014, a system of mentors for each new PhD student starting the thesis at the LPC has been set up. Since 2015 each student has an individual interview after the first six months with the director of laboratory and its deputy for questions related to education.

The discussion with the students and post-docs has shown that the students appreciate this mentoring system. During the site visit, the committee attended three presentations of young researches, which were all of high quality.

In addition to PhD students LPC hosts every year some 50 undergraduate students for scientific training, some 25 from secondary and high schools, and some 25 from master and engineering schools.

A discussion started in the research unit to identify new specialities within the field of expertise of the LPC that could be subject of new master courses: instrumentation and simulation.

Several members of LPC are involved in education decision-making bodies: in French universities (essentially at UBP), in national councils, in research oriented (inter)national schools, in committees and as member of external thesis or HDR juries. Since 2013, the vice president for research of UBP, leading the research council of UBP, is a LPC physicist, and so is the vice president of the National University Council for physics (CP-CNU) since 2012.

Short appreciation on this criterion

With some 70% of teachers among researchers and high level of responsibility in PhD schools, the involvement of the LPC in training for research is exceptional. However, the number of doctoral students is limited by availability of funds.

Assessment of the strategy and the five-year plan

The strategy for the next contract is based on continuity of basic research and evolution and increase of the multidisciplinary and applied aspects. This strategy has been adapted to the important regional changes that will happen in the near future with the merging of the Universities in the new University Clermont Auvergne.

The basic research of the teams ‘Particles and Universe’, ‘Quarks and Nuclei’ and ‘Theoretical Physics’ will continue until the next contract and beyond. They are linked to very long term scientific programs in international collaborations. These programs include improvements in the detectors that will go from an R&D phase to a production phase in the medium term, analyses of the data collected by these detectors and their phenomenological and

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theoretical interpretation. High priority is placed on the successful opening of the laboratory in the field of observational cosmology with the LSST project.

Instrumentation, techniques and methods developed for research in elementary and hadronic particle physics can be exploited in other fields. This is the motivation for the creation of a new program of R&D on instrumentation, transverse to and pooled by the other programs. In this program the merging with LAEPT will bring important added value on aspects related to materials, measurement and understanding of the phenomena.

The units C-Biosenss and RGM will be integrated in the team ‘Health and Environment’. Existing health programs will benefit from the new skills brought by biologists and physical chemists and bringing together different scientific cultures will foster new ideas.

It is important to work on the details of the integration of the new teams, representing some 15% of the personnel of LPC, to create a strong feeling of affiliation to the future laboratory.

A general point of concern is the large number of projects with small number of researches many of which have large teaching duties.

A study is underway to develop a more effective management of laboratory technical projects that often overlap in time. This management model will facilitate the conduct of the projects and will reduce wasted time. It will be fully operational in the next term.

LPC has a strong link with University Clermont Auvergne (UCA) with 70% of the research staff teaching at the university. LPC will continue its strong involvement in education and training in basic sciences. It will also focus on more applied science exploiting its competences. LPC will put outreach at a high priority.

LPC members are contributing to the definition of the education and training programs that will be offered by UCA at its start in 2017: Licence Physique, licences professionnelles, Master Physique Fondamentale et Applications (with a program on Particles and Universe), Master Ingénierie Nucléaire (with programs on Physique et Technologie des Rayonnements pour l’Industrie et la Physique Médicale), and Master in Instrumentation, Mesure et Métrologie.

LPC has a strong involvement in the doctoral schools, especially EDSF. Doctoral students are selected on tight criteria, but the average number of doctoral students is small compared to the supervision capability of the research unit.

There is a significant worry that the number of PhD contracts in EDSF will decrease in the future. This is the trend in the last years and there is uncertainty in the funding from the new region. New funding lines (ANR, EU) must be exploited.

The age profile of the staff is quite good. Only 10% of the staff will retire in the next contract, however 50% (3 out of 6) of the administrative staff will retire. Without replacement it will be difficult to steer the merger with the new units, which do not have administrative staff. Five CNRS researchers will retire and this will increase the workload of the ‘enseignants-chercheurs’ participating in the large international collaborations.

The perspectives for the budget are not good either. There was a 30% decrease of the funding during the present contract and two new facts will put the budget under strain: the doubling of the stipend of the trainees and the 80% increase of the per-diem at CERN.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The LPC has developed a good project for 5 years that allows the research unit to continue its involvement both in fundamental research and in applied projects with large impact on the local society. The merging with the three new research units offers synergies and opportunities, but should be managed with close attention to guarantee full integration. The management should monitor carefully the evolution of the large number of small projects.

13 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

4  Team-by-team analysis

Team 1: Particles & Universe

Name of team leaders: Mr Djamel BOUMEDIENE, Mr Samuel CALVET, Mr Philippe ROSNET

Team scientific domains

Experimental particle physics: heavy flavour (top quark, beauty) physics, direct and indirect searches for Beyond the Standard Model Physics. Observational cosmology, supernovae.

Workforce

Number on Number on Team workforce 30/06/2015 01/01/2017

N1: Permanent professors and similar positions 11 11

N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions 11 11

N3: Other permanent staff (technicians and administrative personnel) 14 14

N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.) 1

N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral 2 scientists, visitors, etc.)

N6: Other contractual staff (technicians and administrative personnel)

N7: PhD students 12

TOTAL N1 to N7 51

Qualified research supervisors (HDR) or similar positions 13

From 01/01/2010 Team record to 30/06/2015

PhD theses defended 13

Postdoctoral scientists having spent at least 12 months in the unit 8

Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) obtained during the period 5

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14 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Detailed assessments

Introduction

The activity of the team Particles and Universe covers a wide research field aimed at understanding the elementary components of ordinary matter, their fundamental interactions, the nature of dark matter, and at answering cosmological questions. The main particle physics experiments, ATLAS and LHCb, are conducted near Geneva at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The cosmology project, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), is based in Chile. In addition, the team was involved in another particle physics experiment, D0, and exploited the ANTARES submarine neutrino telescope until 2014.

Assessment of scientific quality and outputs

The ATLAS and LHCb groups constitute a large fraction of the team’s workforce with respectively ten and seven permanent physicists. After having significantly contributed to the building and installation of the detectors at CERN, they have successfully operated their equipment over the whole first run (Run 1) of the LHC, from 2010 to 2013. The ATLAS group is involved in the hadronic tile calorimeter. Its members are in charge of the calibration monitoring and of the maintenance of the laser calibration system. They also contribute to the performance studies of this calorimeter. The LHCb group is involved in the electromagnetic calorimeter. Its members are responsible for the preshower sub-detector and of the Decision Unit Board belonging to the trigger system. They are also in charge of the online monitoring of the overall calorimetric system and one of them is the calorimeter project leader since 2011. In addition, they contribute actively to the development of tools for the reconstruction of calorimetric objects, and a member of the group has been convener of the corresponding LHCb-wide performance working-group.

In parallel, both groups have started preparing the upgrades of the detectors in order to operate at larger luminosities: these upgrades are expected to be completed after the second long shutdown of the LHC (ending in 2020) for LHCb and after the third long shutdown (ending circa 2026) for ATLAS. In full continuity of its earlier construction activities, the ATLAS group has conducted several R&D activities for the upgrade of the Tile Calorimeter. One of the main upgrades of the LHCb detector consists in replacing the current tracker with a scintillating fibres (SciFi) tracker and the LPC group is committed to the coordination of the electronics activity of the SciFi tracker.

Regarding the physics analyses, the D0 activity was concluded with a publication involving the top quark in a channel with tau leptons in the final state. At the same time, the LHC Run 1 provided a large sample of proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies 7 TeV (2010–2011) and 8 TeV (2012). The physics analyses of the ATLAS group were centered on the top quark again, used both for Standard Model (SM) measurements and searches for beyond the SM (BSM) physics. The group had responsibilities in numerous publications. The team also contributed to the Top LHC working group. The physics analyses of the LHCb group have produced a large number of publications along three axes: radiative decays (B0K*0 , Bs ), charmless hadronic decays and time-reversal physics in the b decays. Several members of the group were successively conveners of the LHCb-wide sub-working groups hosting the first two analysis axes. In parallel, several members of the team contributed to the international collaboration CKMFitter, whose aim is to extract global electroweak interpretations of the flavour physics data, LHCb data being a large fraction of the latter. Most of the physics analyses were associated with PhD thesis subjects (five PhD thesis where defended in each of the ATLAS and LHCb groups). In total, they produced 45 articles in peer-reviewed international journals (1 D0, 22 ATLAS, 18 LHCb, 4 CKMfitter); they include the ATLAS publication of one of the first measurements of a single top cross section (more than 150 citations), as well as the CKMFitter article on The anatomy of New Physics in B—B mixing (more than 200 citations).

As for the astroparticle and cosmology program, the LPC followed the 2011 AERES recommendations focusing these activities on a new LSST group, built in 2012. This group received a high priority. It grew quickly around a supernovæ expert moving to Clermont-Ferrand, but it still represents only four permanent positions out of the 22 involved in team 1. Its activities include:

- an important hardware contribution: the full-scale filter-exchange test bench is under LPC responsibility. It is built to secure the mechanics of the telescope filter wheel, whose reliability is mandatory for the LSST supernovæ program;

- the developpement of data analysis tools: the French coordinator of LSST database is from LPC;

15 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

- an activity in supernovæ science, making profit of the group experience acquired on the Nearby Supernovæ Factory. A PhD thesis to be defended this year is devoted to a new method for SN1a light curve standardization.

Short appreciation on this criterion

All of the LHC studies are at the forefront of the current particle physics research, using the highest available energies. The number and the quality of the publications and the number of PhD theses demonstrate the originality of the research works. In a highly competitive international environment, the groups successfully assumed their commitments on the detector, and also assumed important responsibilities on the analysis side. The CKMFitter activity, where LPC plays a central role, has an excellent international visibility.

Although the LSST activities are fairly recent, the national and international visibility both on SN1a science and technical LSST developments are high compared to the modest size of the group. Two LPC physicists are member of the Dark Energy Science Collaboration.

Assessment of the team academic reputation and appeal

- the team hosts chairs, leaderships and convenerships in the international collaborations ATLAS, LHCb and LSST. For instance, a member of the ATLAS group is the current TileCal Institute Board chairman and was the chairman of the authorship committee. The LHCb group hosts the current calorimeter project leader and a former convener of the Charmless B decays working group. A member of the team chairs the Flavour Physics working group of the Future Circular Collider FCC-ee. The chairman of the PetaSky Database working group also figures among the members of the team;

- the team was able to recruit 5 post-docs, most of them from abroad, and was joined by two teaching researchers. They also attracted 23 PhD and 36 master students; 13 PhD theses were defended during the period;

- the team had more than 50 invited speakers at international conferences and its members are referee for several international journals, such as Nuclear Instruments and Methods or JHEP;

- they participated in 32 PhD or HDR jurys in other universities.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The groups of the Particles and Universe team have a strong visibility in their international collaborations, in the French community and in their university.

Assessment of the team interaction with the social, economic and cultural environment

A few members of the Particle and Universe team are very active in popularizing science. In fact, a significant fraction of the research unit’s communication activity is done by members of this team. They have actions at multiple levels including interviews in local and national journals (written journals, radio, television); conferences in local high schools, at Vulcania and all over France; webcasts; numerous talks at UBP (‘Wednesdays of Science’), at université ouverte, université inter-ages; participation in debate-cafés of several towns around.

In addition, the members of the team contributed to the International Particle Physics Outreach Group Master Classes, to the university open days, gave seminars in secondary and high schools, etc.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The diversity of the team's science popularization initiatives makes this component of its interaction with the environnement excellent.

16 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Assessment of the team organisation and life

Since 2013, when all groups were structured into teams, the team Particles and Universe has an important activity of continuous planning ahead (e.g. FCC-ee design study, beam tests of a prototype of the calorimeter CALICE) and is a place to exchange information, produce common documents aimed at various audiences (university, HCERES, etc.). The cosmology group works in close connection with the particle physics groups. The web site of the team is of unequal quality: the ATLAS and LSST web pages are perfectly up to date and very informative whereas those of LHCb are totally outdated.

Overall, the team benefits from the global organisation of the research unit. Several members of the team are part of the conseil d’unité. When both ATLAS and LHCb groups had simultaneous technical needs for the upgrades of the detectors, access to the common service resources was well managed at the level of the research unit by the Cellule de Suivi des Actions Techniques (CSAT). The requests of the team on the technical services are now decreasing because a fraction of the R&D is over, and because part of the production was transferred to other laboratories.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team organisation is excellent with frequent contacts among its members. The scientific life is very good.

Assessment of the team involvement in training through research

The members of the Particles and Universe team are very much involved in teaching and training activities. The connection between the team and the university is strong, thanks to the fact that about half of the team members are professors. They have responsibilities at various levels: they are in charge of teaching units, one of them is the director of the Master of Particle Physics and one is the director of the École Doctorale of Fundamental Sciences.

Regarding the PhD students, all of them have got their PhD after 3 years, a little more for the foreign students. The student supervising staff ratio is favourable, with less than 2 PhD students per HDR, integrated over 5 years. Here again, the team benefits from the research unit global organisation, with a mentoring system in place. Most of the former PhD students are now post-docts elsewhere in High Energy Physics.

A member of the team is also a member of a consortium of eight ATLAS and CMS institutes that applied to the H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015 with an objective to train talented students in advanced analysis algorithms and computational tools.

Short appreciation on this criterion

Given its involvement at many levels of the university and the high quality of its PhD student supervision, the team's involvement in training through research is excellent.

Assessment of the strategy and the five-year plan

Pursuing the LHC programme remains a high priority of the research unit. After long years of detector construction and analysis preparation, the team has been able to successfully contribute to the Run 1. In 2015, the second run of the LHC (Run 2) was launched with proton-proton collisions reaching a record energy of √s=13 TeV in the centre of mass. The next period will cover the remainder of Run 2 and the second long shutdown of the LHC. An unprecedented amount of data will be collected during Run 2, providing great opportunities of discovery. The detectors will then have to be upgraded in view of a significant increase of the data acquisition rate.

The plan of the team is to build on the acquired experience and recognition to continue contributing to detector construction and operation and to data analysis. The ATLAS group has reoriented its analyses in view of a major SM measurement (the Higgs-top Yukawa coupling) and essential new physics searches (involving 1, 2 or 4 top quarks), all in synergy and sharing common tools. The LHCb group will continue with radiative and charmless hadronic channels, based on their calorimeter expertise. These channels allow performing unique determinations of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa angles and are of direct interest for the phenomenological studies performed by the CKMFitter group. They have also embarked on an ambitious detector upgrade project based on an innovative detector technology, scintillating fibres coupled to Silicon Photo Multipliers, moving from calorimetry to tracking. The PS sub

17 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

detector will be dismantled during LS2 and the trigger system completely redesigned. All three groups (including CKMFitter) have established strong and fruitful collaborations with other French teams and worldwide, on instrumentation, analysis and phenomenology aspects.

The cosmology group foresees to finalize the detector developments in order to guarantee the LPC LSST membership, and to maintain and develop its expertise on supernovae science. It is also involved in international cosmology data challenges (PetaSky and COST BigSkyEarth), and it considers the possibility to take part in an intermediate project (Subaru SN), bridging the schedule before LSST gets data.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The project of the team has well identified and recognised physics motivations. Given the available manpower, it is ambitious, but worth pursuing.

Conclusion

. Strengths and opportunities:

The LHC groups in the team have a very good visibility inside IN2P3 and internationnally inside their respective collaborations. They have great opportunities of discovery at the run 2 of LHC and beyond. The CKMFitter activity, where LPC plays a central role, has an excellent international visibility.

The cosmology activity has emerged and nicely developped, in agreement with the recommendations issued at the previous evaluation. Despite its small size and recent existence at LPC, the LSST group has a sizeable impact at the national level and keeps producing very interesting SN science.

. Weaknesses and threats:

The number of permanent researchers in the ATLAS group is decreasing and the one in LHCb threatens to decrease. A similar menace exists for the PhD and post-docs funding, due to the shortage of the university’s resources and to the changes at the level of the region Auvergne. Nevertheless, they will need to maintain their commitments in the detector operation, their analysis of the run 2 data, and to contribute to the contruction of the upgraded detectors all at the same time.

The local expertise on supernovæ, although based on a thorough experience in the domain, might loose part of its strength in the long run. An opening to another promising cosmology probe, or to the science of combination different probes, might be necessary at the 5-year scale to maintain the strength of the team.

. Recommendations:

The strategy of the team is good and should be pursued. The level of international visibility outside of the LHC collaborations should be raised, for instance through international conference organisation.

A participation in the intermediate Subaru SN project would allow the group to keep in contact with the best available supernovae data before LSST, while preparing to face the LSST challenges. The supernovae local expertise deserves an international recognition, which might be accessed through a visibility in the LSST boards.

18 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Team 2: Quarks & Nuclei

Name of team leader: Ms Nicole BASTID

Team scientific domains

Nucleon structure: generalized polarizabilities and generalized parton distributions.

Relativistic heavy ion collisions. Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Heavy flavour and quarkonium production, propagation and suppression in the QGP.

Workforce

Number on Number on Team workforce 30/06/2015 01/01/2017

N1: Permanent professors and similar positions 6 6

N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions 3 3

N3: Other permanent staff (technicians and administrative personnel) 14 11

N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.) 1

N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral 2 scientists, visitors, etc.)

N6: Other contractual staff (technicians and administrative personnel)

N7: PhD students 6

TOTAL N1 to N7 32

Qualified research supervisors (HDR) or similar positions 7

From 01/01/2010 Team record to 30/06/2015

PhD theses defended 12

Postdoctoral scientists having spent at least 12 months in the unit 2

Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) obtained during the period 1

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19 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Detailed assessments

Introduction

This team is made of two groups. The Electromagnetic Probe (EM) component is composed of one CNRS permanent physicist and currently two PhD students. The ALICE group is made of nine permanent physicists (2 from CNRS and 7 from the university, including an emeritus professor), 1 postdoc and 3 PhD students (two of which in co- tutorship).

The EM group used to be larger, and had two experimental programmes: the study of generalized polarizabilities at the low energy (1 GeV) MAMI facility (Mainz, Germany) and the study of generalized parton distributions (GPD) at the higher energy (6 GeV) JEFFERSON Laboratory (JEFFERSON Lab, Virginia, USA). With the departure of three members of the team, the JEFFERSON Lab component was terminated early during the period and will not be deeply scrutinized in this report. The remaining JEFFERSON Lab-related activity lies in an analysis to be included in a PhD thesis. The MAMI activity is finishing, with the analysis of an experiment which was proposed by the group, and is being carried out by a small Slovenian-Clermont crew. Preliminary results reported by clermontois show the expected behaviour. They should lead to a publication and 2 PhD theses. The team also naturally participates in all work of the A1 collaboration and signed 6 publications in the period.

The ALICE group has three main activities: heavy flavour analysis, muon trigger maintenance and operation, and detector upgrades. The analysis work is rather focused on single muons coming from decays of heavy flavours, with 5 publications on the subject, but also extends to 3 quarkonium-related measurements. The muon trigger is an essential component of the ALICE apparatus, that showed good stability over the first running period. The participation of LPC to the upgrade programme is two-fold: upgrading the read-out electronics is mandatory for the upcoming higher-luminosity run, and the team has the primary responsibility of this. It is also participating in the Muon Forward Tracker (MFT), a silicon detector located upstream of the muon tracker of primary interest to separate the charm and bottom contributions.

Assessment of scientific quality and outputs

The low energy search at MAMI is an original contribution in France. It brings relatively highly cited publications (two with more than 100 citations in the period). The publication directly related to the group proposal and analysis is imminent. Preliminary results were shown by group members in conferences.

The ALICE group is leading the challenging single-muon analyses, which give a unique access to open heavy flavour at forward rapidity, a relative niche in ALICE. Five publications using single muons were prepared or released, the most significant one adressing PbPb collisions being well recognised (about a hundred citations). These measurements and publications are extending the mid-rapidity D meson analyses from ALICE, and somewhat shadowed by them. In addition, the group contributed to three analyses related to quarkonia, including the study of the Y(1S) disappearance, which extends measurements made by the CMS collaboration to higher rapidity. Overall, this analysis activity brings a wealth of talks in various conferences, that are mostly given by postdocs and students.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The scientific productivity of both groups is very good, but also strategically focused on precise topics, which raises the leadership while somewhat lowering the impact.

Assessment of the team academic reputation and appeal

It is to be noted that the terminated JEFFERSON Lab activity brought some reputation to the laboratory, with one chaire d’excellence and a CNRS bronze medal. The leftover MAMI activity in the EM group has a very good reputation, with involvement in national (GDR) and European (with Germany and Slovenia) networking actions.

In ALICE, high responsibilities are or were held both at the technical (muon triggers, upcoming MFT) and physical (working groups) levels, in particular by the two CNRS members, but not only. This visibility is reflected in a number of invitations to stand in PhD and habilitation committees. Group members are also deeply involved in organizing scientific events, but mostly at the national level, or in a rather restricted field. Invitations to give top-

20 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

level plenary presentations in major conferences seem to be lacking. The editorial and refereeing activity of the group is also relatively low.

Short appreciation on this criterion

Though the group has a very good visibility within the ALICE collaboration, it seems to lack international recognition.

Assessment of the team interaction with the social, economic and cultural environment

The team as a whole has a very good record of science popularization initiatives (participations to a few articles and more than 10 events, exhibitions or visits, coordinations of physical societies, actions towards high schools). A significant fraction of those is centred on one individual that will be leaving the team in 2018.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team has a very good record of science popularization initiatives.

Assessment of the team organisation and life

As illustrated in the introduction above, the ALICE group has extremely consistent and well-organized activities, from detector developments to future prospects. However, its impact is naturally curbed by the heavy teaching load of its youngest members. The ALICE and EM groups do interact, in particular in the framework of the national GDR. With the probable end of the EM activity, the team (as a ‘pôle’ in the research unit jargon) will be left with a monolithic activity.

Short appreciation on this criterion

No problem was detected concerning to the team organisation and life, which can be considered as very good.

Assessment of the team involvement in training through research

In the past, the number of PhD students per permanent physicists was very good for the field and national standards, and the team also welcomes a very large amount of master-1 and master-2 students. The fate of these students once they leave the team seem highly satisfactory. Some of these students are coming through a good connection of the ALICE team with Asia, via participations to the France-China and France-Korea Particle Physics Laboratories. Part of the outreach activity is also turned towards high schools.

However, the team expressed recent concerns about funding PhD students. If confirmed, this will hurt this university-dominated team dramatically.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team has a very good record in training.

Assessment of the strategy and the five-year plan

With only one permanent physicist left, the EM group will probably close in the next period.

The future of the ALICE group relies on the detector upgrades, in particular on the MFT detector. The team is well positioned in the technical part, and ideally suited to lead the most interesting analysis the detector should provide (separating charm from beauty). This project is thus highly consistent with the past involvement of the team. No risk assessment was made about a possible competition coming from the LHCb experiment, that has the same rapidity coverage and excellent detectors, including a vertex device in the spirit of the MFT. The LHCb experiment however, has not yet demonstrated its capability to reconstruct muons in high-multiplicity events, and its luminosity

21 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

plans are not clear yet. This will be clarified in the near future, with the heavy-ion data LHCb collected in late 2015. The LPC group should follow this progress closely, in order to adapt its strategy if necessary.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team has a well-defined and consistent plan for the five year to come, a very good strategy for the future.

Conclusion

. Strengths and opportunities:

The ALICE group is occupying (but does not limit itself to) a very good niche for analyses (open heavy flavour via single muon measurement), in the continuity of a consistent hardware and software effort. It is well positioned for the future.

The small EM group is the only one at the national level to contribute to low-energy (1 GeV) hadronic physics.

The entire Quarks and Nuclei team has an very good record in training and popularization, that feed its analysis efforts with students.

It is also deeply involved in various national activities (such as GDR), and well connected with foreign partners (Germany, Slovenia, China, Korea).

. Weaknesses and threats:

The team visibility at the international level is good, but could be higher, given its appointed responsibilities.

The EM group and activity will disappear, leaving the pole/team with only one project.

The ALICE group has a large fraction of (assistant) professors with heavy teaching duties, which will somewhat lower its impact, in particular if the recently encountered problems to fund PhD students is confirmed.

If the LHCb collaboration succeed in harvesting and reconstructing central heavy-ion collisions, the ALICE activity will face a harsh competition.

. Recommendations:

The international visibility should be raised, for instance through conference organisation and participation, as well as refereeing at the international level.

22 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Team 3: Theory

Name of team leader: Ms Ana TEIXEIRA

Team scientific domains

Field Theory and Light-Front Quantization. Lattice Quantum Chromo-Dynamics (LQCD). Precision tests of the Standard Model. New Physics beyond the Standard Model.

Workforce

Number on Number on Team workforce 30/06/2015 01/01/2017

N1: Permanent professors and similar positions 2 2

N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions 2 2

N3: Other permanent staff (technicians and administrative personnel)

N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)

N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral 2 scientists, visitors, etc.)

N6: Other contractual staff (technicians and administrative personnel)

N7: PhD students

TOTAL N1 to N7 6

Qualified research supervisors (HDR) or similar positions 3

From 01/01/2010 Team record to 30/06/2015

PhD theses defended 5

Postdoctoral scientists having spent at least 12 months in the unit 5

Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) obtained during the period

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23 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Detailed assessments

Introduction

The research topics of the team span a wide range of timely issues in particle physics: Field Theory and light front quantization, Lattice Quantum Chromo Dynamics (QCD), precision tests of the Standard Model and New Physics beyond the Standard Model. Very active participation in the theoretical and phenomenological worldwide endeavour to test the Standard Model and possible new physics at the existing or future experimental facilities.

Assessment of scientific quality and outputs

The expertise of the team is mainstream: heavy quark flavour, lepton flavour and neutrino masses, non- minimal supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model, particle Dark Matter scenarios, non-perturbative methods. The research activities are of very high quality. Recent salient results, obtained within international collaborations, include: a) the progress achieved, in Lattice QCD, in understanding the semileptonic B-meson decays; b) the development of non-perturbative renormalization techniques on the light-front and applications to the anomalous magnetic moment of spin-half fermions; c) precision tests of the standard model in the framework of the Cabibbo- Kobayashi-Maskawa parameters fitter (CKMfitter) collaboration; d) assessment of the viability of the minimal supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model after the discovery of the Brout-Englert-Higgs (BEH) boson; e) a re- interpretation of the ATLAS and CMS limits on supersymmetry, and proposals for new search strategies in non-minimal extensions; f) indirect searches for new physics through B-meson decays and lepton flavour violation models, etc.

Alternative activities in more formal directions (Finite Field Theories and the meaning of the quantum divergences) is an indication of a healthy approach of the team to theoretical physics, as well as a favourable environment provided by the LPC research unit altogether.

The scientific output between 2010 and 2015 is rather impressive, given the small size of the team permanent staff and the involvement of a significant fraction of the team in teaching and other administrative duties; 69 peer- reviewed publications in high impact international journals, 3000 citations in total and 12 top cite papers including 1 cited more than 600 times; this, together with a quite notable list of conference proceedings (48) and presentations at national and international meetings (101), attests to the high scientific impact of the team.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team has an excellent and internationally recognized expertise in flavour physics and in supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model, as well as in non-perturbative methods.

Assessment of the team academic reputation and appeal

Several members of the team have been involved in:

- local, national and international academic and research structures: UBP Physics Department Council, the LPC council and scientific ouncil, CNRS selection committee (section 01), membership and presidency of a selection committee (section 29, CNU) and of the Permanent Commission of the National Council of Universities. Several expertise boards, CNRS project calls selection committees, AERES/HCERES committees, the International Light Cone Advisory Committee…

- the organisation of national workshops, meetings and GDRs (‘Terascale’, ‘Neutrino’). They have taken also responsibilities in various international workshops and schools (‘Rencontres de Moriond’, Cargèse International Summer School in High Energy Physics, master classes (CERN)…), and have contributed to scientific steering councils such as IN2P3, the European Committee on Future Accelerators and the International Linear Collider.

The team collaborates with several theory groups in France and elsewhere in Europe (Germany, Portugal, Spain, CERN,…) and Russia. It participates in international projects such as the Lattice QCD European Twisted Mass Collaboration (ETMC) and CKMFitter, and is part of bi-lateral cooperative projects (France-Russia, France-Portugal). The team is a sub-node of an EU Innovative Training Network and has hosted a post-doctoral fellow from this EU

24 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Network. Four other post-docs, including an IN2P3, have been hosted by the team over the past five years. The team has benefited from regular financial support to six projects from the two CNRS physics institutes.

One of the team members has been awarded a Junior ‘Institut Universitaire de France’ membership during the year 2014. All members of the group act as referees for most of the high impact international scientific journals in high-energy physics (Nucl. Phys., Phys. Lett., Phys. Rev. D, Eur. Phys. Journal C, JHEP).

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team has been playing a key role in national and international scientific committees. It enjoys a very good academic reputation and appeal as attested by the number and quality of the hosted post-docs and the financial support to its projects.

Assessment of the team interaction with the social, economic and cultural environment

Several outreach and cultural local, regional and national actions: organisation and participation in museum exhibitions and conferences (‘Henri-LECOQ’ museum, ‘Palais de la découverte’…), round tables featuring science and science-fiction films, as well as regular participation in several general public events, conferences and local written press (‘Fête de la science’, ‘Journées portes ouvertes du CERN’, ‘Cours d’eau d’H2O’, ‘Reflets de la Physique’, ‘Minute Recherche UBP’…).

Several contributions to high school level events and schools (EU ITN ‘invisibles’, direction of ‘Maison pour la science’, ‘École d’été de physique 2014’, etc); co-authoring of ‘Sur la route du Boson’, published by Reflets d’Ailleurs, Ed.; sponsoring of the UBP ‘Honoris Causa’ to the Nobel prize winner François ENGLERT.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team demonstrates an excellent involvement in the regional and national outreach and cultural actions. It plays an important role in promulgating high energy physics at the local level.

Assessment of the team organisation and life

Even though its small size would not always require it, the team is well organized, with regular internal meetings. It has strong links with to the research unit environment, including occasional journal-club-like meetings with the experimentalists.

Short appreciation on this criterion

This is a tightly-knit team, with very good internal communication despite the diversity of its research topics.

Assessment of the team involvement in training through research

The team is very actively involved in training through research and teaching. It played a steering role in the conception of the local physics master programme and participated actively in the teaching of key courses preparing the students to research. The team hosted internships of several master students and supervised 5 PhD students during the 2010–2015 period (a large number, given the size of the team) whose work was part of the scientific output and publications of the team. An early stage researcher post-doc fellow has been also hosted and trained by the team, as well as other training and organisational activities within an EU ITN network.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team is attractive to physics students and is significantly involved in teaching at UBP. Overall, its involvement in training through research is very good.

25 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Assessment of the strategy and the five-year plan

The proposed project is in direct continuation of the ongoing research activities of the team and builds on well established expertise:

a) extending the finite-like renormalisation scheme in the light-front approach to the case of spontaneous symmetry breaking theories and application to the BEH Boson sector of the standard model;

b) undertaking the next step towards the resolution of the so-called P-states puzzle by extending the Lattice QCD calculations of the semileptonic B-meson decays branching ratios to include non-zero lepton recoil;

c) ccontinuing the phenomenological study of possible BSM direct signatures at the colliders as well as indirect signatures through precision tests, in particular in scenarios of flavour violation and/or sterile neutrinos.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The strategy and the proposed five-year plan are sound. The SWOT analysis is of good quality. However the plan does not foresee how to overcome the departure of one member, the expected shortage in funding PhD students, and how to improve the interaction with the experimental groups of the research unit.

Conclusion

. Strengths and opportunities:

The complementarity of the research activities in mainstream standard model and new physics should allow the team to remain highly competitive and visible at the international level. The team has very good connections with other laboratories and networks and plays a constructive role in the scientific life of the unit. The ramp up of the LHC and the local environment with the ATLAS and LHCb groups are real opportunities to take part in the interpretation of their experimental results. Existing collaborations with the experimental groups of the unit are very good examples that can be built upon to foster other exploratory studies.

. Weaknesses and threats:

The team has a small size. The recent departure of one permanent staff member makes the situation critical with an unbalanced age pyramid. The drastic drop, expected after 2015, in the number of PhD students and post-docs hosted by the team could affect in the short- to medium-term the scientific productivity of the team. The team could profit more from the synergy of the local experimental groups. It remains unclear how to improve on this given the differences in the respective research programs.

. Recommendations:

Attention should be paid to the evolution of the team during the next five years.

The recruitment of a permanent young researcher working on physics beyond the standard model or on lattice QCD, should be considered and supported.

Strengthen the exchange and collaboration with the local experimental teams by combining the expertise (e.g. top physics, sypersymmetry).

The autonomy of the team members in choosing their research subjects should remain a standard, as well as the support and recognition of their needs in terms of funding for PhD’s, postdocs and visitors.

26 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Team 4: Physics for Health and Environment

Name of team leaders: Ms Lydia MAIGNE and Mr Franck MARTIN

Team scientific domains:

Physics for Health and Environment.

Workforce

Number on 30/06/2015 Number on Team workforce (LPC/RGM/ 01/01/2017 C-Biosenss)

N1: Permanent professors and similar positions 22 (13/6/3) 21

N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions 4 (4/0/0) 4

N3: Other permanent staff (technicians and administrative personnel) 16 (13/2/1) 16

N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.) 3 (2/1/0)

N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral 4 (4/0/0) scientists, visitors, etc.)

N6: Other contractual staff (technicians and administrative personnel) 3 (3/0/0)

N7: PhD students 10 (8/2/0)

62 TOTAL N1 to N7 (47/11/4)

Qualified research supervisors (HDR) or similar positions 16 (11/3/2)

From 01/01/2010 Team record to 30/06/2015

PhD theses defended 13 (11/2/0)

Postdoctoral scientists having spent at least 12 months in the unit 5 (5/0/0)

Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) obtained during the period 2 (2/0/0)

Detailed assessments

The proposed team Health and Environment gathers existing activities on these topics at LPC and in the new coming teams, which are expert in nanomaterials (C-Biosenss) and mitochondrial DNA repair (RGM). This association brings together complementary expertise as well as collaborative platforms (such as irradiation platform, TIRF

27 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

microscopy and the Protobeam line). The close association of researchers from different fields as high-energy physics, physical-chemistry (C-Biosenss) and molecular genetics (RGM) is expected to provide increased efficiency and to improve the external visibility of individual workgroups. It may prove to be highly beneficial for the local scientific environment. Both earth-physics and health-physics activities take place within the framework of collaborations with local, national and European partners, including other physics groups and other disciplines such as oncology, geophysics, archaeology, etc.

Assessment of scientific quality and outputs

1. The LPC Health group activity is divided into key topics: Biomaterials, Radiation therapy physics, radiobiology and e-health & biomedical applications of grids and clouds. Three different research groups have contributed in the last four years to these topics:

- BIOMAT group for ‘Development and characterisation of biomaterials’;

- AVIRM group in R&D in instrumentation for ‘On-line Dose control in particle therapy’;

- PCSV group for ‘Multi-scale dosimetry, from evaluation of radiation-induced damage for clinical and preclinical radiation therapy beams to radiobiology’.

Recently, a better synergy between these different groups has been developed and this has resulted in the creation of a common health research area for interdisciplinary domain. The groups have made great progress in developing a biophysical model for estimating the biological damage induced by ionizing radiation. The models are being validated with data using the X-ray and neutron irradiation platform (PAVIRMA Project) and the future ProtoBeam in Nice. This research has been both published and presented and will be instrumental in optimising treatment in proton facilities and future ARCHADE carbon ion facility.

Some of the key developments are:

The Biomaterial group established a novel way for making bioactive glass hybrid scaffolds, which is being patented and could be of great value in the clinics.

The Radiation Therapy group developed a first small acceptance demonstrator to test in-beam the sampling method, which has been successfully tested at various facilities, published, reported in conferences and will be a key tool real time measurements in particle therapy centres.

The GATE Monte-Carlo simulation platform based on the GEANT4 toolkit developed by the PCSV has come into widespread use for simulating positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging devices and the PCSV group has validated the use of GATE platform for calculating electron dose distributions in water.

The LPC groups have contributed significantly to developments and improvements of these software toolkits. For the first time, multi-scale simulations (from a macroscopic to nanometre scale) are being used for modelling following irradiation

Heavy metal nanoparticles (Gold Nanoparticle: AuNP) are being sucessfuly tested to study the influence of molecular species or gold NPs to induce cytotoxic effect from X-rays irradiation and this could open new modalities for improved or more effective treatment for certina tumours. The work has been widely presented and cited.

PAVIRMA is a new regional irradiation platform that has been established in the framework of a collaboration between LPC (LPC member coordinator of the project), RGM (EA 4645, UBP), GRED (UBP) and CJP (EA 4233, UDA). Once fully functional this platform will be a major tool for research for the local groups and will attract external collaborators.

LPC has developed a leadership in the usage of grid computing facilities for biomedical sciences through its involvement in multiple key European projects and in the Scientific Interest Group France Grilles (www.france- grilles.fr). The highlight of LPC activity has been the design and delivery of the first prototype of a dedicated network for e-health and epidemiology in Auvergne region, based on grid technology. This will provide health statistics and real time information on population health. The project received the accreditation of CNIL to manage medical data and identify reliable indicators on population health and will be fully integrated with the GCS SIMPA. Such tools for obtaining population data which can help early indicators for detection, leading to personalised medicine for more

28 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

effective treatment and reducing health care, are very much encouraged by Horizon 2020 and needed to reduce healthcare costs. This is a very important development.

2. The LPC environment group works on 3 axes: ‘natural radioactivity and volcanoes’; ‘radiation and evolution of living organisms’; and ‘muography’. Each of the 3 axes are clearly based on the well-established know-how on instrumentation for nuclear and particle physics at LPC.

Measurements of low-level radioactivity using gamma spectroscopy is routine job in nuclear physics labs, but the application of this method and the use of thermoluminescence to the study of volcanoes is clearly a local specialty and is quite unique. This is completed by two side developments: high-precision calibration technics of germanium detectors and control of matrix effect in rock powder sample via detailed Monte Carlo simulations. These studies have led to close collaborations with teams in geology and even archaeology laboratories. The group also applies its skills to environment and societal issues such monitoring of radon in water, radionuclides in industrial waste or atmosphere.

A new emerging axis concerns the effect of low-level radiation on the evolution of living organisms. Long term studies in complexe ecosystems under chronic exposure did not yet lead to a coherent understanding of the effect of low- to medium-level ionising radiations. The group now concentrates on the study of micro-organisms under radiations. These studies are carried out in collaboration with biology labs in Clermont and Grenoble, with the help of LSM (Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane, as a low-activity environment) and in the framework of the CNRS ‘zone- atelier’ ZATU (Uranium-rich Territories in Hercynian Belt). This is a multidisciplinary approach labelled by the CNRS Environment and Ecology Institute in January 2015. The team has already mastered the experimental technics by being able to study the evolution of E-Coli streams at LPC. Blank measurements in low-radiation environment at LSM are underway. In parallel an important effort is devoted to simulate the experimental results using GEANT4-DNA (in close relation with the corresponding Health actions).

The third axis is entitled ‘muography’. This approach is using penetrating very high energy muons from the interaction of cosmic rays in the atmosphere to probe large and dense bulks of matter such as buildings, pyramids, and (here) mountains and volcanoes. This requires the deployment of large high precision particle detectors in remote or harsh environment. In 2010 the LPC team became one of the very few actors on this topic on the international scene and since then it has concentrated on imaging volcanoes, the Puy-de-Dôme serving as a reference point. This effort was supported from 2011 by a ‘Contrat d’Objectif Partagé’ TOMUVOL together with volcanologists from LVM and OPGC. In 2013, a density map of the summit of Puy-de-Dôme was obtained. The measurement was made possible thanks to the transfer of the technics of GRPC (Glass Resistive Plate Chambers), a by-product of R&D for the future ILC detectors. The team had to develop a novel and complete methodology for analysing and imaging volcanoes inner structures and successfully validated these methods by confronting data with more classical geophysical measurements. A considerable effort was also devoted to the simulation of muons in dense matter in a broad energy range. The team collaborates with other international groups and a first common measurement campaign of Puy-de- Dôme was performed together with an Italian team. The experience gained during the Puy-de-Dôme measurements has triggered interest in the geological community. In parallel, continuous detector development was carried out. Specific mechanics, slow control and monitoring systems required for operation in remote and harsh environment have been developed at LPC. An R&D program founded via the CNRS ‘Défi Instrumentations aux limites’ was carried out in 2013–2014 and have led to new improved detectors that are actually been tested. Improved detectors and methods (developed at LPC and in the framework of the Clervolc Labex) are ready and will be used at the Puy-de-Dôme in the coming year.

The team 4 (in its former LPC version) has extensive scientific production during the evaluated period can be summarized by the following bibliometric metrics: 74 peer-reviewed articles in international journals, 42 international conferences with proceedings, 9 posters, 2 book chapters, 5 patents, 1 defended HDR,10 defended PhD.The group has published in a broad range of very good journals reflecting the true multidisciplinary nature and quality of its research (Journal of American Chemical Society IF=12.133, Journal of Material Chemistry IF=6.626, Journal Of Nuclear Medicine IF=5.563, Int. Journal Cancer IF=5.085, Journal of Physical Chemistry C IF=4.8835, Journal Of Geophysical Research IF=3.44, PMB IF=2.761, Med. Phys IF=2.635, Journal Of Archaeological Science IF=2.139, Appl Radiat. Isot, IF=1.231, NIM B IF=1.186)

3. RGM: The group addresses the mtDNA repair pathways in Drosophila and mammalian systems. The overall goal is to identify new proteins involved in mtDNA repair and how they function in normal or stress conditions. The strategy followed by the group is coherent with this goal. The experiments on Drosophila were done on BER micro- arrays and published in a single peer-reviewed experimental paper in a medium-impact still much respected journal (FEBS Lett.) in 2014. In addition, several publications cited in the application were produced by the group members

29 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

outside the main topic of the research. The main methodological breakthrough accomplished was to apply a well- known strategy (BER-arrays) to mitochondria (earlier it was done on whole cells and targeted nuclear DNA). Another potential methodological breakthrough may come from last-generation microscopy application to study mtDNA repair, so far this is only a project and the protocol to perform the experiments is not yet set up. The overall productivity is rather limited for a group of 5 permanents and 3 PhD students (one major paper in FEBS Lett. IF=4). The results were presented at meetings, mostly at the local and some at national levels.

4. C-Biosenss: The group size changed from 14 (in 2011) to 4 (in 2016) track positions. The goal in 2011 was very wide and is now focused on the development of the relationship between clinical applications and material sciences. Three main axes are described: the impact of nanotechnology on Health, the nanostructuration of the surfaces, the impact of the additives in material bulk for health assessment. The approach is claimed as systemic and the main specific action is to understand the clinical requirements and then to prepare or to design materials. The originality is clearly to make the link between the health applications and the design of nanostructured surfaces or bulk.

The progress concerns mostly the control of wettability of aluminium oxide. This study belongs to the large international field of surface wettability from hydrophobic to superhydrophobic surfaces. Another point of progress is the description of biocidal properties of nanostructured surfaces. The health impact of additive in plastic is indeed of national interest.

The main methodological breakthrough was to apply a well-known strategy (nanostructuration to wettability modification) to the surface construction. Another potential methodological breakthrough may come from the large knowledge claimed from chemistry of surface or particles to the application in health field. It is quite rare to have in the same team all the qualifications required in this value chain. On the other hand, this broad spectrum of specific skills raises a serious manpower issue. The necessary development of collaborations may help in solving this and open interesting prospects.

The C-Biosenss team has a fair scientific production related (14 papers for 4 track positions). It publishes in the 3 axes described above. The impact factors are not high (except for a few publications). Most papers are the result of collaborative work with other research groups. Most of the oral communications were made at national conferences.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The LPC Health groups have well established collaboration with complementarity of competences and skills as well as cross-cutting research. The activities are well integrated locally. They correspond to well established and topical research at the national level and beyond. The corresponding output is important both in terms of volume and quality with a substantial number of publications in medium to high impact factor journals. The short appreciation for this criterion is very good.

As for the environment activities, the production is diverse, in some aspects not very abundant but considering that this corresponds to very specific multidiciplinary activities and that some results were published in medium to high impact factor journals, the overall evaluation on this criterion very good .

The RGM group has extensive know-how but is isolated. The research project is interesting and sound. However, the size and expertise of the team is sufficient to be more productive. The international leadership is not evident. The recruitment of a new MCF with a good level of publications and pre-existing collaborations will improve the situation. The team has strong interactions with several platforms and is a co-builder of PAVIRMA.

The C-Biosenss team covers a large field of knowledge or applications and is too small for this kind of projects. The level is quite good with some stable international collaborations. The team has strong interactions with national network (responsible of ARMED network), edition of the ‘guide de stabilité des préparations’ and development of international collaborations.

Assessment of the team academic reputation and appeal

The team 4 groups are involved in a variety of different frameworks for the development of multidisciplinary projects at the regional, national, European or international levels. Their role ranges from active partnership to leading positions.

30 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Members of the team 4 play a leadership role in several important projects and realizations: volcano tomography (TOMUVOL, Contrat d’Objectifs Partagés CNRS/region/university), Hadron therapy (ANR and European contracts), impact of low radioactive doses (zone atelier CNRS), e-Health (Ginseng project, ANR). The groups also play a leading role in the CPER project AUDACE to develop a regional computing infrastructure (mésocentre) for science massive data.

It is worth noticing other important and active contributions to a whole list of frameworks such as SATT Grand Centre (region), France Grilles, Physique Cancer–INSERM, ANR projects NANOBONEFILLER, NANOSHAP, GAMHADRON, France Hadron, LabEx PRIMES, GDR Mi2B (national) and finally EGI & EGI-Inspire, ENVISION, ENTERVISION (European) and GATE, Geant4-DNA, LIA FKPPL, LIA FVPPL (international).

Team 4 reputation is also measurable through invitations in large and prestigious conferences such as HEP2011.

Short appreciation on this criterion

Health and e-health & biomedical applications of grids and clouds have large and extensive international and national collaboration and visibility. The international impact of ‘Physics for Environment’ is good for ‘muography’ as demonstrated by the invitation to prestigious international conferences and by their collaboration with leading groups in the field. The other activities have national impact. Some members of the team have responsibilities at national and international level.The overall assessment is very good .

Assessment of the team interaction with the social, economic and cultural environment

Both Health and Environment activities are obviously multidisciplinary with many links to other research fields but they have also high intrinsic societal impacts. Bringing together in cross-disciplinary teams different specialities is original and sometime unique.

This societal benefit is obvious for heath (oncology, radiation therapy and hadrontherapy, dosimetry, patented biomaterials), but also for environmental aspects with health and safety impacts of radiobiology and radiogeology (such as radon monitoring, assessment of nuclear waste…), and potential outcome for muography (a technics which was used in Japan to scan Fukushima remains and which could be used to monitor active volcanoes).

The groups also contribute to the research unit’s activities in knowledge dissemination. One example is a large audience article on muography in Physics Today (2012).

Most of these interactions with the society have led to contracts or conventions with economic partners such as EDF, AREVA, water supply services, hospitals, etc.

C-Biosenss has different collaborations, established with the economic environment as CAIR LGL, with OBA or with Théa & 3iNature. These collaborations are original and contribute to the development of the field.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The interactions through cross-disciplinary actions and local partnerships are of prime importance to the lab visibility and integration at the level of the university, the city and the region. The overall assessment is very good .

Assessment of the team organisation and life

Health: before 2013 there were many small teams with very little interaction but since 2014 common projects with shared skill and collaboration have been established. This is now a multidisciplinary collaborative team consisting of professors, researchers, medical physicists, engineers, PhD students and postdocs for a total of 21 persons and 8 FTE. It seems to be well integrated and collaborative but needs more technical and financial support.

Environment: the 3 axes have indeed some interactions in between themselves and they share common know- how and facilities. The axis ‘radiation and evolution of life’ has an obvious logical link with the radiation damage activites in the health groups. Apart from these facts, the cohesion with the overall team 4 is sometime dubious. For example, the muography group feels closer to the HEP physics groups of team1 than to the rest of the team 4.

31 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

RGM has clearly defined responsibilities. The present functional organization is clear, but may change with the ending of the Drosophila axis of studies. The team is already thoroughly involved in the PAVIRMA platform and will benefit from the integration in the C-Biosenss infrastructure. The new website was launched in 2012. The organization is therefore pertinent. RGM is a small group, which should be integrated into a larger institutional structure, and so is the aim for the next term.

C-Biosenss is a small group and alone lacks critical mass however team is integrated in different networks. Scientific meetings of the team (internal) are the main platform of exchange. The organization is well described.

Short appreciation on this criterion

Team 4 in its new geometry covers a very broad spectrum of different activities, which may make it look fragile. But there are indeed strong interactions, shared support, competences and projects which make the whole team coherent, efficient and strong. The team organization will have to be assessed a couple years after the effective merging.

Assessment of the unit involvement in training through research

Team 4: there is a strong involvement in training with 2 to 3 trainees (from medical physics masters) per year, 2200 hours of teaching per year for academicians of the project. One should also mention the creation of a master program dedicated to medical physics with strong involvement of academics and the participation in international workshops (1 per year) about Monte Carlo programming on grids. There are 13 PhD students (10 defended thesis since 2010: 3 in 2010, 2 in 2011, 2 in 2012, 1 in 2013, 2 in 2014). The PhD/HDR ratio is reasonable and there is a good attractiveness of postdocs. Members of the team participated in 33 PhD and HDR committees.

The RGM group is heavily linked with the training process, since 100% of the personnel are teachers (2 PR and 5 MCF) at the Biology Faculty of the local University and responsible for the Licence part (years 1, 2 and 3) of biochemistry teaching. RGM is also involved in teaching ‘by research’ of PhD students (3 PhD students, 2 currently), and, also, in the evaluation process of the 2nd year master. One member of the team is also involved in engineer formation school of the Polytech network. The group is affiliated to the doctoral school ED65 (Life Sciences, Health, Agronomy & Environment).

The C-Biosenss group receives master students from different type of masters (UDA, UdA, UCB Lyon, Lille). The number of student per year is 14 in masters and 4 for PhD. This group is also involved in the doctoral school ED65.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The involvement in training through research is very good in all components of the team.

Assessment of the strategy and the five-year plan

During the next contract, the main objective will be to restructure the Health team in order to improve the scientific coherence of the different activities and to merge RGM from the Blaise Pascal University and C-Biosenss group from University of Auvergne. It has become clear that such integration would benefit and improve synergies and complementarities and will be mutually beneficial.

Health (including RGM and C-Biosenss): the scientific project proposed for the next contract is divided into four horizontal themes with transversal activities such as simulation and instrumentation.

The themes are: a) Design and production of biomaterials; b) Radiation therapy for cancer; c) Radiobiology and Genome Integrity and; d) Nanoparticles and Therapies.

The 5-year projects outlined are highly relevant and in line with the current state of the art in their respective fields. They will be carried out in well-structured collaborations. ‘Radiation therapy for cancer’ is multidisciplinary and well integrated at the local level as well as in the France Hadron structure. The ‘ProtoBeamLine’ project, which is being established, will benefit the whole hadron therapy community and will help to optimize treatment with the aim to provide more accurate and reliable proton therapy delivery and so improve patient safety. This project was

32 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

already evaluated on July 9th 2015 by the International Scientific Advisory Board of France Hadron and was considered to be an essential project that would place France in a leading position for quality assurance in proton therapy.

In the continuity of the RACE project (Radiation resistance of Cancer CElls using Geant4 DNA: AAP PhysiCancer 2012–2015), and in cooperation between LPC group, INSERM U990 laboratory and ERTICa group (Université d’Auvergne) nanoparticles of gadolinium will be used for the treatment of melanoma and chondrosarcoma. The objective is to improve the antitumor efficacy of ionizing radiation by optimizing the action of radiation from radiation-material interactions. The study of the radiosensitizing effect is a way of expanding research, to combine the approaches of chemotherapy and radiation in order to reduce the radiotherapy dose required. It is highly relevant.

The part of the project concerning RGM and the identification of new proteins involved in mtDNA repair and maintenance is rather classical but, taking into account the poor understanding of the process, it is expected to provide new and important knowledge. The project to use new generation microscopy (TIRF) as a mean to validate interaction between mtDNA and putative repair proteins is certainly interesting, but should not be based on the present fashion for these techniques. The use of fixed DNA to study the dynamics of mtDNA-protein interactions is to be taken with care and maybe completed by other techniques validating the data in vivo, if possible. The part of the project planned in concert with the Radiobiology and C-Biosenss groups are original and, importantly, involve a more profound integration of the RGM group in the local scientific environment. The project is focused on the know-how of the team in the field of mtDNA research and on the close interaction with the irradiation platform, radiobiology and C-Biosenss groups. This integration makes the project overall consistent. Taking into account that the expertise of the RGM team is mainly biochemistry and molecular genetics, and that the projected interactions involve physical and molecular engineering approaches (in collaboration intra- or extra-muros), the subject may be considered as interdisciplinary. There is also a clear focus onto understanding mitochondrial pathologies and effects of irradiation or nanomaterials onto mtDNA repair and maintenance. Both objectives are pertinent in medico-sociological context.

The described integration project of C-Biosenss is pertinent but could be improved by indicating the scientific collaborations according to the three axes: toxicity, stability and functionalization. The interdisciplinary and application claimed by this team have to be defined in joint venture with the other teams and also with scientific challenges in the field of nanomaterials. Concerning the international position, the team has to focus their attention on innovations in this field (combination of the control of surface structuration-chemistry/surface science, and biology assessments).

Environment: thanks to a considerable support (technical and human) from the research unit and the region, the muography project has been quite successful and led to interesting and promising results. The COP TUMOVOL ended in 2014. Improved detectors and methods (developed at LPC and in the framework of the Clervolc LabEx) are ready and will be tested at the Puy-de-Dôme in the coming year to demonstrate the geological interest and complementarity of this technic. Other longer-term measurements are technically and scale-wise very ambitious and represent a real phase transition for this activity. It will require an active participation in international collaborations or networks. The premise for this exists for example with the ANR and PICs proposals for measurements at active volcanoes (Stromboli and Vesuvius). This is of course subject to funding uncertainties. The team will certainly need to elaborate further this part of the 5 years project once financial and staff support is secured. However for the time being, the team is more in an expectative attitude than in a proactive one and the strategy for the future is not very clear.

The ‘radiation rich environment and evolution’ project is very recent and in consequence, it is formulated as a clear continuation of what was just started. Emphasis is put on the cross-disciplinary actions, linking for example with the radiology studies of volcanoes in the framework of the ZATU and at a hot site near an uranium mine. The goals are rather clear but the strategy and the efforts needed to achieve these goals should be clarified.

The project on radiological studies of volcanoes is mostly a continuation of the past activities. The novelty is the R&D on a calibration source for X-ray spectroscopy based on an electric X-ray source. The sharing of work, of human and technical resources required for this activity, as well as the strategy concerning the use of this facility, need more elaboration.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The project is well described and identifies how the the RGM and C-Biosenss groups will be working on common collaborative platforms together with the Health axis. The 5-year project for the 3 axes on Environment gives the overall feeling of a rather modest ambition.

33 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Conclusion

. Strengths:

The multidisciplinary health research group is generally very active and highly visible at regional, national and international. It plays a leading role in many of the programs in which it is involved. Some of the members have responsibilities at national and international level.

Medical physics and radiobiology applications are well integrated within the regional collaborative networks. There is also a good structuration of medical physics applications at the national level and the role played by the LPC team in this framework is important and highly visible. Members of the team are recognized experts for multiscale simulations and for high performance computing and medical data management.

The field of applications is a source of innovation and offers the LPC a strong route for innovation and technology transfer and direct collaboration and involvement with societal challenges. The existing irradiation platform and the new to be developed ProtoBeam will be great strengths for developing very successful collaboration in the highly relevant and societal impact field of cancer.

RGM is a small team but with a strong expertise in mtDNA maintenance and repair. It participated in setting up the irradiation platform, which is now fully functional and will benefit for all local and potentially external community. The team recruited a new permanent teacher-researcher with active international collaborations and expert in a new generation microscopy methodology. Finally, the approaches proposed and aims claimed may have a clear biomedical interest.

C-Biosenss has a good expertise in the nanostructuration of surface from cheaper raw materials and technics.

There are strong links between the environment studies at LPC and locally strong groups in volcanology and geology. They also play an important role within the framework of the labex Clervolc and the zone-atelier ZATU). The muography developments are at the top international level, thanks to a considerable investment from the lab and the region. The expertise on measuring low-level activities, mostly using thermoluminescence technics, has also reached a good level of recognition.

. Weaknesses:

Health and Environment: the valorisation of scientific results regarding instrumentation developments (through papers, patents or reports…) is relatively small.

There is insufficient support from technical services and poor financial support from IN2P3 for this activity.

For environment, there is a lack of PhD students and limited permanent staff. The project involves a significant fraction of ‘enseignants-chercheurs’ with only part time research activity. Some research actions are led by groups reaching a sub-critical size.

RGM: the publication productivity of the team is rather modest in respect to its size and the previous team’s collaborations were essentially national and local. Participation in international meetings was also missing, probably due to limitation of the resources and intensive teaching duties.

The manpower is the weakness of C-Biosenss.

. Opportunities:

- the radiation therapy applications (France Hadron, ProtoBeam) provide unifying projects;

- the radiobiology activities will be enhanced through the future integration of biologists and chemists within LPC;

- a strong expertise regarding the creation and usage of nanoparticles is emerging;

- the involvement within AUDACE regional initiative for computing and data management is promising;

34 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

- labex and IN2P3 provide support for muography, while ANR or PIC are potential funding and networks for the future.

With the integration of the incoming RGM and C-Biosenss teams, there is an interesting opportunity to start cohesive and collaborative work around the existing irradiation platform to study cell irradiation and use of nanoparticle in studying damage/repair, validating modelling and using expertize in dosimetry.

Protobeam Line supported by France Hadron could be used as an opportunity around which the existing on- going health team activities and the two new groups of RGM and C-Biosenss could be involved and eventually integrated.

RGM: the integration in LPC is to have a major impact in boosting the teams activities: the use of the common irradiation platform and TIRF one (still to be set up) will permit to develop several intra-muros projects with radiobiology and the C-Biosenss groups. Joining of the UMR may also improve the resources issue, thus permitting more active international interactions (including travelling when necessary) and costly publications. The new permanent lecturer-researcher (MCF) will also permit to exploit her existing collaborations and new expertise.

C-Biosenss has the opportunity the create new collaborations inside LPC and to develop their skill in the nanostructuration of surfaces.

. Threats:

- the merging of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes regions may induce a loss of competitiveness;

- the renewal of positions to compensate for retirements is problematic. Some groups are subcritical in size;

- there is a risk of loss of competence for the research unit, the region and nationally in case the low- activity measurements would be discontinued;

- the evolution of muography from scientific feasibility studies to quantitative measurements of geophysical interest is challenging. The funding for future is uncertain.

RGM: the use of the new generation microscopy as a mean to validate interaction between mtDNA and putative repair proteins is very interesting, but are probably based on the actual fashion for these techniques. No guarantee that the resolution would be sufficient to see in in vivo (or in fixed cells), while to do that with fixed DNA is to be taken with carefully and maybe completed, when possible, by other techniques. The more classical methods to unequivocally establish interaction of potential mtDNA repair factors with mtDNA are to be used before investigating the short time range dynamics of this interaction. So far, setting up this new methodology might be highly beneficial for all the local scientific community.

C-Biosenss: the development of skills in nanostructuration has to be included in the international field of surface modifications. In order to exist, the team has to develop collaboration in Biology but also to publish works in material sciences.

. Recommendations:

The health actions are well structured, well integrated in the lab and motivated. The added value from incoming (merging) RGM and C-Biosenss teams is clear. However because of the small size of these new groups and considering the balance with the core of LPC, their integration will have to be monitored closely.

The experiments proposed by RGM are interesting and globally feasible, it is mainly based on the extensive experience of the group in mtDNA repair, however the productivity might be improved in respect to the previous term. This can be achieved by integration in the new scientific environment of LPC team 4. Building the local collaboration around the existing irradiation platform and future TIRF microscopy one will be beneficial both for this group and for the whole team. On the other hand, ongoing international collaborations with a German and a Swedish groups are to be further reinforced to become fruitful in terms of common experiments and publications.

C-Biosenss has to develop collaborations with teams or groups in the LPC and from the network on (nano)materials for health in order to improve their international visibility. The team should focus their effort in

35 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

nanomaterials for the innovation in this field (combination of control of surface structuration-chemistry/surface science for the application in health).

The activity on Radiology and volcanoes is clearly under-critical in terms of FTE and its future is questioned. Radiation and evolution of life has recently focused its activity along one main topic (E. coli evolution) and should be encouraged to continue in this way. Muography is nearing the end of its initial phase of feasibility study and is reaching a critical point. A continuation will rely on joining a large international effort. There was a considerable investment of the region and of the research unit in this activity. Its future should be supported and prepared carefully.

36 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Team 5: Technological Innovation and Transfer

Name of team leader: Mr Laurent ROYER

Team scientific domains

N/A

Workforce

The numbers below are indicative at the start of operation of the team to be formed. The real numbers in 2017 may be higher, depending on the success of grant applications.

Number on Number on Team workforce 30/06/2015 01/01/2017

N1: Permanent professors and similar positions 2 (0.6 FTE)

N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions 2 (1 FTE)

N3: Other permanent staff (technicians and administrative personnel) 10 (4 FTE)

N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)

N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral

scientists, visitors, etc.)

N6: Other contractual staff (technicians and administrative personnel)

N7: PhD students

TOTAL N1 to N7

Qualified research supervisors (HDR) or similar positions

The table for the team record was removed here because the team did not exist during the period 2010–2015.

Detailed assessments

Introduction

This team was created in 2014, following the recommendation of a 2013 internal prospective workshop. Its activity started at the beginning of 2015 with the following objectives:

- to identify the future technical challenges related to instrumentation in the LPC physics domains;

- to maintain the local expertise and know-how and develop the local technical skills;

37 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

- to make the best use of the local technical forces in the projects where LPC is involved, in order to increase its visibility in the experimental collaborations;

- to encourage the technological transfer.

This team is intended to keep the local technical forces at their best level. It will have indirectly a positive influence on the LPC scientific outputs.

Assessment of the team interaction with the social, economic and cultural environment

The material presented is tuned towards the participation of the LPC to the local I-site project through its technical resources. The application has been well prepared and it is explicitly focused on the search for connections with the local economic environment. Unfortunately, this application has not been successful.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The technological transfer actions appear as a last bullet in the presentation. The LPC has made efforts to develop spin-off from their fundamental research. They should put more emphasis on this approach within the team. The technological transfer could even be declared as the priority, since it will have an excellent impact on the LPC insertion in the local economic, but also academic environments.

The team should explicitly be connected with the initiatives, structures and actions on technological transfer at the national level (IN2P3, CNRS…).

Assessment of the team organisation and life

The team gathers both technical staff and scientists around instrumentation. All members the team are expected to remain members either of a technical service or of another research team. The composition of the team may evolve according to on-going projects. It has organized internal workshops focusing on present key know-hows (DAQ, Resistive Plate Chambers), and opportunities (Wireless networks).

Short appreciation on this criterion

This team is a good communication tool, it is a natural place for rich exchanges between scientists and engineers. This aspect is essential for its success. Participation of young researchers should be encouraged. The organization of this new team should be reassessed in a couple years.

Assessment of the strategy and the five-year plan

The short-term plan consists of two main projects. The most advanced one deals with Big Data management (Cloud, Grid…), it is supported by the CPER (region) and connected to the LSST activities. The second one emerged from the enviromental developments (ZATU) and deals with Wireless Networks. It aims at developing an autonomous and robust distributed (simple) data acquisition system.

Short appreciation on this criterion

This activity is as its beginning. One would expect it to englobe also the biolological spinoffs, as well as the forthcoming plasma physics connections. The LPC is a rich ground for technological developments and this team should grow up in the next years and define a stronger mid-term strategy.

38 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Conclusion

. Strengths and opportunities:

The LPC technical potential is a clear strength: specific know-hows, culture of continuous education, visible realizations in the international experimental competition framework, day-to-day collaboration between scientists and engineers, insertion in the university.

. Weaknesses and threats:

The team should better quantify its objectives. Technological transfer is a priority. It has to be managed like any other experimental project defining the expectations in terms of available resources and success/failure criteria.

. Recommendations:

The technology transfer aspects appear as secondary in the present organization. They should be given a higher priority, in a voluntary spirit, probably with a sizeable explicit amount of FTE dedicated to the search for interest in the local (or distant) economy. . For its success, technology transfer requires, in first place, efforts to build good relationships with some industrial or civil partners.

The team does not seem to rely on CNRS support for technology transfer. It should seek to benefit from it.

This team could identify and propose training on technical topics to local students.

39 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Team 6: Plasma Physics

Name of team leader: Mr William BUSSIÈRE

Team scientific domains

Discharge plasmas. Thermal plasmas.

Workforce

Number on Number on Team workforce 30/06/2015 01/01/2017 (LAEPT)

N1: Permanent professors and similar positions 5 5

N2: Permanent researchers from Institutions and similar positions

N3: Other permanent staff (technicians and administrative personnel) 3 3

N4: Other professors (Emeritus Professor, on-contract Professor, etc.)

N5: Other researchers (Emeritus Research Director, Postdoctoral 1 scientists, visitors, etc.)

N6: Other contractual staff (technicians and administrative personnel)

N7: PhD students 3

TOTAL N1 to N7 12

Qualified research supervisors (HDR) or similar positions 5

From 01/01/2010 Team record to 30/06/2015

PhD theses defended 5

Postdoctoral scientists having spent at least 12 months in the unit

Number of Research Supervisor Qualifications (HDR) obtained during the period 1





40 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Detailed assessments

Introduction

Team 6 is a new component of the future LPC and was an independent laboratory called LAEPT (Laboratoire Arc Électrique et Plasmas Thermiques). This laboratory was created in the 80’s and is well-known in the national community of thermal plasmas. It was associated with CNRS for a few years and in the last period it has been defined as ‘Équipe d’Accueil’ connected to both universities of Clermont-Ferrand (Auvergne and Blaise Pascal).

The research developed by this team corresponds to the field of discharge plasmas and their applications, with emphasis on electric arcs and thermal plasmas. The research domain concerning thermal plasmas is rather narrow but it covers a large number of applications. It is well adapted to a small team as is the case here. The strengths of the team are: the competence of the members in theoretical and experimental aspects; their good experimental setups; their reactivity with the industrial partners allowing correlating the application problems with the scientific axes.

This reactivity allows developing original research which includes new study on batteries (risk of arcing). The most original works concern the fuses and more generally the systems of current interruption and of electrical safety with very interesting approaches associating experimental and numerical studies. We can also note a promising development connected to the High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems which is a new and important axis of investigation in the community.

Assessment of scientific quality and outputs

Considering that there is no CNRS researcher in the group and that the permanent persons are strongly involved in teaching and university management, the scientific production is very good (around 0.8 paper in journals and 1 contribution in international conferences per year and per member), of the order of the national averaged values in this domain. The number of communications in national conferences and redactions of technical reports is very satisfactory.

The impact of the journals where the results are published is good and corresponds to the mean in the plasma community.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The level of scientific output and quality is very good for a small team. The team covers a limited number of axes of investigation but has original and advanced skills in specific aspects such as the calculation of basic properties of thermal plasmas, the experiments on electrode phenomena and the study of fuses and safety systems in electrical networks.

Assessment of the team academic reputation and appeal

The team cannot be considered as a leader in international or national structured projects and in networks, consortia in infrastructures or centres of scientific or technical interest. Apart from a paper award in 2010, no prize was awarded to the team members. Finally, the number of invited talks at conferences is very small and these talks took place in ‘small’ conferences.

Nevertheless the reputation and appeal of the team are far from negligible which can be assessed considering:

- the organisation of the 1st Conference on Electrical and Thermal Plasmas in Africa (a rather limited but interesting conference) in 2011;

- the organisation of CAE XII, national symposium on Electric Arcs, regrouping university teams and industrial partners, important for the French community in this field, showing the national reputation of the team. This good implication in the French community is enhanced by the active attendance at the ‘Association Arc Électrique’ with scientific and industrial colleagues;

41 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

- several regular and efficient collaborations with national and international universities. In particular a long- time collaboration with the Laboratory of Physics of Low Temperature Plasmas (Saint-Petersburg) has been developed;

- very good reputation of two invited professors;

- very good level of the scientific journals where the members contribute as reviewers;

- two members of the team are regular experts at national institutions (ANR, ANRT…). There are also members of the scientific committee of 3 national or international symposia.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The team has a very good national reputation, which is put in evidence by several academic collaborations, by the active participation in the Association Arc Électrique and by the recent organisation of the National Conference on Electric Arcs (CAEXII, Clermont, 2015).

Assessment of the team interaction with the social, economic and cultural environment

The interaction with the economic (mainly industrial) environment is important which is clearly demonstrated by 12 industrial or institutional grants in the last 10 years (approximately), and by several facts allowing to evaluate this interaction. The most important are a patent at the international level in 2012 (fabrication and use of a special fuse), and a recent success relative to a FUI (Fonds Unique Interministériel) grant supported by two important structures (‘pôle de compétitivité’ Tenerrdis relative to the decarbonised energies and the European Pôle de la Céramique, these two poles favouring the transfer of technology between universities and industries). Collaborations are developed with big companies such as SAFT and mainly Schneider Electric (long time cooperation), resulting in several common publications. The team also organised a special course for industrial partners, in the framework of continuing education.

We can also note that the LAEPT (the laboratory corresponding to this team), has been defined as ‘Zone à Régime Restrictif’ (ZRR) which testifies further to the originality of their work in relation with industry.

Apart from interactions with industry, the team is strongly involved in a special action with the social and cultural environment. It is contributing to the economic development of Africa in the framework of a European Project Edulink with the project RAMSES (Réseau Africain pour la Mutualisation et le Soutien des pôles d’Excellence Scientifique: Mali, Burkina Faso, Congo, Tchad). This action comprises: exchange of researchers; course at 3rd cycle level; organisation of a symposium; edition of a francophone scientific review on the field of Physics and Energy.

Finally, some actions of diffusion of the scientific results to the public at large have been supported by several members of the team.

Short appreciation on this criterion

Given its size, the team has an excellent interaction with the national environment: 1 international patent; more than one new industrial grant per year, some of these grants with big companies; recent success of a project supported by two important structures (pôle de compétitivité and European Pôle de la Céramique).

Assessment of the team organisation and life

The team organisation and life are rather normal for a small group with a strong collegiality and general discussions concerning all the aspects of the organisation: definition of the scientific axes; budget; possible participation of the members at a given project; mutualisation of the experimental setups when the grant is achieved. The PhD students participate in these discussions.

In spite of the small size of the group, the organisation is rigorous and all the necessary documents have been redacted (règlement intérieur, zone ZRR, risks and safety, computing…). All the corresponding responsible persons have been defined.

42 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Short appreciation on this criterion

The organisation of the team is excellent.

Assessment of the team involvement in training through research

The guidance and supervision of PhD students are very good, since all students have published (co-authors) at least one article in a journal or one contribution at an international conference. All of them have attended at least one congress and all the theses have been financed following different ways (ministry, governmental grants, CIFRE). Nevertheless, the number of PhD students is rather small when compared to other research units working in the same field with only 5 theses defended in 5 years for 5 permanent professors or assistant-professors. The present number of PhD students is 3 which is higher than the average value during the last 5 years. The duration of the theses is of the order of 4 years which is too long for the ministry criteria. However, the professional status of the doctors is very good because all of them quickly found a job after the thesis.

The PhD students depend on two Écoles Doctorales (ED) called Sciences pour l’Ingénieur (SPI) and Sciences Fondamentales (SF) and one professor of the team is a member of the council of EDSF. Some courses given by the members of the team in the Master cycle correspond to their research domain (plasma physics, electrical discharges, arcs). Apart from the PhD students the team members have directed a large number of masters training practices (11) and of IUT (6).

Finally, one professor of the team was involved in the 3rd cycle teaching in Africa, which resulted into 2 training practices of Burkinabe students.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The duration of the theses is too long. But the guidance and supervision of the PhD students are very good. The other items for this criterion are rather normal.

Assessment of the strategy and the five-year plan

The project seems very good and consistent, being built on three components: the scientific competences of the team; the new technological problems leading to new axes of investigation; the integration in the future laboratory finding possible interesting opportunities and collaborations.

Concerning fundamental research, the highest originality (and at the same time the most risky) brings on the development of two-temperature plasma works and tools (calculation of transport and radiation properties, associated diagnostic) and the magnetohydrodynamics modelling. The team should develop collaborations with other teams in France in these fundamental areas where there is no confidentiality conflict. The projects on the Stark effect are promising, provided that the team will perform experiments and that the basic calculations will be developed by other groups or laboratories. Experimental study of the fast transient phenomena in arc (or pre-arc) discharges is also original. From the technological point of view the choice of the problems of High-Voltage Direct Current and of electrical safety are judicious and should attract industrial partners.

Finally, we must note and encourage the special efforts made by the team to propose collaborations with other groups of the new laboratory. They not only concern the pooling of equipment and experimental systems, but also scientific axes of investigation such as the resolution of the Boltzmann equations.

The project has no time line and is probably too large for a 5-year plan.

Short appreciation on this criterion

The project is very pertinent, probably too ambitious. A very positive point is the effort proposed for a good integration in the research unit.

43 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

Conclusion

. Strengths and opportunities:

The team has very good scientific competences in a narrow domain with fast reactivity to industrial problems, leading to fruitful collaborations. The experimental setups are efficient and rather important.

There are opportunities to develop new collaborations within the future laboratory.

. Weaknesses and threats:

The size of the team is rather small, with a critical number of permanent professors

The teaching load is high in general, especially within the IUT structure which leaves even less freedom for research.

The international reputation and appeal is quite limited.

. Recommendations:

The international visibility and reputation should be improved, which requires voluntary efforts. For this objective, an informal international collaborative network should be created. There are several means to develop this network: effective collaboration on particular points; attendance at the most important conferences in the domain with formal or informal discussions; efforts to be members of committees of international conferences; redaction of topical reviews…

The integration to LPC offers more opportunities than threats. Synergy actions have been discussed but they have to be promoted by the direction of the research unit.

With the help of the director of the lab, some discussions with INSIS would be favourable for a better recognition of this team by CNRS in the future.

The size of the group and the technical support should be maintained in the new structure.

44 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

5  Conduct of the visit

Visit dates

Start: Monday, January 18th, 2016 at 2:30 pm

End: Wednesday, January 20th, 2016 at 2:30 pm

Visit site:

Institution: LPC-Clermont

Address: 4 avenue Blaise Pascal, 63178 Aubière

Specific premises visited:

The sub-committee had the opportunity to visit all the technical labs and meet with their staff.

Conduct or programme of the visit:

The programme included presentations in open sessions from the direction, from the research teams and from three young researchers, plus meetings in closed sessions with the direction, the research teams, students and postdocs, technicians and administrative personnel, as well as with two doctoral schools and with the supervising bodies.

Lundi 18 janvier

14h30 Réunion comité d’experts

15h00 Présentation générale par la direction

16h10 Pause

16h30 Particules & Univers

17h30 Quarks & Noyaux

18h15 Théorie

18h45 1 présentation jeune chercheur

and in parallel for the subcommittee :

16h30 RGM

17h20 C-Biosenss

18h10 Rencontre avec équipe RGM

18h35 Rencontre avec équipe C-Biosenss

Mardi 19 janvier

08h30 Rencontre avec équipe Particules & Univers

09h10 Rencontre avec équipe Quarks & Noyaux

09h40 Rencontre avec équipe Théorie

45 Laboratoire de Physique Corpusculaire de Clermont-Ferrand, LPC Clermont, U Clermont 2, CNRS, Mr Dominique PALLIN

10h00 Pause

10h20 Santé & Environnement

11h20 LAEPT & projet équipe Plasmas

12h20 Déjeuner

13h30 Projet Innovations & Transfert Tech.

14h00 Rencontre avec équipe Santé & Environnement

14h45 Rencontre avec équipe LAEPT

15h15 Rencontre avec personnel technique et administratif

16h00 Pause

16h30 2 présentations jeunes chercheurs

17h00 Rencontre avec étudiants et postdocs

17h30 Réunion comité d’experts

and in parallel for the subcommittee :

08h30-10h00 Visite labos techniques

Mercredi 20 janvier

08h30 Réunion comité d’experts

09h30 Rencontre avec le directeur LAEPT

09h45 Rencontre avec le directeur RGM

10h00 Rencontre avec le directeur C-Biosenss

10h15 Rencontre avec écoles doctorales

10h45 Pause

11h05 Rencontre avec les tutelles

12h00 Rencontre avec la direction

12h30 Réunion comité d’experts

14h30 Fin de la visite

46