Physics/Mathematics/Computer Science

Electric propulsion for satellites is a technology that largely reduces the launch costs and provides reliable orbit control capabilities. Nevertheless, the design and development of plasmas thrusters is still semi-empirical and involves long and expensive life tests due to the complex, nonlinear physics of low-temperature plasmas, making its study an active field of research. In this project I will be collaborating with Prof. Ken Hara to develop innovative models and numerical methods to study the onset of plasma instabilities in magnetized configurations.

Spatial audio refers to various systems and techniques used to diffuse sound sources or sound fields in space. While “surround sound” systems which are present in many homes typically involve 5 to 7 speakers, more advanced techniques such as Ambisonics and Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) imply the use of a much greater number of speakers. Those techniques are very efficient to recreate sound spatialization and are of high interest in fields like virtual and augmented reality, acoustic of concert room, archeoacoustics, etc.

Low-temperature plasmas have multiple vital scientific and industrial applications, including plasma processing, electric propulsion, arc discharges, and many more. Plasmas exhibit complex phenomena in a wide range of both spatial and temporal scales, spanning frequencies from gigahertz to kilohertz and length scales from microns to meters.

A major health challenge our societies are about to face on the long-term is cancer, as it is already the primary cause of death in France and the second one in the US. As a way to tackle it, one of the most used techniques nowadays is radiotherapy. It uses high-dose radiations to kill cancer cells detected with medical imaging. Yet, as cancer can be located in sensitive areas, and in a bid to protect surrounding healthy tissues, radiations must be precise and directional.

The physics of ionized gases, or plasmas, gives rise to a great variety of fascinating phenomena like northern lights or solar flares. In particular, plasmas are widely used in technologies, ranging from the fabrication of microelectronic chips and the production of thin films to satellite propulsion.

The interaction of highly energetic particles with plasmas plays a major role in the evolution of the universe and gives rise to many astrophysical processes that are not yet fully understood. Our collaboration, consisting of groups from France and the USA, aims at creating these processes within a laboratory, which permits a high degree of control and insight into parameters that are otherwise not accessible.

Automated decisions are taking a prominent place in our societies in various domains ranging from medical diagnosis, to justice decisions or college admissions. For this to be for the better, we require these decisions to be fair and to take into account the diversity of the population. How can we rely on an automated decision if we are not guaranteed that the procedure does not introduce a bias or amplify an existing one?

Biomolecules such as protein and RNA are flexible to form complexes and perform their cellular function. Advances in X-ray crystallography, in particular the capabilities of the unique X-ray Free Electron Laser (LCLS) at SLAC, and other imaging techniques exceedingly provide insights into how biomolecules and their complexes move to perform their functions.