During the last decade, spectacular achievements have been performed in the study of groups of birational transformations of algebraic varieties. We now have a detailed understanding of such groups in dimension 2. Far less is known in higher dimensions, but the last five years saw the birth of a large array of techniques that apply in arbitrary dimensions. They include powerful tools from p-adic analysis, isometries of CAT(0) cube complexes, pluripotential theory, and algebraic geometry. Simultaneously, recent arithmetic equidistribution theorems have been combined with holomorphic dynamics to solve problems of unlikely intersection in the dynamics of polynomial maps and to study parameter spaces of such maps. The novelty of this proposal will be to combine these recent advances coming from two active sujects. I propose to develop a global study of groups of algebraic transformations of higher dimensional varieties, both from the dynamical and the algebro-geometric viewpoints. I have been developing this program progressively during the last ten years. Moving to higher dimensions is crucial to broaden the range of applications and is now possible with the advances mentioned above. The first leitmotif will be the large scale geometry of groups of birational transformations. The second will be the dynamics of natural actions of such groups on families of geometric objects, notably on families of rational surfaces and on character varieties. There a three long term goals: (a) to extend some of the geometric features of linear groups to all groups acting faithfully by algebraic transformations (this includes the mapping class groups of closed surfaces, for instance); (b) to compare the geometry of distinct (rationally connected) varieties through a comparison of their groups of birational transformations; (c) to get new properties of families of geometric objects (such as rational surfaces) via dynamics in their parameter or Teichmüller spaces.

The Powder2Power project aims to demonstrate at the MW-scale (TRL7) the operation of an innovative, cost effective and more reliable complete fluidized particle-driven Concentrated Solar Technology that can be applied for both power and industrial heat production. The prototype to be developed and tested is based on the modification and the improvement of an experimental loop built in the framework of the previous H2020 project Next-CSP. It will include all the components of a commercial plant, a multi-tube fluidized bed solar receiver (2 MWth), an electricity-driven particle superheater (300 kW), a hot store, a particle-to-working fluid cross-flow fluidized bed heat exchanger (2 MWth), a turbine (hybrid Brayton cycle gas turbine, 1.2 MWe), a cold store and a vertical particle transport system (~100 m). It is planned to organize the experimental campaign at the Themis tower (France) during one year. Adding an electricity-driven particle superheater will enable to validate a PV-CSP concept working at 750°C that is expected to result in electricity cost reduction with respect to the state-of-the-art. At utility-scale, this temperature allows to adopt high efficiency conversion cycles, typically 750°C for supercritical CO2 (sCO2) cycles. The expected increase in conversion efficiency (sun to power) of the P2P solution with respect to molten salt technology is in the range 5 to 9% and the cost reduction is 5.4%. (LCOE). The hybrid CSP-PV concept enables to reach 9% in efficiency increase and the CSP-only concept 5%. The proposed approach includes the sustainability assessment in environmental and socio-economic terms. A special attention will be brought to elaborate in a transparent way all documents necessary to ensure replicability, up-scaling and to assist future planning decisions. Ten participants from 6 EU countries constitute the P2P consortium. Six participants are industrial and service companies, and four are public research institutions and universities.

Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface and generate particles in the atmosphere that are viewed as a core component of the climate system, especially due to their role in marine cloud formation and the strong control they have on their ability to reflect sunlight to space. With our recent findings, we have made great progress in documenting the formation of new particles by nucleation of low volatile gas-phase species in the lowest altitudes of the open ocean atmosphere and its relation to water biogeochemistry. Nucleation is however expected to be promoted at higher altitudes, in the marine free troposphere (MFT), and the entrainment of growing particles formed in the MFT is further suspected to be a major source of low-level marine cloud forming particles. Yet, because of limited observations, very little is known about MFT nucleation, which contributes to major uncertainties both in the assessment of present-day radiative forcing associated to aerosol-cloud interactions and in future climate projections. The main purpose of this project is to identify the species driving MFT nucleation and evaluate the impact of the process on cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentration, and ultimately on marine cloud formation and properties. To achieve this goal, we will first use an innovative experimental setup consisting of a nucleation chamber filled with natural free tropospheric air coupled to state of the art instruments to identify the nature of the nucleating species. Experiments will be performed on Reunion Island, in the southern Indian Ocean, which is particularly sensitive to natural aerosol sources. These measurements will in a second step be used to initiate a modelling study that will further complement the observations, allowing first to evaluate the impact of MFT nucleation on the CCN population at the regional scale, and then to study in detail the impact on marine cloud formation and properties over the open ocean.

Research assessment plays a crucial role in research systems, but current practices prioritize quantitative metrics and publications without recognising the diversity of research outputs or open science practices. To address these issues, international initiatives have emerged, and the EU European Research Area Policy Agenda for 2022-2024 includes a specific action (Action 3) on Reform the Assessment System for research, researchers and institutions. In 2022, the EC, Science Europe, and the European University Association facilitated the development of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, which emphasises qualitative evaluation based on peer review and responsible use of quantitative indicators, and discourages the use of inappropriate metrics and rankings. 423 organisations signatories to agreement decided to constitute the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) to make progress on ten commitments within a five-year timeframe. As an enabler deeply rooted in the CoARA structure, the CoARA Boost project will strengthen the ramp-up of CoARA, enhancing the operational capacity and providing means to investigate and implement new models for research assessment. By amplifying its spectrum of actions and providing the additional capacity to implement a Cascade funding programme, CoARA Boost will allow to develop a critical mass for reforming research assessment, generate gravitas for new members and facilitate the leveraging of additional sources of funding. The overarching objective of the CoARA Boost Project is to contribute to enabling systemic reform of research assessment following the principles and commitments of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. CoARA Boost will i) strengthen CoARA’s operational capacity, ii) catalyse knowledge development, policy evolution and institutional change in research assessment, iii) facilitate collection and exchange of information and iv) widen the Coalition’s membership in Europe and beyond.

The Quantum Secure Networks Partnership (QSNP) project aims at creating a sustainable European ecosystem in quantum cryptography and communication. A majority of its partners, which include world-leading academic groups, research and technology organizations (RTOs), quantum component and system spin-offs, cybersecurity providers, integrators, and telecommunication operators, were members of the European Quantum Flagship projects CIVIQ, UNIQORN and QRANGE. QSNP thus gathers the know-how and expertise from all technology development phases, ranging from innovative designs to development of prototypes for field trials. QSNP is structured around three main Science and Technology (ST) pillars. The first two pillars, “Next Generation Protocols” and “Integration”, focus on frontier research and innovation, led mostly by academic partners and RTOs. The third ST pillar “Use cases and Applications” aims at expanding the industrial and economic impact of QSN technologies and is mostly driven by companies. In order to achieve the specific objectives within each pillar and ensure that know-how transfer and synergy between them are coherent and effective, QSNP has established ST activities corresponding to the three main layers of the technology value chain, “Components and Systems”, “Networks” and “Cryptography and Security”. This framework will allow achieving the ultimate objective of developing quantum communication technology for critical European infrastructures, such as EuroQCI, as well as for the private information and communication technology (ICT) sectors. QSNP will contribute to the European sovereignty in quantum technology for cybersecurity. Additionally, it will generate significant economic benefits to the whole society, including training new generations of scientists and engineers, as well as creating high-tech jobs in the rapidly growing quantum industry.