Launch of the ANR Industrial Chair “ELSA-PACT”

With a total initial budget of € 4 million and a minimum duration of 4 years (2014-2017) the purpose of the ANR (French National Research Agency) Industrial Chair ELSA-PACT is to develop scientifically based methods and tools to assess the environmental and social impacts of human activities, especially those related to natural resource management (agriculture / food, water and waste management).

Its mission is to establish a long-term collaboration between research and businesses in a strategic priority area, starting by conducting scientific research and development involving ten doctoral theses and post-doctoral studies, the establishment of training programs for corporate partners, and the organization of scientific events and networking.

ELSA-PACT consists of five industrial founding partners: Suez Environnement, Company Canal de Provence and Development of the Provence Region (SCP), the BRL group, the cooperative group of wine producers Val d’Orbieu UCCOAR and the environmental consultancy firm Evea.

The Industrial Chair will be opened to other companies to join from 2015 onwards. Hosted by IRSTEA (National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture), the chair was also co-founded by academic partners from the ELSA research group (Ecole des Mines d’Ales, Supagro Montpellier, CIRAD), Onema (French National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments), ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency), and the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

The chair holder and Director Titular is Dr. Ralph K. Rosenbaum, an internationally renowned environmental scientist.