Double Success for Our PhD Students at the 3MG Doctoral School Day!

The 3MG Doctoral School (Matter, Molecules, Materials, and Geosciences) brings together young researchers in chemistry, physics, and geosciences from numerous laboratories across the Pays de la Loire region each year. This must-attend annual event, held this year in Nantes, serves as an exceptional showcase for regional research. Only the best presentation in each category is awarded a prize. Find all the details of the event on the JED 2026 website.

Discover the research projects that impressed the jury:

Maxime Bloch (Gravitational Waves Team), right in the photo

Topic: Measuring the Hubble Constant Using Gravitational Waves Gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein and detected for the first time in 2015, offer a new tool for studying the Universe and measuring its expansion rate (Hubble constant H₀). This work presents the “dark sirens” method, which combines gravitational wave signals and galaxy catalogs to estimate H₀ more precisely, even when the source has no electromagnetic counterpart. Using a Bayesian approach that leverages the redshift of potential host galaxies, this method reduces uncertainties and could help resolve the current tension regarding the value of H₀.

Baptiste Métivier (Scenario team), left in the photo

Topic: Technical and economic evaluation of material recycling strategies in the French nuclear cycle The project involves integrating economic evaluation into CLASS, a model capable of simulating the long-term operation of various nuclear fleets. To do this, the tool models the behavior of reactors, fuel cycle plants, and waste management facilities to estimate the costs associated with each strategy. It allows for the comparison of different nuclear fuel management options, the identification of those requiring the lowest investments, and an understanding of which expense items carry the most weight in each scenario.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Maxime and Baptiste for the clarity, rigor, and quality of their presentations.