FAST! Executive managing committee
Philippe Gerbeaux
President
“Originally from the Carnutes hapu (between Seine and Loire), I came to New Zealand in 1984 to complete a Ph.D in Ecology and Resource Management at University of Canterbury/Lincoln College. First worked in river/periphyton ecology with DSIR – now NIWA. Most of my career was in nature conservation and ecology (specialising in freshwater and wetland ecosystems), mainly with Department of Conservation (DOC), with secondments in the Camargue) and Fiji where I helped with the opening of the Oceania Office for IUCN, as Chief Technical Advisor. I retired in 2022 and have been involved in FAST! since its inception and the president since May 2023.”
Amandine
Secretary
“I am a Senior Lecturer at AUT (Auckland University of Technology). I study ecosystem dynamics using chemical cues found in the environment. I arrived in Dunedin in 2011 for a PhD and never left New Zealand. I am a keen runner, kitesurfer, mountain biker, and absolute dog lover.”
Edouard Perie
Treasurer
“I am passionate about sciences, climate change mitigation and adaptation, governance and strategy and their implementation and impact in agro-eco-systems. A former senior scientist in subtropical crops, I then managed large government investments in climate change mitigation, and my current work focuses on developing and enhancing cooperations to improve self-sufficiency, climate change resilience and economic development in the Pacific, including between New Zealand and its French-speaking neighbors! I live in Mount Maunganui with my 9yo son Manaaki and enjoy surfing, spearfishing, rugby and cooking and eating delicious food.”
Caroline Francois-Holden
Immediate Past President
“I’m a kiwi-french seismologist based in Wellington working for my own research company SeismoCity Ltd. My research interests are about large earthquakes: ground shaking, early warning and seismic monitoring of buildings.
I’m also passionate about Māori language, culture and history. My favourite places in Aotearoa New Zealand are the South Coast of Wellington, Te Whanganui a Tara and Te Tai Poutini (south island west coast).”
Hervé Quenol
Data Officer & Christchurch Lead
“I’m a geographer-climatologist working as director of research at the CNRS. My research focuses on the interactions between climate and anthropogenic activities and on analysis and modelling of climate at fine scales in the climate change context. I lead the International Research Project “AgriForAdapt” High resolution scenarios of adaptation strategies to climate change of agroecosystems.”
Héloïse Bénard
Webmaster
“I am the communication and scientific officer the CNRS Office in Oceania. As a environmental engineer, I am specialized in water management. I have though orientated my career in the support and coordination of research at the local, european and international scale.”
Leonardo Bolstad
Student Rep
“I am an electrical and humanitarian engineering student at the University of Canterbury. I am passionate about renewable energies, which I advocated for as a delegate at the United Nations ECOSOC Youth Forum and as a Finalist for the Global Hydrogen Case Competition. Having grown up in a multicultural and trilingual environment due to attending the Lycée Français Internationale de Kyoto I look forward to further connecting to the francophone student community in Aotearoa.”
Elodie Crossard
France Rep
“I am an assistant professor in Animal Physiology at Sorbonne University, Paris, France. My research focuses on the role of the brain in fertility regulation. I have spent 6 years as a post-doctoral fellow and senior researcher at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, hence my connection and involvement to FAST!“
Mikael Boulic
Auckland Lead
“I’m a Senior lecturer in Building Technology at Massey University School of Built Environment. Mikael’s area of expertise is focused on the interface of Building Technology and Public Health. He has led a few intervention studies investigating the relationship between domestic heaters, ventilation, and the level of pollutants (mould, bacteria, chemicals and moisture) in homes and schools. These studies had a strong sympathy for vulnerable communities with low income, Māori and Pasifika communities being particularly at risk through a higher burden of disease.”
Geoffroy Lamarche
Wellington Lead
“I’m presently the Chief Science Adviser to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. I was previously Principal Scientist in marine geophysics at NIWA. I am the co- founder and first President of FAST!”
Fabien Montiel
Dunedin Lead
“I am a Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at the University of Otago. My research interests are broad but mainly relate to all things waves and how they interact with objects, with applications such as modelling ocean wave propagation in ice- covered oceans and acoustic metamaterials. In my spare time, I’m an avid disc-golfer.”
Jean-Michel Carnus
INRAE & AFW Lead
“Double citizen of France and New Zealand, I am currently INRAE representative in Oceania based in Wellington, active member of Alliance Française and organiser of “Café des Idées” since 2018. I enjoy sharing my retirement time between music, nature, science and whanau. During my professional life, I specialised in sustainable forestry and environmental sciences, and held positions in the public and research sectors in France, New Caledonia and New Zealand, in relation with agriculture, land and water management. I was involved in many international research projects and organisations, and strongly support scientific collaborations between Aotearoa and France.“
François Thoral
Support member 1
“Kia ora, I am a marine ecologist currently doing a postdoc between the University of Waikato and NIWA, based in Pōneke Wellington. I first came to Aotearoa in 2018 in the search of a PhD project, and I’m very grateful to still be living down here. I study kelp forests and coastal ecosystems, and in my free time you might find me chasing the surf along the amazing NZ coast. I’m looking forward to contributing to the NZ-France research partnership.”
Arnaud Valcarcel
Support member 2