Striving to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius - CIRODD scientists mobilize to discover real solutions

MONTRÉAL, June 20, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has raised the alarm, issuing a reminder of the urgency of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. For Mohamed Cheriet, an ÉTS Professor and the new Director General of the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en opérationnalisation du développement durable (CIRODD – Centre for interdisciplinary research into the operationalization of sustainable development), the team of researchers working at this strategic cluster has heard the call, and they are already on the job!

Gathered at ÉTS for the launch of the 2025 vision of CIRODD, these researchers in the engineering, social sciences and healthcare sectors will be devoting the next six years to accelerating Québec's smart and sustainable transition. Toward this end, they will adopt an interdisciplinary approach that focuses on social and technological innovation.

According to Luce Beaulieu, Executive Director of CIRODD: "We are well aware that the question of sustainable development is immense, which is why CIRODD will focus its efforts over the next six years on strategic issues that affect Québec, including sustainable mobility, changing behaviours and practices and optimizing the consumption of electricity through the use of artificial intelligence, to name but a few."

In order to attain its vision, CIRODD is relyng on the expertise of close to 100 leading researchers associated with 13 universities, along with 5 CEGEPs and colleges. They will have access to funding in the amount of $3.6 million spread out over six years from two of the three Québec Research Funds (FRQ), namely the Fonds Nature et technologies (FRQNT) and the Fonds Culture et société (FRQSC).

Professor Cheriet proudly points out: "We have received the maximum that can be granted to a strategic cluster from the FRQ. This represents a milestone in terms of recognition for all CIRODD researchers."

It is worth noting that all of the researchers at CIRODD are involved with a diversity of national and international networks, and one-quarter of them hold research chairs.

ÉTS is now the managing institution for CIRODD

In May of this year, ÉTS took over from Polytechnique Montréal as the managing institution for CIRODD. Charles Despins, Director of Faculty Affairs, Research and Partnerships at ÉTS, is thrilled with this new responsibility: "We are delighted to welcome this leading strategic cluster to ÉTS. We can expect numerous networking opportunities, especially with our 70 industrial partners who are involved in innovative and structuring projects, and with all of the professors/researchers who are conducting research into this issue, which affects everyone in our society.

Engineering research at ÉTS delves into a wide-range of fields, including the environment, energy, ground transportation, healthcare, aerospace, materials and manufacturing, infrastructure and built environments, and information and communication technologies.

About CIRODD

CIRODD's mission is to contribute to accelerating the smart and sustainable transition of Québec society through the implementation of innovative sustainability mechanisms via a transdisciplinary mode. Toward this end, it plans to adopt collaborative approaches, tools and methods that will take full advantage of technological advances by incorporating the needs, objectives and aspirations of stakeholders on the ground.

CIRODD is funded by the Québec Research Funds (FRQ), namely the Fonds Nature et technologies (FRQNT) and the Fonds Culture et société (FRQSC), and is the first strategic cluster dedicated to sustainable development in Québec. It has adopted a series of ambitious transdisciplinary objectives that will produce unique synergies between researchers in a variety of fields and stakeholders on the ground

Professor Mohamed Cheriet has been Director General of CIRODD since May of 2019, and ÉTS will be the managing institution until 2025. CIRODD currently comprises 93 researchers from 13 universities and 5 CEGEPs and colleges. It is a world-class centre of expertise and a member of the Sustainable Development Solution Network

About ÉTS

École de technologie supérieure is one of ten constituents of the Université du Québec network. It trains engineers and researchers who are recognized for their practical and innovative approach, the development of new technologies and their skill at transferring their knowledge to companies. Almost one-quarter of all engineers in Québec graduated from ÉTS, which boasts 11,000 students, including 2,650 at the graduate and post-graduate level. ÉTS specializes in applied training and research in engineering, and maintains a unique partnership with the business sector and with industry. For more information, please visit etsmtl.ca.

SOURCE École de Technologie Supérieure

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