Artificial Intelligence for the Environment and Health
The University of Montpellier is one of 22 institutions selected by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of its call for proposals for “doctoral contracts in AI.” Six doctoral theses applying AI to the MUSE themes of environment and health will thus be co-funded.
It was a national pledge: to double the number of PhDs trained in artificial intelligence. This government priority followed the parliamentary mission on artificial intelligence led by Representative Cédric Villani and presented at the“All for Humanity”event in March 2018. To achieve this goal, the National Research Agency launched a call for proposals on artificial intelligence, offering co-funding for 274 doctoral theses at a rate of €60,000 each.
Montpellier in the AI landscape
This is an opportunity the University of Montpellier should seize, as highlighted by Anne Laurent, its Vice President for Open Science and Research Data:“We have some real gems in the field of artificial intelligence here in Montpellier. We organize many events, and our researchers are well-regarded.”This serves as a reminder that Montpellier also has its own strengths and plays a significant role in France’s AI landscape.
The recently established Montpellier Institute of Data Science (ISDM) is a prime example of this. Inaugurated last January, it aims to organize the data landscape in Montpellier and the surrounding region, and to foster new synergies and exchanges in this dynamic field. The ISDM thus provides human and material resources, links to existing resources and best-practice guides, advice on suitable training programs, and more.
Six jointly funded dissertations
In the end, six doctoral theses will be co-funded by the ANR, the University of Montpellier, and its partners. The focus will be on the scientific challenges of AI as they relate to the environment and health—the key themes of MUSE.“Our project, called Axium, takes a multidisciplinary approach to artificial intelligence,” explains Anne Laurent. “The scientific challenges of AI aren’t limited to mathematicians or computer scientists—they also concern lawyers, biologists, agronomists, and economists. Every academic field will undergo transformations linked to the development of data science, and this project is a real catalyst for supporting them.”
These initiatives are welcome in this competitive sector, where preventing the brain drain to other countries can sometimes be a challenge, as the Vice President notes:“It is not always easy to attract and retain our students in artificial intelligence because private companies offer interesting and often well-paid projects.”With this new co-funding, the University of Montpellier is working to develop its community of qualified researchers in artificial intelligence and reaffirms its commitment to making an impact in this essential field.