UM atUM [S01-ep01]: From Tanzania to the Fabre Museum

[Podcast] - Published on October 15, 2021 in Science and Society

On the agenda for this season’s first episode: the socioeconomic benefits of marine protected areas, featuring Alicia Dalongeville from the MARBEC Marine Biology Laboratory and Antoine Leblois from the Montpellier Center for Environmental Economics. In the second half of the episode, Delphine Jullien from the Mechanics and Civil Engineering Laboratory takes us on a tour of the Fabre Museum.

For this first issue of *AUM science*, we’re shining the spotlight on Africa. On October 8, Montpellier hosted the Africa-France Summit. This provided the University with an opportunity to organize four days of scientific meetings and discussions focused on research and innovation on the continent. We’re continuing this international event today by taking you to Tanzania.

The Socioeconomic Benefits of Marine Protected Areas

Beyond Zanzibar’s idyllic beaches, the grand safaris of the Serengeti, the snows of Kilimanjaro, and the shores of Lake Victoria, Tanzania is one of the poorest countries on the continent, as nearly one-third of its population lives below the official poverty line. In this context, fishing appears—even more so than elsewhere—to be an indispensable resource for the local people. So, is it possible to reconcile the vital needs of the population with the conservation of marine environments, which, like everywhere else, are under pressure from climate change and human activity? That’s what our guests want to know. To find out, they went into the field to assess the potential socioeconomic benefits of establishing marine protected areas in Tanzania. Now that they’ve returned from their mission, they share their initial observations with us.

Joining us in the studio are Alicia Dalongeville and Antoine Leblois. She is a research engineer in marine biology at the MARBEC laboratory and a professional diver. He is an economist at CEE-M, the Montpellier Center for Environmental Economics, and a specialist in water resource management and climate change adaptation.

LUM Special Issue: “Afr icas”

This quarter, LUM magazine is also bringing you a special issue dedicated to “Africas.” Track elephants on their mysterious migrations, and keep an eye on beaches that are disappearing before our very eyes. Follow the researchers who work every day to better understand issues related to water and food resources, in order to anticipate and adapt to changes—both climate-related and demographic. Also meet those who battle daily against major health threats such as the Ebola virus and sleeping sickness… Findthe digital versionon the University of Montpellier website.

The Fabre Museum's Climate Display Case

In the second part of the program, we’ll take you to the Fabre Museum—specifically to the Flemish Gallery—where Delphine Jullien, a researcher at the Laboratory of Mechanics and Civil Engineering (LMGC), and Marina Bousvarou, the restoration campaign coordinator at the Fabre Museum, will introduce us to*The Holy Trinity Crowning the Virgin*. This^15th-century work is painted on four oak panels:“The movement of the wood caused by fluctuations in ambient humidity is prevented by a latticework structure on the back of the panels, which leads to the formation of cracks that damage the paint layer,” explains the researcher. To better understand the wood’s movement and thus better preserve this work, the LMGC team has designed a very special display case that we’re unveiling today.

Part of the exhibition “The Secrets of Artworks,” featuring “The Holy Trinity Crowning the Virgin” on the left. This anonymous Flemish or Spanish painting on wood, created in the 16th century, is housed in a humidity-controlled climate chamber at the Fabre Museum in Montpellier. The exhibition (March through September 2018) highlights art restoration practices, with a special focus on public outreach. This unique experimental setup allows visitors to observe in situ the deformation of the wooden panel as humidity levels are controlled. The artwork is placed on a scale that measures changes in mass. The various stages of the study are detailed on the walls. This study, which began in 2016, will ultimately help define a conservation solution to ensure the artwork’s long-term preservation. UMR5508 Laboratory of Mechanics and Civil Engineering

AtUM , you’ve got the schedule—let’s get started!

Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Report: Aline Périault
Editing: Bruno Bertrand
Directed by: Bruno Bertrand and Anna Demeulandre

Listen to the show “AUM science” on Divergence FM 93.9