Agnes Lèbre: The Observer at the Observatory

Astronomer Agnes Lèbre has something special. Like her academic peers, she conducts research and teaches, but her department also has an observational mission. She was even the first researcher atUM be granted CNAP (National Council of Astronomers and Physicists) status in 1993, a special government designation that allocates one-third of her time to observational services dedicated to the astronomy community.“Today there are four of us with CNAP status atUM,” says the woman who paved the way by advocating for this status 30 years ago. 

Ecosystem Monitoring with Oreme

In practice, she began by working with the Pic du Midi Observatory to prepare observation nights for research teams using the famous Bernard Lyot telescope, perched at an altitude of 2,800 meters in the Pyrenees. At the same time, she conducts her own research on very special stars, the red supergiants: she observes the surfaces of these stars—which are older and larger than the Sun—to study their magnetism.

Her role as an observer made her a natural fit for one of France’s 25 observatories of the physical sciences, the one in Montpellier, established in 2009.“I took on the position of deputy director of the Montpellier Research Observatory for the Environment (Oreme) in 2016 as part of my assignment with an observation service ,” says Agnes Lèbre, who had already led several research units, including her Montpellier Laboratory of Universe and Particles (LUPM) as deputy director from 2015 to 2016.“I opened myself up to new scientific communities—earth and water sciences, but also ecology and the environment,” says the astronomer, who emphasizes the importance the Montpellier observatory places on monitoring ecosystems. “The challenge is, in particular, to assess the effects of human activities—from local pollution to climate change—on terrestrial and marine ecosystems.”

“From a supergiant star to a grain of pollen”

In August 2024, she took over as director of OREME, succeeding the hydrologist and member of the French Academy of Sciences, Eric Servat. The new director is committed to upholding the “scientific continuum” covered by OREME’s numerous observation programs, “from supergiant stars to pollen grains, and even bacteria! That is the diversity of the systems we observe.” 

Affiliated with the University of Montpellier, the CNRS, the IRD, and INRAE, OREME currently comprises thirty observation stations. These stations focus on a variety of research topics, such as the vulnerability of Mediterranean forests to climate change, antibiotic resistance in the Lez River, and the evolution of the Thau Lagoon. While many observation programs are based in Occitanie, others focus on the Southern Hemisphere, such as coastal monitoring around the Mediterranean or a hydro-climatological observatory in West Africa. Indeed, the observation units are supported by the eight laboratories associated with OREME, which operate in the region as well as in the Southern Hemisphere.“About 250 researchers, out of the 1,200 in these teams, work directly with us as part of their research.”

Long-term data collection

In addition to their geographic and disciplinary scope, observatories for the physical sciences must ensure the collection of long-term data.“OREME, within the limits of its resources, ensures the continuity of measurements and the preservation of data,” emphasizes Agnes Lèbre. It relies on several large-scale instruments and about twenty administrative and technical staff to operate them. These include an experimental platform for the geochemical analysis of samples, the Medimeer platform dedicated to the study of marine ecosystems, the Sète marine station, and two vessels for conducting marine expeditions. 

And how do you manage all the data collected?“An information system validates the data and makes it available in the form of usable databases. One of Oreme’s missions is to disseminate information as widely as possible, sometimes after a blackout period pending the publication of scientific results, for example,” explains the director, who adds that this mission of disseminating information to the scientific community and the general public is“particularly close toherheart.”

Oreme regularly organizes conferences and scientific events. The next event will be a day-long conference titled “Journey Through Geosciences: From a Habitable Planet to Critical Mineral Resources,” on November 12, 2024, at La Panacée. “While the morning is reserved for the scientific community from the laboratoriesaffiliated with Oreme, the afternoon is open to the general public. This year marks a first, as this conference has been included in the secondary school teacher training program, and the event will also be streamed live online!”says the woman, who is always eager to participate in science outreach initiatives.