Discover TERRAE - Grands Programmes de Recherche

The Major Research Program TERRAE aims to design pathways for transformation towards a more resilient world, both environmentally and socially. It brings together a community of more than 150 researchers from five PSL institutions to address environmental and social challenges. It seeks to structure, amplify, and consolidate transdisciplinary research at PSL by encouraging systemic approaches in partnership with non-academic stakeholders.

The Major Research Program will run for 5 years, from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029.

Objectives

TERRAE is organized around two complementary and coordinated objectives :

Organize various types of scientific events, open to the entire PSL community, in order to create a common culture around transdisciplinarity.
Encourage the development of innovative and transdisciplinary research projects, divided into two categories :
- Transition Hotspots, larger-scale projects that will emerge from collaborative workshops.
- Pilot projects, which pave the way for new initiatives and will be selected through calls for proposals.

These projects aim to develop transformative transdisciplinary research focused on social and ecological transition. The first two hotspots focus on drought and agroecological transition. Other projects will be selected throughout the program to support TERRAE's overall ambition.

Governance

The governance of the MRP comprises a Bureau, a Steering Committee, a Scientific and Orientation Council (SOC).

The Bureau, which is renewed annually, is composed of three members of the Steering Committee. It is responsible for the executive implementation of the objectives set by the Steering Committee (budget implementation, internal and external communication...). The Bureau meets twice a month. The first Bureau, elected until December 2026, consists of Corinne ROBERT as director, along with Valérie GUILLARD and Daniel HERRERA-ARAUJO as assistant directors.
The Steering Committee comprises 12 co-leaders, PSL researchers from various disciplines. It coordinates the scientific and institutional dynamics of the MRP in accordance with the two objectives it seeks to achieve, and draws up its annual scientific program and budget, which are submitted to the SOC. The Steering Committee meets once a month. The co-leaders are responsible for achieving the scientific and institutional objectives of the MRP, implementing its budget, and internal and external communication for the MRP.
The SOC actively participates in the development of all actions undertaken by the MRP and its partners, reviews the annual scientific program and budget developed by the Steering Committee, and makes recommendations and proposals. The SOC meets once a year.