Metrology - a core activity at LNE, and a key factor in the challenges faced by industry and society - is the focus of much new research activity at LNE.
In 2005 LNE was entrusted by the French government with overseeing France's metrology network.
Measurement is a constant component of our society's activities. It must keep pace with developments springing from advances in science and technology, while meeting ever greater accuracy requirements. This is the main thrust of LNE's fundamental research, upstream of its applied research.
Health, safety, environment… Society benefits every day from applications of the research carried out by LNE. A third of LNE's work consists in developing measurement and testing methods for large-scale projects concerning consumer protection, public health, environment, and energy management.
Transferring tools designed at LNE to industry and laboratories is a key objective for the R&D teams. By participating in ambitious European projects and strengthening ties with competitive clusters, LNE is building a strong presence in the world of industry. This is both a logical development and an essential strategy for providing companies in all sectors with the means to stay competitive and expand.
> Research serving industry and laboratories
The French metrology network is heavily involved in the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP). Following a call for projects in the field of energy, nine joint research projects (JRPs) were selected. The French metrology network will be contributing to eight of them. LNE will contribute to seven and will run the JRP on metrology for biofuels.
To focus its research directly on industry needs, LNE is working with:
LNE's research is governed by a metrology committee of outside experts. It proposes long-term strategy for the French metrology network, recommends partnerships, monitors performance of programmes and draws up a national metrology report.
Research quality is assessed by the Académie des Sciences et des Technologies and the Research and Higher Education Evaluation Authority (AERES).
Investment in research is constantly increasing, and now represents over 20% of LNE's total budget. Research is largely self-financed. LNE also receives funds for national or European research projects from the National Research Agency (ANR), the French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), etc.
In 2009 a research prize was created to honour researchers at LNE and other laboratories in the French metrology network.
The first such prize was awarded to André Clairon, a research engineer at LNE-SYRTE (Time-Space Reference Systems) for his contribution to the development of optical frequency measurements in France and his key role in building an optically pumped cesium beam clock.
In 2010 the prize was awarded to Gérard Genevès and Patrick Juncar for their work on the watt balance.
