PETIT Michel

Michel Petit, who holds degrees in both agronomy sciences (Agronomy Engineer School) and oceanography (PhD, Paris VI University), pursued a career as researcher in IRD. He is a recognized specialist in aerospace remote sensing and operational ecology, particularly in the field of oceanography, his original discipline for which he was awarded (1996, Medal of Oceanographic Institute Foundation Albert I). His various IRD assignments led him to West Africa, the West and Central Pacific and the Indian Ocean, his area of interest. As IRD’s research director, he coordinated until the end of 2011, numerous national and international Earth observation programmes within research units of which he was one co-founders. In particular, he is the designer and coordinator of SEASnet, the Satellite-Assisted Environmental Survey network, including several high-resolution satellite direct reception platforms. In the field of research support, he held the positions of IRD representative in La Réunion from 1991 to 1996, deputy director of the IRD France-Sud centre in Montpellier (2012-2013) then, from 2014 to 2016 director of this IRD France-Sud centre (more 950 scientists, spread across 37 mixed staff research unit). Retired from IRD, since 2017, he is now Projects manager “Sea and Coast” and “Occitanie Data” within Agropolis International.