Six new research teams comprising French and American scientists from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the University of Arizona (U of A) are tackling urgent questions about environmental changes and the future of human health.   

The projects are coordinated by the France–Arizona Institute for Global Grand Challenges (FA Institute), an International Research Center (IRC) launched by CNRS and the U of A in early 2021. All projects involve a principal investigator and a doctoral student from each institution. In addition to a three-year fellowship for the French student, each team will receive support for international travel and research exchange.

“Building on the outstanding and complementary research capacities of CNRS and the U of A, this program offers doctoral students exceptional training opportunities. Our U of A students work on extraordinary projects and get to collaborate with the best scientists in France, in the best laboratories.” 

FA Institute director Regis Ferriere believes these collaborations represent academia at its finest: “Building on the outstanding and complementary research capacities of CNRS and the U of A, this program offers doctoral students exceptional training opportunities. Our U of A students work on extraordinary projects and get to collaborate with the best scientists in France, in the best laboratories.” 

Ferriere highlights a collaboration between Biosphere 2 and CNRS’s Ecotron facility near Paris. The Ecotron’s unique cluster of climate simulators enables U of A doctoral students to reproduce Biosphere 2 experiments at a smaller scale with pinpoint control over both climate and system response. Combined findings from the two locations offer unprecedented insight into the mechanisms governing complex ecosystems’ reactions to warming and drought. 

The six newly approved projects aim to develop innovative tools and models that tackle environmental change, public health challenges, and sustainable resource management:

• Designing sustainable desalination systems. Kerri Hickenbottom, associate professor of chemical and environmental engineering at the University of Arizona, and Vincent Nicolas, associate professor at the University of Lorraine, are designing a desalination system that recovers water and minerals from brine. Their project combines membrane distillation with 3D-printed solar crystallizers to create a zero-liquid discharge system for use in arid, off-grid areas.
• Forecasting the future of allergies. Brian Enquist, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona, and Cyrille Violle, senior research scientist at CNRS and CEFE, are forecasting where and when allergenic plants will thrive by combining biodiversity data, plant traits, and climate projections. Their team is developing global maps of future pollen exposure to support public health and conservation planning.
• Listening to environmental change. Sara Fraker, associate professor of music at the University of Arizona, and Anne-Peggy Hellequin, professor of geography at the University of Paris Nanterre, are studying how residents of southern Arizona perceive ecological change through sound. By collecting recordings and leading sensory walks, they are analyzing how soundscapes influence place attachment, mental health, and climate awareness. The project includes original musical compositions and public engagement.
• Measuring health risks from heat and fire. Heidi Brown, professor of public health at the University of Arizona, and Florent Mouillot, senior scientist at CNRS and IRD, are measuring how exposure to wildfire smoke and extreme heat affects cardiovascular health. Using data from the U.S., France, and North Africa, the team is evaluating health risks and assessing the effectiveness of prescribed winter burns.
• Modeling wildfire risk under uncertainty. Jian Liu, associate professor of systems and industrial engineering at the University of Arizona, and Abdel Lisser, professor at the University Paris-Saclay, are modeling wildfire risk using artificial intelligence, digital twin simulations, and optimization tools. Their project addresses uncertainties in fire spread, smoke exposure, and evacuation to improve fire protection strategies.
• Tracing invisible pollutants in the atmosphere. Armin Sorooshian, professor of chemical and environmental engineering at the University of Arizona, and Anne Monod, professor of atmospheric chemistry at Aix-Marseille University, are tracing how atmospheric surfactants, including PFAS compounds, affect cloud formation. Using surface tension experiments and NASA data, they aim to improve climate models by identifying how these substances influence cloud condensation.

Ferriere says an important outcome of the selected projects will be to establish or reinforce connections between the CNRS research community and leading U of A research collectives in environmental health sciences: the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SWEHSC), Southwest Center on Resilience for Climate Change and Health (SCORCH), One Health Research Initiative, Heat Resilience Initiative, and the Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center. 

“These connections will help develop much larger research projects that will bring new resources to both partners, create interdisciplinary and international training opportunities for our students, and advance our mission to improve life in Arizona and around the world,” says Ferriere.