Researcher Sylvain Mailler delivered a lecture at EPN in Ecuador

As part of his visit to Quito’s National Polytechnic School (Escuela Politécnica Nacional, EPN), École Polytechnique’s partner institution in Ecuador, Sylvain Mailler delivered a lecture on July 24, 2025, titled “Air Quality Modelling in South America: Context and Franco–South American Collaborations.”

A researcher (ENPC¹) at the Dynamic Meteorology Laboratory² of École Polytechnique, Sylvain Mailler focuses his work on studying atmospheric composition, and more specifically, long-range transport of pollutants and dense plumes of smoke such as volcanic plumes.

During his lecture at EPN, attended by researchers and students, Sylvain Mailler presented scientific results obtained using the CHIMERE chemistry-transport model applied to South America. Chemical Transport Models (CTMs) represent an essential tool for simulating and predicting air pollution.

The CHIMERE model, which underpins the scientific results presented by Sylvain Mailler during his lecture on Air Quality Modeling in South America, was developed primarily by researchers at École Polytechnique's Dynamic Meteorology Laboratory (LMD), in collaboration with the Interuniversity Laboratory of Atmospheric Systems (LISA)³.

“Grasping air quality and atmospheric composition at the scale of a city or a region is a scientific and technical challenge,” notes Sylvain Mailler. He underlines that “such insights are vital, as they provide the basis for developing and assessing public policies to reduce people’s exposure to air pollution.”

The findings Sylvain Mailler presented included a study on the exposure of Santiago de Chile’s metropolitan population to fine particulate pollution, research on the transport of pollutants from valleys up to the Cordillera Central peaks, and a modeling of plumes from wildfires in both Chile and Argentina.

Highlighting the relevance of the CHIMERE model, Sylvain Mailler notes that it “is used for both operational and scientific applications in France and Europe, and has also been adopted beyond Europe, including in South America."

The meeting at EPN also provided an opportunity to discuss various collaborative projects led by researchers from the LMD and involving multiple countries. These include the IRN ChimSur project (France, Argentina, Chile) and the Climat-Amsud ModFir project (France, Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina).

The National Polytechnic School in Quito (EPN) – an important partner in Ecuador

Renowned for its scientific excellence, the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN) stands as one of Ecuador’s most prestigious higher education institutions. Its distinguished fields of research and teaching include mathematics, physics, civil engineering, and environmental engineering.

To pave the way for joint academic and scientific initiatives, École Polytechnique and EPN signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2024, formalizing their collaboration. The agreement aims to foster student mobility between France and Ecuador and to facilitate scientific cooperation.

When asked about potential joint research projects with EPN researchers, Sylvain Mailler already has several ideas in mind. "Scientific exchanges could help address questions specific to unique environments," he suggests, "such as the Quito metropolitan area—located 2,800 meters above sea level in a mountainous setting—as well as the high-altitude páramos of the Andes, tropical glaciers, the upper valleys of the Amazon tributaries, and the Galápagos Islands."

France – Ecuador: a longstanding scientific collaboration

"The Franco-Ecuadorian scientific collaboration dates back to the 18th century," explains Sylvain Mailler, "with the French Geodesic Mission led by scientist Charles-Marie de La Condamine. This expedition resulted in groundbreaking discoveries in cartography, geodesy, and botany."

Reflecting on these historical ties, Quito’s prestigious lycée français “La Condamine” prepares many students for a dual diploma—combining the French baccalauréat and the Ecuadorian baccalauréat. Each year, Ecuadorian graduates go on to join preparatory classes, universities, and higher education institutions specialised in engineering sciences in France, forming a vibrant pool of French-speaking and Francophile scientific and academic talent in Ecuador.

Through their cooperation agreement, l’X and EPN aim to expand mobility opportunities for students and researchers between France and Ecuador.
 

¹ ENPC : École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées
² LMD : a joint research unit CNRS, École Polytechnique - Institut Polytechnique de Paris, ENS, Sorbonne Université
³ LISA : Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (Université Paris-Est Créteil, Université Paris-Cité, CNRS)