ACADEMY
PUBLICATIONS
01 March 2014
First contribution to the Energy Transition National Debate. EDP Sciences, 2014
Production and utilisation of energy round the world are changing, due to a combination of forces. Some of these changes are imposed (redistribution of energy needs and the Earth’s resources, measures that anticipate the depletion of fossil fuel sources); others are vountarily implemented (the search for energy autonomy, the fight against global warming and climate change, industrial competition). France has launched a nation-wide debate on possible future policies in these areas. The National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF) — in its endeavours to gain the widest consensus possible on these thematics — sets out the technical data that will hopefully modulate the Government’s strategies up to […]
01 March 2014
Large Socio-Technical Systems. EDP Sciences, 2014
Large scale Socio-Technical Systems (LSTSs) operating over networks (such as the electricity system , the railways , the airspace system , Internet…) have radically changed our daily lives over the past few decades and also transformed the way our Societies work . They represent a phenomenon that is conducive to enthusiasm , which contributes to the democratization process of societies everywhere, offering new features and services over the coming years , consequences and sources of new techniques and technologies : in this light , LSTSs appeared as a natural field for investigation by our Academy . They have undergone considerable […]
20 August 2013
Tomorrow’s vehicles – Academic report
Academic Report, Edp sciences, Paris 2013 In a world of 7 billion inhabitants, with 700 M private cars on the roads and more than 70 M built every year, this rapid growth rate in a context of deep-reaching change in energy procurement/use policies and the need to limit greenhouse gases (GHGs) has led the Academy to imagine various possible future scenarios. “Tomorrow’s vehicles” is a topic that has been addressed in numerous technological prospective studies. The specific feature of the NATF Report is that it adopts a systemic approach, analysing together all the ongoing changes in the “automobile mobility” eco-system, […]
15 May 2013
The use of english in higher education
Following suit to various opinions expressed in the preparatory phases of a new French law for Higher Education, in regard to use of the English language in French Higher Education, the national Academy of technologies of France (NATF) approves the measures proposed by the Government, taking into account the following two considerations: Non national students and academic teaching staff in France In the ongoing global economic competition, knowledge represents a strategic challenge. France’s Higher Education must be in a position to attract the most promising non national students and the best international research scientists, who will later become our ‘ambassadors, […]
19 October 2012
Joint advice note issued by the French National Academies of Agriculture, Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences, Technologies and Veterinary Sciences in regard to a recent publication by G.E. Séralini et al. on toxicity of a GMB
The French national Academies of Agriculture, Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences, Technologies and Veterinary sciences, became acquainted at the same time as the general public with the paper published recently in the review Food and Chemical Toxicology by Gilles-Eric SERALINI et al. where the authors claim that there is a strong tumourigenic and toxic effect in rats through consuming the genetically modified NK603 corn or through low level exposure to the weed-killer Roundup Ready® to which the corn has become tolerant. The 6 signatory academies share the opinion that numerous methodological and interpretation shortcomings in the paper should not be held to […]
17 October 2012
“Metallurgy, science and engineering”, a joint report by the French Academy of Sciences, and the National Aacademy of Technologies of France. ED. EDP Sciences, Jan. 2011
Metallurgy, science and engineering, a joint Report by the French Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Technologies of France Ed. EDP Sciences, January 2011 Jan.14, 2011 Moderators: Prof. Yves QUERE, Member of the Academy of Sciences and Prof. André PINEAU, NATF Fellow. Abstract: If we can readily agree that the metallurgical industries are inevitably being reorganised into ‘world class’ sized entities, we must also do everything in our power to prevent this global trend weakening France’s position in this key sector. If the major French actors in the metallurgical sector cannot continue as they were able to […]
10 October 2012
Synthetic biology and (white) industrial biotechnologies
ADVICE NOTE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGIES OF FRANCE (NATF), approved by vote at the October 10, 2012 plenary session The National Academy of technologies of France (NATF) in this Advice Note throws light on issues that have accompanied the emergence of synthetic biology (SB) into the field of industrial biotechnological applications. The aim of the advice note is, on one hand, to identify the potential of this historic changeover from ‘naturalist’ biology to technology-intensive biology, in the contemporary context of industrial and societal challenges and, on the other, to propose various measures which if taken would favour […]
04 July 2012
Academic advice note issued by the National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF) Research-Innovation-Technology policies in French regions
Research-innovation-technology policies in French Regions Academic Advice Note issued by the National Academy of technologies of France (NATF) Voted by the Academy in plenary session, July 4, 2012 Increased awareness by politicians of the role played by research, seen as one of the key factors in favour of innovation, has encouraged them to initiate a series of measures in this area, in particular at the level of France’s Regions. An in-depth analysis of the budget commitments for research activities by the Regional authorities are on a par today – viz., same order of magnitude – with national financing of research […]
14 February 2012
Energy vectors: Permanent guide-lines for future energy procurement decisions. Ed. Le Manuscrit, Paris, 2012
14/02/2012 In French but soon in English under the title: Energy vectors: Permanent guide-lines for future energy procurement decisions Ed. Le Manuscrit, Paris, 2012 Faced with major structuring decisions that must be taken by Society in respect to policy choices for future energy procurement, the NATF publishes a set of permanent guide-lines for these choices, based on a new energy paradigm that, between supply and demand …
13 December 2011
Financing biotechnology start-ups in pharma
Financing of start-ups in the pharmaceutical biotechnologies Academic Advice Note issued by the National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF) The financial chain for pharmaceutical biotech start-ups in France has broken down because of a lack of funding sources, mainly for the downstream phases, which dissuades upstream investors. This trend is accompanied by a decrease in the will of all actors in the field to assume risks (for both conjunctural and structural reasons). If we wish to re-introduce a positive leverage, for both creation and starting phases and also in development projects, there must be a simplification and better coordination […]