Research and Development activities are the means by which ISSeP acquires the knowledge and new skills that enable it to help anticipate society’s needs in terms of environmental characterization, risk control and nuisance reduction. They cover both “upstream” research, which provides a better understanding of the mechanisms influencing the environment, and “downstream” research, which leads to the development of tools for monitoring, forecasting trends, identifying risks and limiting them.
In concrete terms, this is what enables ISSeP :
- provide scientific and technical support to public authorities in their legislative and regulatory role in risk prevention7
- support innovation by helping companies to develop purer processes and products, and ensuring that they are not jeopardized by unidentified or hidden risks.
A large proportion of these projects are still financed from our own funds, but the long-term aim is to build up a track record and scientific recognition that will enable ISSeP to rejoin international networks of research institutes, as it has done in the past.
What is the concentration of nanoparticles in the air of Walloon conurbations, what fraction of this concentration can be attributed to emissions generated by transport, and what mobility plan should be adopted to reduce it? How can biota measurement strategies be used in Wallonia to monitor surface water discharges of emerging pollutants that are difficult to detect in an aqueous matrix? What is Wallonia’s actual inhalation exposure to pesticides, and how can it be reduced? How does the vulnerability of populations evolve with changes in their geographical distribution? Is it possible to recycle sewage sludge in a more sustainable way? Can the reuse of excavated soil from mine wasteland as part of urban rehabilitation work pose health problems? These are just some of the questions that ISSeP’s research is seeking to answer. The Institute does this by developing multi-disciplinary approaches combining the development of ever more effective data acquisition, processing and modeling techniques.
Partnerships
Various types of partnerships are implemented. These are generally organized through agreements, and involve research projects or doctoral theses. Recurring partnerships that can be developed either on an informal basis, such as those established with CRAW, or within the framework of a GIS, such as GISREAU, set up with CRAW and SWDE to develop synergies in research into water characterization and management, and 3 SP, which brings together, in addition to ISSeP, Ecole Mines Douai, BRGM, Centre Terre et Pierre, INERIS, Université Lille 1 and Université Mons, in addition to ISSeP, the Ecole des Mines de Douai, BRGM, the Centre Terre et Pierre, INERIS, the University of Lille 1 and the University of Mons, whose aim is to jointly conduct research projects in the field of polluted sites and sediments. Eventually, partnerships could be agreed with CRM, which now shares one of the ISSeP sites.
It should also be added that ISSeP is part of the Enero network (European Network of Environmental Research Organizations), which aims to develop collaboration between its various members in research programs, knowledge transfer and policy harmonization.