Presentation of the laboratory

The  "Groupe de Physique des Matériaux" (GPM)

The Groupe de Physique des Matériaux (GPM) is a "Unité Mixte de Recherche" (UMR 6634) from University Rouen Normandy, INSA Rouen Normandy and CNRS (connected to "CNRS-Physique" (INP). The head of the lab is Dr Xavier Sauvage, research director at CNRS.

About 140 are employed at GPM: 57 permanent scientists, professors and assistant professors, 29 engineers, technicians and administrative persons, 35 PhD students and 15 non-permanent scientists. 

 

 

Our identity

The scientific activities of GPM have roots in the history of the lab that started end of the 60's. Scientific instrumentation has always played a major role and the application of microscopy or analysis techniques to material science our core business. The GPM progressively founded his identity and it offers today a unique environment with a state of art instrumental plateform used for a large range of scientific activities distributed in five departments. 

Scientific Instrumentation

Metallurgy, Microstructures, Mechanics

Functional Materials and nanostructures 

Disordered Systems and Polymers

Opening Fields and Innovation

 

 The local environment

The GPM is partner of "Institut CARNOT ESP (Energie et Systèmes de Propulsion)" as we address scientific issues related to materials for energy application (Production, Transfer, Storage) and transport (Automotive, Aeronautics, space) with strong collaboraton with the industry. The lab is also member of "Pôle de Compétitivité MOVEO", of « Normandie AéroEspace (NAE) ». 

The GPM is also member of "Laboratoire d’Excellence EMC3 (Centre des Matériaux pour l’Energie et de la Combustion Propre)" and leader of the GENESIS program ("Groupe d’Etudes et de Nanoanalyses des Effets d’Irradiations") for the investigation of radioactive materials.

The GPM is one of the laboratories of "fédération CNRS IRMA ("Institutde Recherche sur les Matériaux à Propriétés Avancées", in association with CIMAP and CRISMAT laboratories in Caen), member of  "RéseauNational de Microscopies (METSA)", of "Centre de CompétencesC’Nano Nord Ouest" and of "Réseau d’Intérêt Normand « Energie et Matériaux »". 

 

Abundant international collaborations

The GPM is deeply involved in numerous international collaborations with more than 50% of our scientific publications co-authored by scientists of foreign institutes and universities. We also promote diversity and hire a majority of our PhD students and Post-docs from international. More specially, we have formalized strong connections with the department of Mechanical & Material Egineering of the University of Lincoln in Nebraska (USA) and created an international French-American laboratory « Advanced Mechanics and Materials Engineering (AMME) ».  

 

Strong links with the industry

Part of our research activity is achieved in collaboration with industrial partners. We have established joint labs with EDF ("laboratoirecommun EM2VM : Etude et Modélisation des Microstructures pour le Vieillissement des Matériaux") and Manoir Industrie Pîtres ("IPERS : Innovation and performance of refarctory Steels"). Besides, past or present collaborations were successfully achieved with NEXANS, ACOME, EdF, INTEL, CAMECA, Constellium, Manoir Industries, Volum-e, Ascometal, Aperam, Aubert et Duval, Arcelor-Mittal, Framatome, ZODIAC Aerospace, ZODIAC Aerosafety Systems , SAFRAN Nacelles, SAFRAN Aerosystems, Ariane group, Technip-FlexiFrance, Framatom, FAVI, AREVA, Hutchinson, Cyclamen, Galloo, Eco-systèmes, Selfrag, STMicrolectronics, IBS, EADS, TRT, TGS, TSA, THAV, TR6, Airbus, Valeo, NXP, Safran Hispano Suiza, Thales Air System, Ligeron, MBBM, A&S, Areelis, MBDA, Thales Com & Security, Sagem, SAFRAN Aerosystems, APTAR Pharma, AFP, NUTRISET, SEALED AIR, Francofil, L’OREAL Recherche et Innovation, OFITECH/ONDULINE, Polyone, BMG-Securits, BERTIN, PEG, Sanofi, Exsymol,… 

 

Strong commitment in education and training

The GPM is at the heart of the Normandy high level education system with strong connections at all levels in training programs at University Rouen Normandy and INSA Rouen. Besides, we take care every year of about 40 internship students and 15 new PhDs, contributing as much as we can to the education of future scientisits.