Close

‹ Back to the directory

Nicolas Flipo

Research Director

Center · GEOSCIENCES

Keywords

Awards & distinctions

  • 2015 Appointed Scientific Director of PIREN Seine Phase VII (2015–2019)

Team

SHR - Systèmes Hydrologiques et Réservoirs

Biography

Nicolas Flipo is a researcher specializing in the hydrology and biogeochemistry of continental water systems. His work focuses primarily on the integrated modeling of water and material flows in watersheds, with particular expertise in the interactions between surface water and groundwater, as well as in the biogeochemical processes affecting water quality. His research has evolved toward the development and integration of hydro-biogeochemical models, such as the RIVE model, which simulate the dynamics of microbial communities, nutrients, and contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. He is also interested in the impact of climate change and anthropogenic pressures on water resources, combining empirical and numerical approaches to assess the sensitivity of hydrosystems at various spatiotemporal scales. His contributions include methodological advances in data assimilation and coupled water-energy modeling, applied in particular to the Seine River basin.

Publication(s)

Teaching

Water and Energy Flows (PI MOLONARI)

Course Director

Raising Awareness of Environmental Sensors (PI MOLONARI)

Course Director

Project (PI MOLONARI)

Course Director

Water Resource Management in a Changing World

Course Director

Against the backdrop of global changes, climate change, and societal shifts, the future of water resources is uncertain. Responsible water resource management today requires the ability to simulate the future of these resources. In a sense, this involves developing digital twins of watersheds—which represent a relevant unit for water resource management—and then using them in forecasting exercises that combine scenario planning and impact assessment. The objective of this course is to familiarize students with water resource management tools, and more specifically with tools for quantifying the trajectory of these water resources, which are subject to numerous anthropogenic and climatic pressures. An initial series of lectures will illustrate the challenges related to water resources, followed by an explanation of the basic concepts of hydrology and hydrogeology, leading students to ultimately master the formalization of these processes within a hydrological model that explicitly integrates surface and groundwater. The course will conclude with a series of computer-based tutorials designed to familiarize students with the water resource modeling tool, CaWaQS, developed at Mines Paris – PSL under the Eclipse Public License v2. These computer-based tutorials will then enable students to complete a mini-project focused on a real-world case study, the progression of which will be analyzed, particularly in light of the challenges posed by climate change.

Geosciences (GEOSCIENCES) track

Guest Lecturer

The program is organized into two main periods at the École des Mines: one month in September/October and 15 days in January, followed by an internship that takes place either at a company or in a research laboratory. The geosciences track is directly linked to the research conducted at the Geosciences Center and involves numerous faculty members from that center, who provide students with the necessary knowledge to engage effectively in meetings and visits with professionals. The two periods—in the fall and in January—consist of lectures, field trips, and mini-projects on the one hand, and site visits and meetings with professionals on the other. The table below outlines the topics covered and the teaching methods. Topic Lectures and Mini-Projects Site Visits, Meetings with Professionals Risk Assessment and Uncertainty Management Risks Related to Soil Pollution Geostatistical Tools BRGM - Landslide risks Monitoring / characterization Sampling in natural environments Geophysical tools Georeferencing Hydrogeological monitoring Fiber optics Invisensing - Fiber optics research Eau de Paris / SAUR Storengy - Research Center Spotlight – “Continuous Monitoring” Startup Understanding Natural Phenomena and Human Interactions Behavior of Pollutants in Natural Environments Geochemistry Hydrogeochemistry Seismic Imaging Volcanic systems Andra - Underground laboratory for studying nuclear waste storage CGG - Research and data processing center GISFI - Experimental site on a brownfield site Storengy - Research center Resource and waste management Geothermal potential Induced seismicity Hydrogeology in fractured environments Eau de Paris / SAUR Storengy - Underground gas storage site Fonroche - Deep geothermal power plant Ileva - Waste treatment and recovery center EDF - Sainte Rose Hydroelectric Power Plant TOTAL Group CIGEO Project Prevention, Management, and Remediation Participatory Initiatives Artelia New Coastal Road Construction Project in Saint Denis, Réunion EVOLEN Symposium What do young graduates go on to do? Some continue their education by pursuing a Ph.D. in geosciences, through industrial collaborations or academic theses: Stanford, ENS, CNRS, CEA, IPGP, MINES Paris Some pursue further training Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M / IFP School / Corps des Mines Some enter the industrial sector, consulting, or public administration: Technic-Atome, EDF, TOTAL, NAVAL, AIR LIQUIDE, SUEZ ARTELIA, MAZAR, AGENCE FRANCAISE DE DEVELOPPEMENT, DRIEE

PhD supervision

  • 2025 Integrated modeling of hydrosystems and anthropogenic uses under changing climate: Towards a new generation of decision-support tools for water resource management. BOURGEOIS Tristan
  • 2025 Collectively managing the water resource in the face of shortages: exploring the application of the general average rule RAKOVITCH Thaïs
  • 2024 Impacts of the agricultural system on the sustainability of aquifers in the Seine-Normandie territory in a changing climate context: quantitative and qualitative status of groundwater GALLOIS Nicolas
  • 2023 What impacts will the availability of water resources have on the future development of mineral resource production? TAKI Mariam
  • 2022 Characterization of the contribution of groundwater to the floods of the Loing River GIROD Lise-Marie
  • 2020 High-frequency data assimilation in the ProSe-PA water quality model – River metabolism factors under low-flow conditions HASANYAR Masihullah
  • 2018 Modeling of water and energy fluxes in the Seine River basin KILIC Deniz
  • 2016 Study of groundwater upwellings in Paris and the Petite Couronne during flood episodes of the Seine and Marne rivers. MAILLOT Mathias
  • 2016 Simulation of the Seine River metabolism through continuous data assimilation WANG Shuaitao