UNIVERSITE DE PAU ET DES PAYS DE L'ADOUR

Their core work

UPPA is a French university in southwestern France with strong analytical chemistry and environmental science capabilities, specializing in mass spectrometry, metrology, and trace element analysis applied to food safety, environmental monitoring, and energy materials. They run doctoral training networks in energy and environment, and contribute measurement science expertise to food traceability and authentication research. Their labs also work on electrochemical energy storage materials, wastewater treatment, and geotechnical engineering, often bridging fundamental chemistry with applied environmental and energy challenges.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), UPPA's work was spread across building energy management (HIT2GAP), battery technologies (NAIADES, HELIS), IoT platforms for Africa (WAZIUP), and initial food/environment metrology (MASSTWIN). From 2019 onward, the university consolidated around two clear poles: analytical chemistry for food traceability and environmental monitoring (TUNTWIN, GMOS-Train, TRACEWINDU, METROFOOD-PP), and energy/environment doctoral training where they stepped into coordinator roles (eSCALED, EDENE, BENEFICCE). The shift shows a university moving from scattered participant roles toward focused leadership in measurement science and structured research training.

UPPA is consolidating as a training hub for energy-environment doctoral programmes while deepening its analytical chemistry niche in food authentication and environmental trace analysis.

How they like to work

UPPA operates primarily as an active partner (15 of 22 projects), but has increasingly taken coordinator roles in recent years — 4 of their 5 coordinated projects started in 2018 or later, signaling growing leadership ambition. With 237 unique consortium partners across 36 countries, they maintain a broad and diverse network rather than relying on a small circle of repeat collaborators. Their comfort with both large RIA consortia and focused MSCA training networks makes them a flexible partner who can adapt to different project structures.

UPPA has collaborated with 237 distinct partners across 36 countries, giving them one of the broader networks for a mid-sized French university. Their partnerships span from European research institutions to African innovation hubs (WAZIUP/WAZIHUB), with particular depth in southern and western European universities.

What sets them apart

UPPA occupies an unusual niche combining high-precision analytical chemistry (mass spectrometry, isotope analysis, speciation) with applied domains like food authentication and environmental mercury tracking — a combination few universities of their size offer. Their location in Pau, close to agriculture and energy industries in southwestern France, gives them natural ties to food traceability and renewable energy sectors. They have also proven capable of scaling from participant to coordinator, securing their largest grant (EDENE, EUR 2.4M) for a cross-disciplinary doctoral programme bridging energy, environment, and geosciences.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EDENE
  Their largest project (EUR 2.4M) as coordinator — a European Doctoral programme spanning energy, environment, geosciences, and economics, running until 2027.
• eSCALED
  Coordinated an MSCA training network on artificial photosynthesis and solar fuel electrodes (EUR 887K), demonstrating leadership in next-generation energy materials.
• GMOS-Train
  Part of a global mercury observation network supporting the Minamata Convention — connects their speciation and isotope expertise to international environmental policy.