Marie Barbieux

Marie Barbieux is an oceanographer with a PhD from Sorbonne University and is affiliated with the Faculty of Science and Engineering. She balances her academic expertise with a high-level water polo career, representing France in international competitions. Her dual achievements reflect exceptional discipline and time-management skills, enabled by support from mentors like Gaby Gorsky (former director of the Villefranche-sur-mer oceanography laboratory and Nice men’s water polo coach) and her thesis supervisors Annick Bricaud and Julia Uitz.

Marie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Caen, followed by a Master’s in Oceanography and Marine Environments at Sorbonne University. She completed her PhD research at the Villefranche-sur-mer Marine Station, focusing on phytoplankton dynamics using BGC-Argo floats. During her studies, she participated in the Tara Mediterranean expedition to study microplastic distribution, advocating for ecological awareness.

Her research interests emphasize phytoplankton’s critical role in global oxygen production and the application of advanced robotics for ocean data analysis. She also investigates anthropogenic impacts on marine environments, particularly through microplastics research. While currently prioritizing her Olympic qualification efforts, Marie remains committed to resuming scientific projects.

Marie’s daily routine during her PhD combined early-morning research (6 AM), pool training (9–11 AM), afternoon research, weight training (6:30 PM), and late-evening water workouts. She juggled training in Lille with research in Villefranche-sur-mer while balancing French national team commitments. This exhaustive schedule underscores her resilience and ability to thrive in multidisciplinary environments.

She aspires to represent France at the 2020 Olympics, requiring individual selection for the European Championships (January 2020) and qualifiers (March 2020). The French women’s team must rank among the top ten globally to qualify. Despite her athletic focus, Marie plans to return to research, driven by her lifelong passion for the ocean, inspired by childhood sailing expeditions and encounters with marine wildlife.