Nicolas Becu

Nicolas Becu is a CNRS Research Director affiliated with La Rochelle University, specializing in participatory modeling and environmental governance. His research focuses on the intersection of society-environment interactions, multi-agent simulation, and the development of serious games for territorial planning and natural resource management.

• Research Director at CNRS (Institut National des Sciences Humaines et Sociales)
• Member of the ComMod collective (Modeling approach to support collective decision-making)
• Member of the RNSC MAPS network (Multi-agent Modeling Applied to Spatial Phenomena)
• Co-leader of the 'Modeling and decision support' working group of Labex DynamiTe
• Teaches in Master's programs including 'Participatory modeling and geomatics for biodiversity management' at Paris 1 University

Becu's research interests center on participatory modeling processes for environmental governance, where he develops approaches that involve stakeholders in conceptualizing, formalizing, and simulating systems to create shared representations of territories. His work bridges different conceptions of territory through agent-based simulation, analyzing how places become more than just the sum of their inhabitants and natural resources. He explores how simulation can serve as an intermediary between people with different perspectives on territory, particularly in contexts of coastal management and climate adaptation.

His publication record shows a consistent focus on serious games and participatory simulation, with recent work examining applications in marine wind energy debates, coastal flooding management, carbon footprint reduction among academics, and territorial governance. His research demonstrates how digital tools can facilitate stakeholder engagement and collaborative decision-making in complex environmental contexts.

• Developed LittoSIM-GEN, a generic platform for coastal flooding management through participatory simulation
• Created SOLUTRE, a serious game for territorial planning and governance
• Developed MaTerre180, a participatory tool including a serious game for carbon footprint awareness
• Co-developed TEPOS, a game for achieving energy autonomy

Becu actively contributes to academic teaching through various Master's level modules on participatory modeling, serious games, and environmental governance. His work demonstrates the practical application of simulation and gaming approaches to support collective decision-making processes and foster social learning around environmental challenges.