Luc Aquilina

Luc Aquilina is a Professor at Université de Rennes 1, where he has been teaching and conducting research since 1999. He serves as Head of the Master's Degree in Water Sciences and leads the Water and Territories research team within Géosciences Rennes. His work spans environmental sciences with a particular focus on water resources, climate change impacts, and interdisciplinary approaches to resource management.

His educational background includes a Doctorate in geochemistry from the University of Paris VII (1989-1992) and authorization to direct research at the University of Paris VI (now Sorbonne University) in 1999. Prior to his professorship, he worked as a researcher and project manager at BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières) from 1992 to 1999.

Professor Aquilina's research interests span environmental sciences with a focus on water resource management, climate change impacts, microbial ecology, and groundwater chemistry and residence time. His work is highly interdisciplinary, bridging physical sciences, biology, and social sciences to address complex water resource challenges. He has developed significant expertise in groundwater dating through dissolved gas analysis, a technique where his CONDATE-Eau platform is the only laboratory in Europe offering such services.

His research has been published in high-impact journals including Nature Geosciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. His work addresses critical questions about agricultural legacy impacts on water quality, groundwater-surface water interactions, climate change effects on water resources, and socio-hydrological systems.

• France Universities Research Prize 2020 for co-managing the PIEC Joint Environmental Intelligence Program
• H-index of 42 (ResearchGate) and 36 (Web of Science), placing him in the top percentiles of researchers
• Over 5,000 citations on ResearchGate and 3,000+ on Web of Science
• 134 peer-reviewed publications over 33 years (approximately 5 per year since 2012)

Professor Aquilina has supervised 19 doctoral theses (18 completed, 1 ongoing) and 6 post-doctoral researchers. His leadership extends to major research projects including the "Eaux et Territoires" chair, the "Rivages normands 2100" project, and the IRIS-E interdisciplinary environmental research initiative that secured €26 million in funding. He has played key roles in developing environmental education programs, including founding a bachelor's degree in environment and the Master's Degree in Water Sciences.

His work has significant societal impact, with regular engagement with policymakers, media appearances, and public outreach activities. He has contributed to major environmental initiatives including the Green Algae plan and serves on various scientific committees addressing water resource management challenges.