Michel Diament

Michel Diament is a Professor at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), where he has been serving since October 1990. He currently serves as director of the French national data and services centre for Solid Earth (ForM@Ter) since 2015. Throughout his distinguished career, he has held significant leadership positions including Acting Director of the French national institute for Earth Sciences and Astronomy (CNRS-INSU) in 2014 and Scientific deputy director for Solid Earth at CNRS-INSU from 2011 to 2014.

His academic journey began as a Lecturer in Geophysics at University Paris-Sud (Orsay) from 1982 to 1990 before advancing to his professorship at IPGP in 1990.

Professor Diament's research spans multiple areas of Earth sciences with a particular focus on gravimetry and satellite geodesy. His work integrates geophysical measurements with geological understanding to address fundamental questions about Earth's structure and dynamics. He has made significant contributions to understanding the mechanical behavior of the lithosphere through tectonic studies, and has applied geophysical methods to interpret potential fields in various geological settings. His research extends to volcanology, where he has used temporal gravity measurements to understand volcanic behavior during crises, as demonstrated in his work on Merapi volcano. He has also contributed to marine geosciences, utilizing satellite altimetry data to investigate structural trends in Pacific archipelagoes and the geodynamics of regions like Western Indonesia.

Analysis of his publication record reveals a consistent trajectory of research focused on using gravity data and geodetic measurements to understand Earth processes. His work has evolved from structural analysis of Pacific regions in the 1980s to sophisticated satellite-based gravity measurements for studying earthquakes, mantle structure, and volcanic processes in recent decades. A notable pattern is his leadership in integrating multiple data sources and developing methodologies like wavelet transforms for geological boundary characterization.

• Medal '100 years of international geophysics' of the Geophysical Committee of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2002)
• Corresponding member of the 'Bureau des Longitudes' (2010)

Professor Diament has been deeply involved in academic mentoring and scientific leadership. He has served as thesis adviser or co-adviser for 29 PhD students from various countries including France, Indonesia, Brazil, Cameroon, Tunisia, and Chile since 1986. Additionally, he has advised 6 post-doctoral researchers and served on 111 PhD committees across France, the UK, Ireland, and Cameroon. His leadership extends to numerous scientific committees including the IODP-ECORD Council, the European Space Agency's Earth Science Advisory Committee, and various committees of the French space agency CNES.

He directs the French national data and services centre ForM@Ter, which focuses on Solid Earth data, and has been involved with the EPOS TCS 'satellite data' initiative since 2015. His editorial roles include serving as Editor of Geophysical Journal International (2008-2011) and on the editorial board of Tectonophysics (2002-2011), demonstrating his commitment to advancing scientific communication in his field.