Nicolas Courty

Nicolas Courty is a Full Professor in Computer Science at University of Brittany South since 2018, where he leads the Obelix research team at IRISA (Institut de Recherche en Informatique et Systèmes Aléatoires). His research sits at the intersection of machine learning and Earth Observation, with a focus on optimal transport theory and its applications.

Dr. Courty obtained his PhD in 2002 from INSA Rennes and his Habilitation à diriger des recherches in 2013, with early work focused on computer graphics and animation. Since 2014, he has developed expertise in optimal transport and its applications to machine learning, becoming a principal investigator in an ANR Chair program on AI (OTTOPIA) in 2020, focusing on applied optimal transport for Remote Sensing. Since 2024, he serves as co-director of Cluster SequoIA, a center of excellence in artificial intelligence research and training in Brittany.

His research interests span optimal transport, statistical learning, kernel methods, manifold and geometric approaches to machine learning, with applications to computer graphics, vision, and remote sensing. He is particularly known for pioneering work at the intersection of non-Euclidean geometry and optimal transport, developing novel methods for dimensionality reduction, domain adaptation, and representation learning in complex data spaces.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward geometric machine learning, with increasing focus on non-Euclidean spaces (particularly hyperbolic geometry), sliced optimal transport methods, and applications to remote sensing and neuroscience. His work consistently bridges theoretical advances in optimal transport with practical applications in Earth observation, demonstrating a commitment to both theoretical rigor and real-world impact.

• Best paper prize at Eurographics 2024
• Stanford/Elsevier's Top 2% Scientist Rankings
• Multiple papers accepted at top conferences including NeurIPS (with oral presentations), ECCV, BMVC, and Eurographics

As principal investigator of the ANR Chair program OTTOPIA, Dr. Courty has secured significant research funding for applied optimal transport in Remote Sensing. His leadership extends to directing the Obelix research team at IRISA and co-directing Cluster SequoIA, demonstrating his growing influence in the AI research community in Brittany. He is actively involved in mentoring researchers and fostering collaborations across institutions.

Dr. Courty leads the Obelix research team at IRISA, which focuses on the intersection of machine learning and Earth Observation. Under his direction, the team has developed innovative approaches to applying optimal transport theory to remote sensing data, contributing significantly to the field of geospatial AI. The team's work has practical applications in environmental monitoring, land use classification, and climate change analysis.