Pierre Francus

Pierre Francus is a Full Professor at INRS – Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, leading the Geochemistry, Imaging, and Radiography of Sediments Laboratory, Scanning Electron Microscopy Laboratory, and CT Scanning for Civil Engineering and Natural Resources Laboratory. His work focuses on environmental sedimentology, varve analysis, and paleoclimatology using CT scanning and X-ray microfluorescence to study Arctic and boreal lake systems.

• PhD in Geology, Université catholique de Louvain (UCL, Belgium)
• MSc in Applied Natural Sciences, UCL
• BSc in Physical Geography, UCL

His research employs varved sediments to reconstruct Arctic paleoclimates and assess natural hazards like floods and earthquakes. He develops non-destructive imaging techniques for sediment analysis, contributing to projects such as the Canadian Continental Drilling Program and PERSISTANCE (drought risk assessment in Quebec-Labrador). Current students include doctoral researchers in Arctic sedimentology, varve imaging, and CT scanning applications. Collaborations span GEOTOP, CANQUA, and ICDP, with funding from NSERC and Quebec government agencies. His lab teams specialize in microfluorescence, electron microscopy, and sediment CT analysis.

Professor Francus has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications, with recent work applying dual-energy CT to mineral identification and XCT calibration for wood density studies. His interdisciplinary approach bridges geology, environmental science, and engineering, emphasizing non-destructive methods and paleoenvironmental reconstruction.