Urban and Coastal Lab La Rochelle (UCLR)

The project

The UCLR project is a response to the challenges posed by research data management and the cross-fertilization required between disciplines with sometimes differing practices. At present, data and models are scattered and not easily accessible, which limits their reuse for new analyses. Against this backdrop, the UCLR project aims to pool these data productions within a single platform in order to make them more visible, coherent and valorised, thus promoting open science. By bringing together data, models and digital tools from La Rochelle Université’s various research laboratories, the UCLR project will facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and the creation of links between different disciplines. This will stimulate innovation and improve understanding of the coastal socio-ecosystem, particularly in the Pertuis Charentais. Ultimately, the UCLR project aims to propose sustainable solutions for the management and development of the region.

For this large-scale project, scientific activities were launched in 2022 via 7 heterogeneous study projects. Several deliverables have been identified, including the creation of a catalogue of existing data and models, the implementation of case studies to support user needs, the development of specific modules for the digital platform, and the implementation of a communication strategy to promote the project and encourage collaboration and the sharing of research data.

By contributing to La Rochelle Université’s research, innovation and development objectives, the UCLR project aims to promote a multi-disciplinary approach to urban and coastal zone management, and propose innovative solutions for the sustainable management of coastal territories.

Background

In 2022, La Rochelle Université was the winner of the ExcelLR project (PIA4 ExcellencES), aimed in particular at creating an Interactive Decision Support System (SIAD) in line with the establishment’s scientific signature on smart urban coastal sustainability, namely Littoral Urbain Durable Intelligent (LUDI). The main objective is to develop a platform based on research data and models, aimed at improving the development and governance of coastal cities and zones, taking into account the challenges of environmental transition. Ultimately, this platform will be able to simulate and estimate the effects of decisions taken, thus enabling the evaluation of choices offered to decision-makers and managers of these territories. To anticipate the implementation of this ambitious project, the Urban and Coastal Lab La Rochelle project was launched at the start of the 2022-2023 academic year, thanks to funding from the Strategic Management Dialogue (DSG 2022). This enabled the recruitment of a project manager and seven IGE-Post-Doc to develop an interdisciplinary approach and initiate the collection, organization, sharing, reuse and valorisation of data and models, as well as the development of simulation tools for territorial observation. This approach aims to create links between the various fields of action, improve understanding of our territory’s socio-ecosystems and, ultimately, assist management. The project will be continued in 2024 and 2025 thanks to funding from the Contract of Objectives, Means and Performance (COMP), with longer-term support provided by grants from the PIA4 ExcelLR project. The development over time of this structuring tool will be ensured by La Rochelle Université’s new research projects.

The project targets researchers, students, decision-makers involved in regional management and governance, private socio-economic players and the general public.

Project implementation

The platform

The UCLR project’s digital platform is designed to collect, analyse, visualize and enhance research data and models, using open-source components. To achieve this, it is necessary to manage the technical infrastructure, develop specific modules and ensure the maintenance and evolution of the platform.

The TERREZE project, initiated as part of the TIGA La Rochelle Territoire Zéro Carbone (LRTZC) project, shares similar objectives. As a result, close collaboration has been established, and the digital platform has been designed by pooling TERREZE modules, which will accelerate development and reduce costs. At the same time, the OMEKA S tool, a digital collection management platform, is being used to organize and present the collections. In particular, this open-source tool enables links to be created between standards-compliant objects, using semantic structures and ontologies, thus promoting interoperability.

The catalogue

The catalogue of datasets, models and digital tools for La Rochelle Université’s research laboratories is designed to meet several major challenges. It aims to manage scientific production, prepare for sharing and interoperability, ensure sustainability, facilitate research, promote understanding of datasets and visualize research and development needs.

The establishment of this institution-wide catalogue offers an opportunity to better organize, manage, share, find, understand and reuse scientific productions efficiently.

An essential task is to understand the practices and habits already in place, notably by means of a survey. It is essential to guarantee interoperability and compliance with the principles of open science, i.e. the FAIR principles, in order to read and be read, thanks to “harvesting” by existing tools such as Sextant, HumaNum, Recherche data.gouv… To meet this challenge, a method for collecting data and models that complies with current description standards is being put in place. One of the key challenges is to get users on board. The catalogue needs to be continuously fed with research data from La Rochelle Université research projects, but also from other sources, to facilitate the efficient management and sharing of scientific output.

With the right approach, involving ongoing needs assessment, user feedback and communication actions, the catalogue can become a strategic tool for scientific research at La Rochelle Université.

Case studies

Case studies play an essential role in the UCLR project, enabling us to focus on a particular theme, gain a better understanding of user needs and identify new opportunities for interdisciplinary research.

A first case study was developed at the launch of the project. It is entitled “Monitoring the environmental quality of the mer des Pertuis. Zoom on a case study on Aix island, the problem of eelgrass beds “, which focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to cross-referencing data and developing monitoring tools to track the environmental quality of the coastal and maritime areas of the Mer des Pertuis.

Positive aspects of the case study include group dynamics, synergy between project members and opportunities for new research projects. However, potential obstacles include the availability of data and the choice of a case study that can be carried out within the given timeframe.

The sustainability of the actions carried out and of the results is envisaged thanks to the continuation of the case study over one year and to the transposability of the chosen problematic to other contexts. New case studies will be developed throughout the project.

Communication

Communication plays an important role in promoting the UCLR project. It aims to raise awareness among researchers and students of the importance of research data management, and to promote collaboration and sharing within the platform. This communication takes various forms, including presentations, newsletters, seminars and training courses.

The main aim of this communication is to strengthen the commitment of researchers and students to the UCLR project, by highlighting the benefits and opportunities it offers. By encouraging active participation, communication contributes to the success and positive impact of the UCLR project by promoting collaboration, the dissemination of knowledge and the valorisation of research results.

The outlook

The UCLR project is an ambitious and innovative project aimed at managing and valorising data to better understand and manage the territory, using a multi-disciplinary approach and developing artificial intelligence tools. Short-term prospects are focused on the technical development of the platform, data collection and the implementation of additional case studies. The definition and development of new case studies will be initiated via a call for contributions on 2 or 3 themes. Medium-term objectives include the development of scientific tools, collaboration with other players and the valorisation of research results. The UCLR project has the potential to contribute to the sustainable management of urban and coastal areas, while promoting a multidisciplinary approach and proposing innovative solutions.