The brainers
Normand Mousseau – Physics teacher
Normand Mousseau is professor of physics at the Université de Montréal and director of the Trottier Energy Institute at Polytechnique Montréal. A specialist in the long-term evolution of complex materials, including metal alloys, glass and proteins, he is also interested in popularising science. For six years he produced and hosted the weekly science programme La grande équation on Radio VM in Quebec. He is interested in change at all levels, and is also working on energy and climate policy. He has published several books on the subject for the general public, most recently Gagner la guerre du climat. Douze mythes à déboulonner.
This brainer takes part in round-table discussions, offers improvisation sessions and the following solo talks:
What are the challenges of the energy transition?
Achieving the climate targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions can only be done through a fundamental transformation of the world's energy system: energy, the basic building block of our society, is responsible for more than 60% of man-made emissions on a global scale. Despite more than two decades of efforts, the share of energy sources with low greenhouse gas emissions is still less than 20%. A number of avenues will be explored to answer two fundamental questions: what trajectory can take us to carbon neutrality? What are the challenges of the energy transition?
Do atoms take their time?
How does matter evolve around us? Does it have a built-in clock? Does it age uniformly? These questions, often asked at the level of the living, are a matter of either perception or biology. What about protons, atoms and the various materials that surround us? Each of us lives at our own pace, in a universe that seems far removed from our own, even though we are intimately part of it.