Finding Your Own Way

As many space scientists, Dr. Maget confides “I first got interested in Astronomy during my childhood. I was a fan of science magazines for children, with the solar system or planets to build in stiff paper”.

However, things are not always straightforward for a young bright student: “My major challenge was in fact to get to become a scientist!” says Dr. Maget. “As an undergraduate student, I studied in Toulouse in an Engineering School which is clearly not the best way to become a scientist. I was even told that I would not be able to become a scientist since I was ‘only’ an engineer!” he remembers. “However, Sebastien Bourdarie gave me the chance to do a PhD thesis with him at ONERA, and to ultimately become the scientist I am today” he concludes.

His advice for young people who would like to follow a similar career path is thus: “Find your own way: meet the scientists, work with them, be humble and try to find the ways that will allow you to bring your expertise and way of thinking in research”.

Responding to the Challenges of Space Science Today

“In my institute, the team I belong to works mainly on data processing and exploitation, as well as, on modelling the space environment. I have expertise in radiation belt modelling and data assimilation” says Dr. Maget. ”There are two other teams dedicated to the study of space environment effects on spacecraft, mainly charging effects and electronic components susceptibility” he adds.|

“Radiation belt modelling is of particular interest because it consists in apprehending something that is not clearly visible otherwise than by its effects on spacecraft.  Finding how it is structured on the basis of only sparse data is really challenging” explains Dr. Maget. Data assimilation is a rather technical term, which describes the process by which observations are incorporated into a computer model, in this case applied in space weather forecasting. “Data assimilation is of great interest; it consists in bringing weather nowcast / forecast capabilities to a new system, namely space weather, which bear in fact many similarities” explains Dr. Maget. To achieve accurate space weather services more useful and well-spread data are required. “Instrument calibration is often not perfect. Given that raw data are transformed into useful data using assumptions about the response of the instrument, improving data exploitation is a topic I would like to significantly contribute to in the future” says Dr. Maget, explaining his future research plans.

Improving our understanding and prediction capabilities of space weather is a major challenge for space scientists today. “The current Van Allen Probes mission and the upcoming Solar Orbiter mission should contribute significantly to a better understanding of the Sun-Earth connection, as well as, to observing both the origin of disturbances at the Sun and their effects in the vicinity of the Earth” says Dr. Maget. His future research plans thus involve “to continue improving our understanding of the dynamics of the Earth’s radiation belts and to help achieve a space weather service based on data assimilation” says Dr Maget and he continues: “A major topic in my research is the modelling of the so-called drop-outs which are rapid and intense losses of trapped particles above about 4-5 Earth’s radii. They drastically change the radiative environment at geostationary altitude. It is thus of prime importance to accurately model them” he concludes.

Dr. Maget is particularly sensitive in what concerns space ecology issues: “I believe that a main challenge in space exploration today is to safely and wisely use space in promoting green solutions to access it” he says and explains: “By wisely I mean that, at a time when everybody is talking about space tourism, every government should also take particular care of the space ecosystem. There are already so many debris in orbit, as well as, those generated during the launches that, if the race to space tourism is not sufficiently controlled, this could go exponentially worse” he warns.

Collaboration of European space scientists with their American colleagues is essential to address the major challenges in space science today: “It is absolutely necessary to connect and collaborate with our colleagues overseas, in order to continue improving our knowledge and bridge the gaps in our understanding. Nobody can do everything on his own” says Dr. Maget.

On the Shoulders of Giants

It is definitely not easy for young talented scientists to develop a successful career today: “Every scientist has now to deal with interesting research versus realistic funding possibilities, and this may become really challenging for a young scientist” says Dr. Maget. “Even if I still consider myself as a newbie, the metaphor standing on the shoulders of giants (meaning that advances can be made only by taking into account the past) is clearly the best lesson I have learned in life” says Dr.Maget. “In science modelling, the past history is of prime importance to well initiate a simulation. In life, it is the same. This state of mind helps me advance at work and being best at home!”.
 
And he concludes: “Even though I am passionate about work, my family will always come first for me. I also love sports (in particular surfing), photography and travelling. It is a challenge to find the perfect equilibrium. We often go with my family to the ocean, at different seasons, to let the daily life pressure flow away”.

Eleni Chatzichristou

MAARBLE Outreach Team