[Bougainville mission] A commitment to marine biodiversity

27 June 2025 Environment Story

As part of its public service mission in higher education, Sorbonne University has developed the Bougainville mission, created by Christophe Prazuck, Director of the Ocean Institute at the Alliance Sorbonne University, and Colomban de Vargas, research director at the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).
This aquatic microbiome research program involves 10 Sorbonne University students, volunteer midshipmen (volontaires officiers aspirants, or VOA), for a year aboard a French Navy overseas offshore support and assistance vessel (BSAOM). Their mission? To collect biological data on the microbiome using a new generation of cost-effective, open-source instruments and sensors. This data, accessible to scientists worldwide, makes it possible to monitor the health of marine ecosystems and their evolution in the face of global warming. Since 2023, Naval Group has been a sponsor of the Bougainville scientific mission. To learn more, read our series of articles!