The "cristal collectif" is awarded to teams of men and women working in support of research, who have carried out projects of particularly outstanding technical mastery, collective dimension, applications, innovation and outreach. This distinction is awarded in two categories: "direct support for research" and "accompaniment of research".
The Mission Europe pour la Recherche (MER) team won in Provence, in the "direct support for research" category.
Since January 2, 2024, this mission has brought together, in a single location, the staff of the Europe units of four establishments: AMU and its development subsidiary Protisvalor, CNRS, Inserm and IRD. It supports research units in all activities aimed at obtaining and implementing European R&I projects.
The fruit of a strategic co-construction initiated in 2021 by the four partner institutions, MER is also the result of a co-creation by its own staff.
"Not only have we pooled our resources, we have also defined common processes and built the mission's activities together," explains Céline Damon, head of MER.
This physical grouping, combined with the implementation of common processes, the sharing of skills and a one-stop-shop approach, should guarantee identical, individualized support throughout the site, irrespective of the management authority of the units concerned.
It is this collective dimension, and this unique mutualization format for research, that is being rewarded today with the Cristal Collectif du CNRS.
The official award ceremony will be held at the CNRS Provence and Corsica Delegation on November 12.
