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| Laboratoire FAST | |
|---|---|
| Name | Laboratoire FAST |
| Established | 1970 |
| Type | Research laboratory |
| Location | Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France |
| Affiliations | CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay |
Laboratoire FAST is a multidisciplinary research laboratory based at Université Paris-Saclay in Orsay, France, affiliated with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS). The laboratory conducts fundamental and applied research spanning physics, computer science, cognitive science, and engineering, and maintains partnerships with national and international institutions. Its activities connect to major French and European research programs, industrial partners, and higher-education institutions.
Founded within the post-1968 expansion of French higher education, the laboratory developed alongside institutions such as Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, and Saclay Nuclear Research Centre. Early collaborations involved researchers from École Normale Supérieure, Collège de France, and Institut Pasteur, and projects linked to initiatives like Plan Calcul and European programs coordinated by the European Commission. Over decades the laboratory has engaged with national entities including Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Direction générale de la Recherche et de l'Innovation, and regional bodies such as Région Île-de-France. Its timeline intersects with developments at CEA, INRIA, ONERA, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, and research infrastructures like ESRF and SOLEIL.
The laboratory's research addresses themes in theoretical and experimental physics, computer science, signal processing, robotics, and cognitive neuroscience, linking to fields explored at Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, and Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Projects often reference technologies and topics associated with Quantum information science, Machine learning, Computer vision, Natural language processing, and Human-robot interaction. Research lines connect with concepts studied at CERN, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Imperial College London through comparative methodologies and joint publications. Experimental programs utilize apparatus and techniques akin to those at Large Hadron Collider, LIGO Laboratory, Hubble Space Telescope, and instrumentation communities like IEEE and OSA.
Administratively the laboratory functions under the joint supervision of CNRS and Université Paris-Saclay, aligning governance practices with statutes used by French Ministry of Higher Education and Research and agreements similar to those with European Research Council grantees. Leadership interfaces with councils and committees modeled on structures from Académie des Sciences, Conseil National des Universités, and advisory boards that include representatives from Institut Polytechnique de Paris and industry partners such as Schneider Electric, Airbus, Thales, and Dassault Systèmes. Human resources and ethics oversight draw on norms propagated by European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and international frameworks like those of the UNESCO and OECD.
Facilities include laboratories for optics, acoustics, microfabrication, computational clusters, and neuroimaging, comparable to installations at Centre de Loisirs Scientifiques, Plateforme Technologique, and shared resources coordinated with Pôle de Photonique and Institut des Sciences du Mouvement. High-performance computing resources interface with national infrastructures such as IDRIS, GENCI, and European grids like PRACE. Experimental platforms draw on technologies from suppliers and collaborators including Thales Alenia Space, STMicroelectronics, and research infrastructures like ESRF and SOLEIL for synchrotron access. Cleanrooms, anechoic chambers, and robot arenas support activities similar to those at CEA-List and INRIA Sophia Antipolis.
The laboratory sustains partnerships with universities such as École Polytechnique, Université PSL, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne University, Heidelberg University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich, and TU München. Collaborative research programs have been conducted with agencies and consortia including ANR, Horizon 2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Erasmus+, European Space Agency, and industrial R&D labs at Renault, Valeo, IBM Research, and Microsoft Research. It participates in networks and consortia like GDR, LabEx, COST Actions, CERN collaborations, EuroHPC, and interdisciplinary initiatives associated with Human Brain Project and Graphene Flagship.
The laboratory hosts doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and master’s students enrolled at institutions including Université Paris-Saclay, École Normale Supérieure de Cachan, ENSTA ParisTech, and international partners such as Princeton University and University of California, Berkeley. Training activities include summer schools, doctoral schools affiliated with Ecole Doctorale de Paris-Saclay, specialized master's programs tied to Institut Polytechnique de Paris, and continuing education coordinated with CNAM and industrial partners. Teaching collaborations extend to curricula at Sciences Po and joint supervision agreements with EPFL and University of Tokyo.
Researchers from the laboratory have contributed to high-impact publications and received recognitions akin to awards from CNRS Silver Medal, European Research Council Starting Grant, and prizes administered by Académie des Sciences and IEEE. Scientific outputs have influenced projects at CERN, LIGO Scientific Collaboration, and industrial innovations adopted by Airbus and Thales. Alumni have progressed to leadership roles in institutions such as CNES, CEA, INRIA, Sorbonne University, and multinational corporations including Google and Apple.
Category:Research institutes in France