To support today’s researchers for tomorrow, Ouranos annually awards the Réal-Decoste Scholarship to two students starting or pursuing a PhD program focused on climate-related research. Renewable for up to three years, the scholarship provides invaluable support to students and encourages the development of knowledge in climate science and adaptation to climate change.

For the 2024-2025 year, Tangui Picart, a PhD student in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) under the supervision of Alejandro Di Luca and Danahé Paquin-Ricard, is one of the recipients of this prestigious scholarship. We met with him to learn more about his background and projects. Here are some excerpts from our interview.

Please note that the original interview was conducted in French, and the English translation may not fully capture the nuances of the original text.

What is the context and subject of your research project?

In Quebec, it is expected that the intensity of extreme precipitation will increase due to climate change. However, the extent of these changes and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Part of this uncertainty stems from the climate models used. Their spatial resolutions are generally too coarse to accurately represent the processes leading to the most extreme precipitation, particularly convection.

The Canadian Regional Climate Model, developed by the Center for Regional Climate Studies and Simulation (ESCER) and Environment and Climate Change Canada, helps to address these limitations through its capability to operate at high resolutions. This presents an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for changes in extreme precipitation in Quebec. My research aims to test the reliability of this model.

What is the objective of your research project?

The goal of this research project is to better understand qualitatively and quantitatively how heavy precipitation, including rain and snow events, will change in the future. This project will have significant implications for adapting to climate change in Quebec. By gaining a better understanding of these phenomena, it will be easier to develop smart adaptation strategies to protect communities and resources.

This main objective is divided into three sub-objectives:

1. Document extreme precipitation in Quebec and the conditions under which it forms using meteorological data from satellites, radars, and weather stations.
2. Assess the realism of extreme precipitation simulated by the climate model.
3. Quantify the climate changes in extreme precipitation in Quebec and identify the atmospheric changes responsible for them.

What is your background?

I initially studied engineering in robotics at Mines de Nantes (France) and aerospace engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. I then worked as an aerospace engineer and later as a consultant in innovation and public policy. Through various encounters, I became involved in other projects such as working with the homeless through the Red Cross, supporting underprivileged students at UQÀM, and co-founding a startup with fellow students during my studies.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I developed an interest in the complex beauty of the atmosphere and enrolled in a master's program in atmospheric science at UQÀM. My research project with Alejandro Di Luca and René Laprise focused on assessing uncertainty in different precipitation estimates for the northeastern North America. I started my PhD a year and a half ago.

I would like to thank FRQNT and Ouranos for awarding me this excellence scholarship, which will allow me to dedicate myself fully to my research in the coming years.