I hesitated for a long time between a course in engineering sciences and a more literary one, in languages or literature. In the end, I opted for political science, which seemed to me to be a happy medium. But I lacked a quantitative dimension. After three years of study, I switched to economics, a discipline that suited me better. It's a combination of mathematics, statistics and the humanities. So I finished my master's degree in economics in Antwerp and started my doctorate. I also took courses in industrial economics at Leuven, another Belgian university, where I had the chance to work with Professor Frank Verboven.

The impact of public policy on environmental problems linked to the car market is a complex subject in which I became interested very early on. There was already a large database in this field and I knew that the influence of public policy on environmental problems was very important and that it would be even more so in the years to come. The government is taking a lot of initiatives in the automotive sector (rules, taxes, specific levies, etc.).

TSE is one of the best economics schools in the world, particularly in the field of industrial economics, a research theme initiated by Nobel Prize winner Jean Tirole. It's very rewarding to collaborate and exchange ideas with colleagues of recognised scientific excellence. The subjects vary but the research methods applied are the same. The empirical approach is increasingly developed.
Another very important element for me is TSE's international outlook. It allows many exchanges with visiting professors and regular participation in seminars. It's an attractive and stimulating environment in which to work.

It is very important that there is a place in society for serious research that takes the time to observe public policy. However, the aim of a researcher is not necessarily to have an impact on society. When we study public policy, we can raise questions, point out what isn't working and explain why. These are economic models that provide food for thought. We carry out studies with a great deal of expertise and we communicate them to the public debate. But the political reality is so complex, there are many elements that we cannot take into account. Our job is not to change society, that's the job of a politician.

This project, entitled "Spacetime - Econometric Models to Evaluate Environmental and Spatial Effects of Long-Lasting Policies", aims to understand how public policies affect the geographical distribution of economic activities. It is made up of three areas on which I will be working over the next 5 years, with co-authors in Europe and the United States.

The first part deals with the subsidies allocated to agriculture in Europe. 60 billion euros are paid out to farmers every year: this is the European Union's largest single item of expenditure. But where there is agriculture, there is no longer any nature. My role is therefore to analyse the geographical effects of these subsidies.

Secondly, I'm interested in public policies that offer subsidies for public transport or car purchase. If transport is free or less expensive, people will tend to live further away from their place of work. Once again, these subsidies have an impact on the geographical distribution of economic activities.

The third project is looking at car congestion models. There are major externalities. When I get into my car in the morning, I have an effect on all the people behind me. There are taxes that limit congestion, but we don't yet have an empirical model that is stable enough to understand what motivates motorists to queue or not.

The European Research Council (ERC) grant will enable me to attract young post-doctoral researchers to TSE every year. For example, I've just welcomed Augusto Ospital, who studied in Los Angeles. He is doing some very interesting research on urban policies in California, and in particular on subsidies for house building. As a result of these subsidies, cities are expanding and people are increasingly exposed to the risk of fire, which is on the rise in this region because of global warming.

At TSE, we work regularly with researchers from the Institute for Advanced Study, which is multidisciplinary. We also sometimes meet other UT Capitole researchers at one-off events, such as the recent workshop on biodiversity, which was attended by Julien Bétaille, professor of law at IEJUC (Institut des Études Juridiques de l’Urbanisme, de la Construction et de l’Environnement).

No, because the 'Spacetime' project is already very broad. What's more, there's a subject for analysis that wasn't envisaged at the outset, but which has turned out to be very important: the development of the electric car in the automotive market. We are therefore going to study this phenomenon, which has geographical and environmental repercussions. Choosing an electric vehicle has a definite impact on the electricity market. We want to understand how prices and public policies will affect this choice.