J. Estrade appointed ILL French Deputy Director. 25.08.2017
As of 1st October, 2017, Mr Jérôme Estrade will be appointed as the new French Associate Director of the Institut Laue-Langevin, where he will take up position as Head of the Projects and Techniques Division (DPT).
Holder of a nuclear engineering degree and a Master’s degree in fundamental physics, Mr Estrade has a broad experience in the operation of research reactors, having worked in nuclear facilities for over 20 years. Over this time, he has acquired considerable expertise in nuclear safety and security and in the design and construction of test devices for materials and fuel programmes, with more than 10 years’ experience of managing such programmes.
Mr Estrade is currently Section Head of the CEA’s Jules Horowitz reactor in Cadarache, where he is in charge of preparing the commissioning of this future European Materials Testing Reactor, as well as the design and construction of the experimental devices for future research programmes.
He has also been President of the French association of research reactors (CER – Club d’Exploitants des Réacteurs de Recherche) since 2010 and a member of the Research Reactor Operators Group of the European Atomic Energy Society since 2002. He has led a number of international expert groups on research reactors (peer reviews, IAEA assignments, etc.).
Over the years, he has had the opportunity to work for a number of different types of research reactors, including Materials Testing Reactors (OSIRIS and JHR) and reactors dedicated to safety studies (CABRI reactor), as well as neutron-beam reactors for fundamental science (Leon Brillouin Laboratory and ORPHEE reactor).
“My main challenges on joining the ILL will be to embrace the strong team spirit that characterises the Institute and to help maintain the facility as the world’s leading reference for neutron scattering through the continuous upgrade of the instrument suite and the development of new instruments, notably by managing the Millennium and Endurance projects. As far as the Projects and Techniques Division is concerned, I will focus on working with my highly skilled staff to finalise the Millennium programme, with the commissioning of WASP, and the first phase of Endurance, and continuing with the second phase of the Endurance
The DPT must remain the barycentre of the Reactor and Science Divisions. The ILL’s research, its publications, the availability of its instruments and its high-flux reactor must continue to be a worldwide reference.
My other goals include assisting our reactor team as they prepare for the upcoming safety inspection of the facility by the French nuclear safety authority (ASN)’s Standing Advisory Group.
The next decade will be a challenging one for the ILL. The neutron scattering landscape is currently undergoing major changes, with the commissioning of the ESS and the shutdown of the BER II (BERLIN) and ORPHEE reactors, and it is vital that during this time of upheaval the ILL retain its position as leader in its field!”
“I am delighted with the arrival of Jérôme in ILL’s management team”, says Helmut Schober, director of the ILL. "His skills and his technical and managerial experience will be extremely valuable to us."
Contact: Françoise Vauquois, ILL. Tel : 04 76 20 71 07