Academic activities
Scientific leadership
My scientific responsibilities span research leadership, national and international scientific coordination, and service to the geoscience community through scientific societies, research infrastructures and evaluation panels.
Conference organization
I have organized and co-organized numerous international conferences, workshops, summer schools and scientific sessions over the past three decades, particularly in the fields of turbulence, oceanography, nonlinear geophysics and environmental monitoring.
Editorial activities
I have been actively involved in scientific publishing for more than two decades through editorial responsibilities and peer-review activities in the fields of oceanography, geophysics, environmental sciences and nonlinear processes.
PhD supervision
I have supervised or co-supervised 20 doctoral students in the fields of turbulence, oceanography, marine ecology, renewable energy, stochastic processes and applied mathematics. Several theses have been conducted in international cotutelle programmes with China and Taiwan.
Current PhD Students
2025–2028: Yuzhong Huang, "Wind–Wave mutual corrections using CFOSAT data and Machine Learning approach", PhD thesis, Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisor: Y. Huang
2024–2027: Audrey Rised, "Experimental study and stochastic modelling of wind-power fluctuations in tropical island environments", PhD thesis, Université des Antilles. Supervisor: R. Calif; Co-supervisor: F. G. Schmitt
2023–2026: Harshal Chavan, "Impact of storms on the marine environment and the phytoplankton communities in the English Channel", PhD thesis, Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisor: U. Christaki
Past PhD students
• Kevin Robache (2022–2025). Multi-scale analyses of oceanic and atmospheric pCO₂ time series and their difference. Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt. Defended: 21 November 2025.
• Yang Gao (2019–2023). Scaling and coupling analysis of wind speed and wave height using CFOSAT and other satellites. Joint PhD, ULCO & Xiamen University. Supervisors: F. G. Schmitt & Y. Huang. Defended: 27 February 2023.
• Wenwei Wu (2017–2021). Chemical reactions in turbulence: numerical studies through direct numerical simulations. Joint PhD, ULCO & Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisor: L. Wang; Scientific advisor: E. Calzavarini. Defended: 25 February 2021.
• Arnaud Louchart (2016–2020). High-frequency spatial and temporal dynamics of phytoplankton communities using in situ semi-automated observation techniques. Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Scientific advisor: F. Artigas. Defended: 24 July 2020.
• Maxime Thiebaut (2014–2017). Characterization of tidal energy resources in the English Channel and impact of turbulence on marine turbine efficiency. Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale. Supervisor: A. Sentchev; Co-supervisor: F. G. Schmitt. Defended: 5 October 2017.
• Olmo Duran Medina (2013–2016). Experimental study and stochastic modelling of wind and marine energy fluctuations and electrical power production. Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisor: R. Calif. Defended: 5 December 2016.
• Hamidreza Ardeshiri (2013–2016). Dynamics of copepods in turbulent flows. Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Scientific advisor: E. Calzavarini. Defended: 12 October 2016.
• Renosh P. R. (2012–2015). Characterization of the coupling between oceanic turbulence and the variability of coastal-water optical properties using in situ measurements and satellite observations. Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisor: H. Loisel. Defended: 7 April 2015.
• Jonathan Derot (2011–2014). Use of Marel Carnot observations for understanding extreme events in coastal water quality at Boulogne-sur-Mer. Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisor: V. Gentilhomme. Defended: 12 December 2014.
• Nicolas Perpete (2006–2013). Construction and analysis of multifractal stochastic processes. Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: M.-C. Viano; Co-supervisor: F. G. Schmitt. Defended: 19 February 2013.
• Emilie Houliez (2008–2012). Control of phytoplankton photosynthetic activity in coastal environments using spectral fluorescence and pulse-amplitude fluorometry. Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisor: F. Lizon. Defended: 25 September 2012.
• Benjamin Quiroz (2007–2010). Temporal and spatial variability of polychaete communities in the north-eastern Atlantic and the English Channel.. Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisors: J.-C. Dauvin & J.-M. Dewarumez. Defended: 6 December 2010.
• Sofiane Mahjoub (2006–2010). Influence of turbulence on the predatory behaviour of fish larvae and their zooplankton prey. Joint PhD, National Taiwan Ocean University & Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: S. Souissi; Co-supervisors: J.-S. Hwang & F. G. Schmitt. Defended: 18 October 2010.
• Sylvie Brizard Zongo (2006–2010). Multi-scale fluctuations and extreme events in medium- and long-term marine biogeochemical time series. Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt. Defended: 12 October 2010.
• Maud Moison (2005–2009). Experimental and numerical approaches to individual copepod behaviour under biotic and abiotic forcing. Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Co-supervisor: S. Souissi. Defended: 15 December 2009.
• Gaël Dur (2006–2009). Behavioural diversity of copepods from contrasting habitats: data analysis and modelling. Joint PhD, National Taiwan Ocean University & Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: S. Souissi; Co-supervisor: F. G. Schmitt. Defended: 5 October 2009.
• Yongxiang Huang (2006–2009). Application of empirical mode decomposition to turbulent and biological data from aquatic ecosystems. Joint PhD, Shanghai University & Université de Lille 1. Supervisor: F. G. Schmitt; Chinese co-supervisor: Y. Liu. Defended: 23 July 2009.