Serge ROHMER

Research topics

Design process under extreme constraints; transition towards sustainability; sufficiency; Ecodesign; frugal innovation; grassroots innovation; BoP.

Last News

2022-2024 : ANR Project DMECO, "Treatment of Medical Waste due to Covid19 in Liban".
2022-2023 : MOPGA 4 Project (Make our planet great again) : Lowtech Analysis of Sanitary Management Systems for Rainwater Recovery Processes in Sub-Saharan Africa.
2022-2024 : Experimental development of a Citizen Permacultural Urban Micro Farm, Private partner

1) Urban Micro-farm with Refugees

Inclusive and participative experimentation with refugees to design an urban micro-farm with social and agricultural activities in a priority neighbourhood.

2) Vegetable garden with refugees

An educational and scientific project with the AURORE association, which runs the HUDA emergency accommodation centre, to build a vegetable garden by and for the centre's refugees.

3) 1000km bio - AgrobioCovid19

An immersive journey (6 weeks) on foot to meet organic farms; understanding of the modes of resilience

 

4) Frugal engineering in Togo (since 2019)

Scientific and pedagogical project to understand grassroots innovation.

For a donation, go to https://www-fondation.utt.fr/don/ , choose "international" thema.
Objective : understand the appropriation of  technologies (construction, use, maintenance, dissemination) by the inhabitants of a territory under strong constraints (material, infrastructure, economic, ...). Identify the factors influencing decision-making, and how ecofriendly are the solutions.

 

5) CURIE Awards  (dec.2019), Serge Rohmer is finalist

3 minutes to present the DRAIN & BRAIN project in front of 500 members of the CURIE network (valorisation of public research in France).
The project consists in co-designing frugal technologies with african partners in rural areas  in Togo.
Feedback of the Awards (June 3rd) https://twitter.com/congrescurie

6) "Frugal Innovation" in Mozambic at Eduardo Mondlane University (March 2019)

The students of the environmental Engineering Bachelor at EMU took part in a debate with Serge Rohmer.
Thema "From Ecodesign to Frugal Innovation" or how to generate value in an environment under extreme constraints.

7) A Dew and RAIN (DRAIN) harvesting system developped at UTT As part of the Solar Tears project, a scientist study of the Warka Water Tower demonstrate the need to design a much more simplified system taking into account the product's life cycle. The challenge of the tower leads us to propose an ultra simplified system that is assembled in 20 minutes by 1 single person. The system is shaped like a teepee, it can collect rainwater with side sails and a canopy, and dew. To know more http://solartears.utt.fr Objective : experimental understanding of the design process under extreme constraints

8) Exciting meeting with Senamé KOFFI (architect in Togo)

Sénamé KOFFI is the founder of the WOELAB and the African of Architecture. He is experimenting with open and interconnected places for the population to create collaborative urban projects leading to the creation of startups. He presents himself as an activist who helps the reconquest of African cities by the inhabitants by reclaiming te local history and culture.
During his visit, he visited UTT platforms (Ecocloud, Livin lab, ...). 
https://www.lafricainedarchitecture.com/
https://www.woelabo.com

9) Construction of a copy of the Warka Water tower (August 2018)

Construction of a 2/3 copy of a Warka Water tower as part of the Solartears research project. The tower is tested for the resistance to wind and rain. Groups of students work to increase the dew collector (for countruies with favorable athmosphere).
 

10) Series of outstanding lectures by Prof. Anil Kumar GUPTA on Grassroots Innovation (Dec. 2017)

CREIDD had the honor to welcome Pr. Anil Kumar GUPTA (IIMA, Honey Bee Network) from Nov. 27th to Dec 06th.

TEACHING

My teaching activities concern the (re)design of product/process with environmental considerations for the Engineer degree (mechanical and industrial systems) and Master degree (Sustainable Development).

Courses at UTT, in charge of

From 1994 « Value Management / Functional Analysis » (in French and in English) (6 ECTS credits)
From 2012 « Eco-design » (6 ECTS credits)
From 2008 « Life Cycle Analysis of materials » (6 ECTS credits)

Other courses at UTT

From 2012 « Systemic Approach » (6 ECTS credits)
From 2012 “Basics of environment” (4 ECTS credits)
From 2015 “Design” (4 ECTS credits)

Elearning course at UTT: From 2018 « Creativity – Problem solving”, 4 ECTS credits

Course at EPF / Yschools, France: From 2016 “Ecodesign” for Master “Innovation, Creation, Entrepreneurship”

Course at University Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique: From 2019 “Value Analysis/ Functional Analysis” for Master “ Hygiene, Safety, Environment”