Romain Couillet received his MSc in Mobile Communications at the Eurecom Institute and his MSc in Communication Systems in Telecom ParisTech, France in 2007. From 2007 to 2010, he worked with ST-Ericsson as an Algorithm Development Engineer on the Long Term Evolution Advanced project, where he prepared his PhD with Supelec, France, which he graduated in November 2010. From 2010 to 2020 he worked as an Assistant then Full Professor at CentraleSupélec, University of Paris Saclay. He is currently a full professor at the University Grenoble-Alps, France. His acamedic skills are in random matrix theory applied to statistics, machine learning, signal processing, and wireless communications. He decided in 2021 to stop working in applied mathematics and dedicate his research time and efforts to redesigning research and teaching in preparation of the upcoming post-industrial era: education to the Anthropocene, the development of lowtech, ecology of dismantlement.
He is the recipient of the 2021 IEEE/SEE Glavieux award, of the 2013 French CNRS Bronze Medal in the section "science of information and its interactions", of the 2013 IEEE ComSoc Outstanding Young Researcher Award (EMEA Region), and of the 2011 EEA/GdR ISIS/GRETSI best PhD thesis award.
Pourquoi et comment démanteler l'intelligence artificielle? (Video FR|HTML|PDF)
Recomposer le monde. Qui sommes-nous, où allons-nous? De l'effondrement du vivant au renouveau symbolique. (HTML|PDF), Zoom recording of old version (Video FR|Video EN)
Les outils de la résilience. Comprendre, dimensionner, convaincre et agir. (HTML|PDF)
AI faces planetary limits: what can we do? (HTML|PDF)
Éco-anxiété: de la conscience à la reliance. (HTML|PDF)
Vers l'autonomie énergétique: la voie des lowtechs. (HTML|PDF)
Curriculum Vitae
My complete CV is available here [english|french] and in extended analytic version here [english|french].
Research Interests
World dynamics, low-tech theory and practice, post-industrial research and education
Anthropology, imaginaries of durable futures
News
[October 2021] Prix Glavieux IEEE/SEE :
I received in October 2021 the Prix Glavieux from the IEEE/SEE society, for my research work on random matrices for machine learning.
[September 2021] Full Professor at University Grenoble Alps :
I moved in September 2021 from my former position Professor position at CentraleSupelec to a position at University Grenoble Alps on ``AI and society''.
[June 2019] Holder of the MIAI Chair "LargeDATA" at University Grenoble-Alpes:
Since June 2019, I am responsible for the MIAI Chair "LargeDATA" for the 3IA project (MIAI) of the University of Grenoble-Alpes. The chair is oriented towards large dimensional random machine learning methods based on graph theory, random matrix theory and statistical physics.
[April 2018] Holder of the UGA IDEX DataScience GSTATS chair :
Since April 2018, I hold the position of UGA IDEX DataScience chair at the University of Grenoble-Alpes. Our activities within the chair concern the analysis and improvement of machine learning methods based on large dimensional statistical tools.
[January 2016] Full Professor position :
As of January 2016, I am a full professor (Professeur des Universités) at CentraleSupélec, University of ParisSaclay.
[February 2015] HDR Defense :
I successfully defended my HDR (French "Habilitation à diriger des recherches") entitled "Robust Estimation Methods in the Large Random Matrix Regime" at CentraleSupélec on February 2nd, 2015. [thesis|slides].
[October 2013] IEEE ComSoc Young Researcher Award :
I received in October 2013 the IEEE ComSoc Outstanding Young Researcher Award for the EMEA Region (Europe, Middle-East, Africa) for my early research work in the wireless communication field.
[January 2013] CRNS Bronze Medal:
I received the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) Bronze Medal in the section "science of information and its interactions". This prize is delivered every year to young researchers (about five to ten years after their PhD) working in France for their initial research findings.
[September 2011] Book on random matrix theory: Romain Couillet and Mérouane Debbah, Random Matrix Methods for Wireless Communications, Cambridge University Press, Sept. 2011. [outline|order]
Blending theoretical results with practical applications, this book provides an introduction to random matrix theory and shows how it can be used to tackle a variety of problems in wireless communications. The Stieltjes transform method, free probability theory, combinatoric approaches, deterministic equivalents and spectral analysis methods for statistical inference are all covered from a unique engineering perspective. Detailed mathematical derivations are presented throughout, with thorough explanation of the key results and all fundamental lemmas required for the reader to derive similar calculus on their own. These core theoretical concepts are then applied to a wide range of real-world problems in signal processing and wireless communications, including performance analysis of CDMA, MIMO and multi-cell networks, as well as signal detection and estimation in cognitive radio networks. The rigorous yet intuitive style helps demonstrate to students and researchers alike how to choose the correct approach for obtaining mathematically accurate results.
[April 2011] Best PhD thesis award:
I was awarded the 2011 best PhD thesis award in the field of signal, image and vision delivered by the EEA/GdR ISIS/GRETSI for my work on random matrix theory for cognitive radios (see my PhD report). I will present my work during the annual GRETSI conference held this September in Bordeaux.
