We warmly congratulate Nicolas Rochetin on successfully defending his Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR).

On 15 June 2026, at the École normale supérieure (PSL), he defended his thesis entitled “Thermals, Sea Breezes, Density Currents and Clouds: Deconstructing Convection. From the Development of Parameterisations for LMDZ to the MAESTRO Airborne Campaign.”

This work presents an original perspective on atmospheric convection by combining model development, high-resolution simulations, and in situ observations. By investigating the interactions between boundary-layer thermals, sea breezes, density currents, and deep convection, it provides new insights into the organisation of clouds and thunderstorms, while advancing the parameterisations used in weather and climate models.

Carried out in close collaboration with numerous colleagues, this research highlights the importance of bringing together modelling, observations, and theoretical developments to improve our understanding of atmospheric convection.

Congratulations, Nicolas, on this outstanding achievement!