Dominique Ripoche: a model of generosity

With its holiday souvenirs, figurines and drawings from her grandchildren, Dominique Ripoche’s desk is like a second home, where she has worked since 1982. “At the outset, I didn’t intend to work in agronomy at all!” she says. “I sat the exam for the Banque de France (France’s central bank) after finishing my degree in statistics in Grenoble. Around the same time, I had an interview with Bernard Seguin, who was ‘Mr Climate Change’ at INRA. I got hired, and that’s how I ended up here!” Dominique began her career by developing climate data processing tools and crop modelling on DSSAT, a software programme developed in the United States. “Then Nadine Brisson, the brainchild of STICS, arrived with her model, and we began working on it together.”

A tool for contributing, sharing and exchanging

De-bugging sessions become an occasion for laughter and memorable exchanges

The model is capable of simulating an agrosystem while taking into account climate factors and crop practices, with the aim of moving towards more sustainable farming and improving how water and nitrogen are used in agriculture. The first version, released in 1996, was for wheat, and later, maize. “I can still see Nadine and I on our way to present the model, carrying our papers and floppy disks! What great memories,” says Dominique. Today, her work focuses on three major areas: ongoing maintenance and updating of the computer code, publishing STICS-related news and documentation, and user support. In sum, she guarantees the reliability and robustness of the model. In the interest of continually improving the model, she studies the needs of those who use it: scientists, economists, professors and researchers. “Exchanging with people, working as a team with colleagues, users and PhD students, is what I like the most: it allows me to meet wonderful people.”

Guardian of the code

Two became three when Bruno Mary brought some fertiliser to the STICS garden, and later the team working closely on the model grew to four with the arrival of Marie Launay. There are now 24 people on the STICS project team (the ‘EPS’). “Researchers, engineers, computer scientists, numerical analysts – everyone brings their expertise. And I'm not the only computer scientist anymore! Operating as a project team has made it possible to professionalise code management,” says Dominique, contented. Computer scientist and colleague Patrice Lecharpentier joined the unit two years ago to gradually optimise the code and integrate more modularity. STICS is an excellent showcase for INRA, especially given the model’s international success: it is used the world over, and joint projects with other countries like Brazil, India and China are becoming more common.

The life lines in lines of code

Dominique guarantees the reliability and robustness of the model

“You feel a bit like Sherlock Holmes when you have to find a problem in the code,” says Dominique Ripoche of her navigation in the ocean of coding. With Dominique, long days and often fastidious de-bugging sessions become an occasion for laughter and memorable exchanges with colleagues. “We’re friends as well as colleagues,” she points out. The enjoyable atmosphere so tangible at AgroClim is found even in the programme’s lines of code. A birthday, a problem, a word of encouragement: a day in the life of the unit, according to STICS team members. And for Dominique, her award provides recognition for this cohesion: “I wasn't expecting it at all! But I'm thrilled: the award goes to STICS, Nadine and the entire team!”