Our values

Impact

Our work is designed for scale. By applying solutions in operational contexts, we deliver measurable outcomes that contribute to decarbonization, sustainable fuel adoptions, and a circular carbon economy.

Innovation

Innovation is central to our mission. We focus on translating research into scalable solutions—bridging the gap between laboratory discovery and real-world implementation through rigorous experimentation and systems-level design.

Collaboration

At Team Roberts, we prioritize strategic collaborations with industrial partners and academic institutions to address complex challenges of decarbonization, sustainable fuels, and industrial emissions. By integrating cross-sector expertise, we can accelerate the development and deployment of scalable technologies with industrial applications.

About the Principal Investigator

 
Professor William Roberts

Professor William Roberts is a leading figure in energy and environmental research, known for his pioneering work in combustion science, multi-pollutant carbon capture, and sustainable fuels. With decades of experience in both academia and industry, he brings a unique perspective to the lab—bridging deep scientific inquiry with practical, scalable solutions. Under his leadership, Team Roberts has grown into a globally recognized hub for innovation, collaboration, and impact. Professor Roberts is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers, fostering a culture of curiosity, rigor, and purpose. His vision drives the team’s mission: to conduct transformative research that addresses real-world challenges and contributes to a more sustainable future.

 

 

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As a team we are guided by three core principles

Team Roberts is a multidisciplinary research group comprising over 35 researchers—including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and scientists—the team conducts both fundamental and applied research with a clear emphasis on scalability and industrial relevance.

 

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SCIENCE IN ACTION.

DRIVEN TO SOLVE.

MADE TO SCALE.

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Sylvain Michaux

Research Scientists

Research Scientist

Current

Location:

Building 5, level 4 Desk 4266-WS07

Biography

Sylvain Michaux graduated from one of the top French Engineering School on Electrical Engineering and Industrial Sciences (Supélec), and spent 2 years in Moscow, Russia studying for the Master on Cryogenic Technologies the top technical university of Russia (Bauman Technical State University of Moscow). After graduation in 2015, Sylvain Michaux started a PhD in the Center for Atomic Energies (CEA, France) and continued his specialization in Cryogenics, and more specifically on the cryogenic solid hydrogen. He obtained his PhD in 2019.

He then worked for 3 years in Air Liquide - Advanced Technologies, a subsidiary of the world-reknown gas industrial group focused on the design and fabrication of high-tech equipment, mainly for space application and for the development of new energies.
The highlight of his work was the design, construction and operation of a First-of-its-Kind Liquid Hydrogen testpad; its objective was to provide a safe and quality environment for the tests of prototypes and equipment in very low temperature (down to 20 K) and high pressure (up to 1000 bar), notably for the Hydrogen mobility field (land and air).

Sylvain Michaux joined Kaust and William Roberts' team in 2022 as postdoc, working mostly on the combustion of cryogenic hydrogen and on the development of Cryogenic Carbon Capture.

With a pluri-disciplinary education and experience on Engineer Sciences (mathematics, mechanical design and manufacturing, automation, electronics & electrotechnics, computer sciences and network, ...) and a specialization on Cryogenic Technologies (Master and PhD), Sylvain has a strong background on designing and operating high-quality systems for research and innovation industry.

Research Interests

Sylvain Michaux is specifically interested in the phase transitions and multi-phase system occuring in mixtures at low temperature, and in the effect of low temperature on the chemical reactions and equilibria, notably with hydrogen combustion.

Selected Publications

-2025: Laminar burning velocities of hydrogen-air and methane-air flames from ambient to cryogenic temperature a different equivalence ratios, S. L. Michaux, K. P. Chatelain, W. L. Roberts, D. A. Lacoste, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
-2025 : Experimental study of heat and mass transfer in CO2 frost formation on a cryogenic cylinder, M. A. Oyinloye, S. L. Michaux, M. Benitez Guerra, S. S. Sreedharan, M. B. Magara, W. L. Roberts
-2018: First demonstration of multi-MeV proton acceleration from a cryogenic hydrogen ribbon target, S. D. Kraft, L. Obst, J. Metzkes-Ng, H.-P. Schlenvoigt, K. Zeil, S. Michaux, D. Chatain, J.-P. Perin, S. N Chen, J. Fuchs, M. Gauthier, T. E Cowan, U. Schramm

Education

- PhD of Cryogenic Solid Hydrogen Mechanical Properties (CEA, Grenoble, France)
-Master of Cryogenic, Refrigeration Technologies and Support-Life Systems (BMSTU, Moscow, Russia)
-Degree of Electrical Engineering (CentralSupélec, Saclay, France)

Professional Profile

Researcher strongly focused on application and experimental work.
-Target a balance between scientific publications and industrial know-how.
-Works best as leader of a small technical taskforce, translating the scientific requirements into technological specifications.

Awards

2025: SEC Certificate of Appreciation for outstanding effort and remarkable achievements

KAUST Affiliations

Clean Energy Research Platform, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Mechanical Engineering Program, Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests Keywords

Cryogenics Hydrogen Multiphase Mixtures Gas Liquid Interactions