Nicolas Nisse (INRIA Sophia Antipolis)

Nicolas NISSE
Inria Research Director (DR2) in the COATI team^*,
joint team of Inria Sophia Antipolis and Université Côte d'Azur, I3S (CNRS/UNS) .

I received my Master and PhD degrees from the LRI, University of Paris 11, supervised by Pierre Fraigniaud. (2004-2007)
I was a postdoc in Chile (Departamento de Ingenieria Matematica, Universidad de Chile, project Anillo en Redes) (2007-2008)
and at Inria Sophia Antipolis, Inria project MASCOTTE (2008-2009)
I was Inria Research Officer in the Inria project MASCOTTE (2009-2012) and then in the COATI team (2012-2023)

Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches defended at Inria Sophia Antipolis, May 26th, 2014
Ph.D. Thesis defended at LRI, July the 2nd, 2007

short Curriculum Vitae (2025)

^*a coati is hidden in this page, can you find it?

Research Popularization News!!! Publications Students

Committees and Conferences'Organization Projects Teaching Collective duties Contact

News

ISO day, MMI, Lyon, Sept 18th, 2026.
JGA'26, Journées Graphes et Algorithmes, Clermont-Ferrand. 2026.

Research topics: Pursuit-evasion games, (distributed) Algorithms, Graph theory, Optimization, Communication/Social networks

My main concern is to design efficient algorithms for solving problems arising in telecommunication networks. Since most of these problems are NP-hard in general, I try to use structural properties of considered networks to derive polynomial-time exact or approximation algorithms in particular graph classes. One powerful tool I use to determine and to understand the algorithmic interest of graph structures is pursuit-evasion games. In these games, a team of searchers/pursuers/cops aims at capturing a fugitive/evader/robber moving in a graph.

Abstracts of some of my works and some presentations I gave can be found here

Ph.D. students

Current
- Sayf Eddine HALMI, Impact of multidisciplinarity on research productivity, co-supervision with Frédéric GIROIRE and Michele PEZZONI (since Oct. 2025).
- Henrique LOVISI ENNES, Quantum computing in topology, co-supervision ("HDR caution") with Clément MARIA (since Oct. 2023).
Former
- Thomas DISSAUX, Graph decompositions: Treelength and pursuit-evasion games, defended on September 25th, 2023.
- Francesco d'AMORE, On the collective behaviors of bio-inspired distributed systems, defended on October 17th, 2022. Co-supervision ("HDR caution") with Emanuele Natale. Now postdoc at Gran Sasso Science Institute (Italy).
- Foivos FIORAVANTES, Edge-labellings, vertex-colourings and combinatorial games on graphs, defended on September 26th, 2022. Co-supervision with Julien Bensmail. Then, postdoc at Czech Technical University in Prague. Since Sept. 2026, Maitre de Conférences at Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
- Ali AL ZOOBI, Practical computation of simple paths with length and diversity constraints in complex and multimodal networks (ANR MultiMod), defended on November 25th, 2021. Co-supervision with David Coudert.
- Adrien GAUSSERAN, Optimization algorithms for Network Slicing for 5G, defended on November 9th, 2021.
  Co-supervision ("HDR caution") with Joanna Moulierac and Frédéric Giroire.
- Fionn Mc INERNEY, Domination and Identification Games in Graphs, defended on July 8th, 2019. Then, postdoc at LIRIS, Lyon, France (July-December, 2019) and at LIS, Marseille, France (January-December, 2020) and at CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, Germany (2021-23) and in the Algorithms and Complexity Group at TU Wien, Austria (2023-24). Now (since 10/2024) Senior Researcher in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Telefonica, Barcelona, Spain.
- Bi LI, Tree Decompositions and Routing Problems, defended on November 12th, 2014. Now, assistant Professor at department of Mathematics and Statistics in Xidian University, Xi'an, China.
- Ronan Pardo SOARES. Pursuit-evasion, decompositions and convexity on graphs, defended on November 8th, 2013. Now, assistant Professor at Universidade Federal do Ceara, Fortaleza, Brasil.

Foivos (blue mask) and Thomas (white mask).

Real Fionn (on the left) and Fionn during his PhD defense (right).

Bi and Ronan (before and after their Ph.D., or the other way around...)

I also have (co-) supervised the undergraduate/master internship of the following students

I have participated (as reviewer, president or examinator) to the following Ph.D. or HdR juries

Projects
in which I am currently involved

Project ECOS-Sud Chile (french head). Separating Path systems: Algorithms, Resources, and Cplexity (SPARC) (2026-28), with Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile.
CAPES-Cofecub project (french head) Graphs, Optimization, Combinatorics and Algorithms (2023-27) with Univ. Federal do Ceara (UFC, Fortaleza, Brazil) and Univ. of Avignon.

past projects

ANR P-GASE (2022-2026), Positional Games: complexity, Algorithms and StrategiEs.
Minimisation du délai moyen et pondéré en ordonnancement sous contraintes (CPFLOW). Project Académie 1 UCA, with I3S, Univ. Grenoble Alpes and Université Laval.
Inria Associated team CANOE (head) Combinatorial Algorithms for Networking prOblEms (2023-25) with Univ. Federal do Ceara (UFC, Fortaleza, Brazil).
ANR DIGRAPHS (2020-2023), Directed graphs.
ANR "Médiation et communication scientifiques" ASMODEE (2022-2023), Analyse et conception de situations de médiation en informatique débranchée.
ANR MultiMod (2018-2023), Scalable routing in Multi-Modal transportation networks
SticAm-Sud GALOP (2019-2021) (head), between COATI, Univ. Federal do Ceara (UFC, Fortaleza, Brazil), and University Diego Portales (Santiago, Chile)
Graphs ALgorithms for Optimization Problems
Contrat de recherche (Nov. 2019-July 2020) (Référent for COATI team), between MillionRoads and EPIs COATI and ZENITH. Amélioration des structures de données et des algorithmes pour la navigation dans une base de données graphes
PHC Xu Guangqi DESPROGES (2020-21) (head), between COATI and Xidian University (Xi'an, China), DEcompositionS arborescentes et PROblèmes de GraphES.
SNIF (2018-21) (Scientific Networks and IDEX Funding), project Académie 1 UCA, with GREDEG and SKEMA
Inria Associated Team AlDyNet (2013-15, extended until 2018) (head) between COATI and Adolfo Ibanez University (Santiago, Chile)
COSIT (Convergent Optimized Service for Intermodal Transportation) (2018-19). Projet IDEX UCA^JEDI with UMR ESPACE, IMREDD et Instant-System.
ANR STINT (2014-2017), on Forbiden Structures
Action ECOS-SUD, Chile (2013-15) (head), between COATI and Adolfo Ibanez University (Santiago, Chile), Algorithmes distribués pour le calcul de la structure des réseaux
FP7 EULER, Experimental UpdateLess Evolutive Routing
ANR AGAPE (2009-2012), Algorithmes de Graphes a Parametre fixe et Exponentiels exacts
ANR DIMAGREEN (2009-2012), DesIgn and MAnagement of GREEN networks with low power consumption
Dynamic Compact Routing, Investigating routing schemes on large scale Networks
European project AEOLUS (Algorithmic Principles for Building Efficient Overlay Computers)
ANR ALPAGE (ALgorithmique des Plates-formes A Grande Echelle)
ACI Sécurité FRAGILE
ACI Masses de Données PairAPair
COST Action 295 DYNAMO (European Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research)
COST Action 293 GRAAL

Committees and Conferences'Organization

I am member of the editorial board of Discrete Applied Maths. since June 2022.
Since 2025, I am one of the three members of the jury of the WG Test of Time Award.

LAGOS 2025, PC member, XIII Latin-American Algorithms, Graphs and Optimization Symposium, Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 10-14th, 2025.
COCOON 2025, PC member, 31st International Computing and Combinatorics Conference, Chengdu, China, August 15-17th, 2025.
AlgoTel 2025, PC member, 27es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, Saint Valery-sur-Somme, France, June 2-6th, 2025.
GRASTA 2023, Organizing-Chair, 11th Workshop on GRAph Searching, Theory and Applications , Bertinoro, Italy, October 22-27th, 2023.

LAGOS 2023, PC member, XII Latin-American Algorithms, Graphs and Optimization Symposium, Huatulco, Mexico, September 18-22th, 2023.
AlgoTel 2023, PC member, 25es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, Cargèse, Corsica, France, May 22-27th, 2023.
SEA 2022, PC member, 20th International Symposium on Experimental Algorithms , Heidelberg University, Germany, July 25-27th, 2022.
AlgoTel 2022, PC member, 24es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, vallée de Chevreuse, May 30th-June 3rd, 2022.
GRASTA 2022, Organizing-Chair, 10th Workshop on GRAph Searching, Theory and Applications, Porquerolles, France, May 16-20th, 2022.
AlgoTel 2021, PC member, 23es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, La Rochelle, May 31th-June 4th, 2021.
AlgoTel 2020, PC member, 22es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, Lyon, France, Sept. 2020.
CoRes 2020, PC member, 5es Rencontres Francophones sur les réseaux et protocoles de communication, Lyon, France, Sept. 2020.
WG 2019, PC member, 45th International Workshop on Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science, Vall de Núria, Catalonia, Spain, 2019.
LAGOS 2019, PC member, X Latin and American Algorithms, Graphs and Optimization Symposium, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2019.
CIAC 2019, PC member, 11th International Conference on Algorithms and Complexity, Roma, Italy, 2019.
GRASTA 2018, Scientific committee member, 9th Workshop on GRAph Searching, Theory and Applications, Berlin, Germany, September 24-27th, 2018.
SEA 2018, PC member, 17th International Symposium on Experimental Algorithms , L'Aquila, Italy, 2018.
CoRes 2018, PC member, 3es Rencontres Francophones sur les réseaux et protocoles de communication, Roscoff, France, 2018.
FCT 2017, PC member, 21st International Symposium on Fundamentals of Computation Theory, Bordeaux, France, September 11-13, 2017.
CoRes 2016, PC member, 1res Rencontres Francophones sur les réseaux et protocoles de communication, 2016.
AlgoTel 2016, PC member, 18es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, Bayonne, France, 24-27 May, 2016.
GRASTA-MAC 2015, Organizing-Chair with Gena Hahn, joint Workshops 7th Workshop on GRAph Searching, Theory and Applications and 5th workshop on Moving And Computing, Montréal, Canada, October 19-23rd, 2015.
Ad-Hoc Now 2015, PC member of track on Mobile Agents, International Conference on Ad Hoc Networks and Wireless (Ad-Hoc Now), Athens, Greece, June 29-July 1st 2015.
LAGOS 2015, PC member, VIII Latin-American Algorithms, Graphs and Optimization Symposium (LAGOS), Praia das Fontes, Beberibe, Ceará, Brazil, 11-15 May, 2015.
AlgoTel 2014, PC member, 16es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, Ile de Ré, France, 3-6 June, 2014.
GRASTA 2014, Organizing-Chair, 6th Workshop on GRAph Searching, Theory and Applications, Cargèse, Corsica, France, March 31th-April 4th, 2014.
OPODIS 2013, Conference-Chair, 17th International Conference On Principles Of DIstributed Systems, Nice, France, December 16-18th, 2013.
AlgoTel 2013, co-Chair with Franck Rousseau, 15es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, Pornic, France, 28-31 May 2013.
AlgoTel 2011, co-Organizing Chair with Fred, 13es Rencontres Francophones sur les Aspects Algorithmiques des Télécommunications, Agay, Cap-Esterel, France, 23-26 May 2011
MajecSTIC'10, PC member, MAnifestation des JEunes Chercheurs en Sciences et Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication, Bordeaux, France, 2010
TERA-NET'10, co-Organizing Chair, Toward Evolutive Routing Algorithms for scale-free/internet-like NETworks - Bordeaux, France, July 5th, 2010 - colocated with ICALP 2010
JDIR'10, PC member, 11es Journées Doctorales en Informatique et Réseaux, Sophia-Antipolis, France, 24-26 March 2010
IMAGINE, International workshop on Mobility, Agorithms, Graph theory In dynamic NEtworks.
IMAGINE is a workshop devoted to young researches (Ph.D. students or people who have defended their thesis for no more than 2 years) relative to the area of dynamic wireless networks, evaluated by young researchers. While speakers and committee members are expected to be "young" researchers, everyone is of course welcome to attend the conference
- Third edition (IMAGINE 2009) in conjunction with SIROCCO 2009 - Piran, Slovenia - May 28th, 2009
- Second edition (IMAGINE 2008) in conjunction with ICALP 2008 - Reykjavik, Iceland - July 12th, 2008
- First edition (IMAGINE 2007) in conjunction with DISC 2007 - Lemesos, Cyprus - 26 - 27 September 2007
Co-founder and member of the "steering committee" with Nathalie Mitton and David Ilcinkas.

Teaching

Current

since Jan. 2026 Advanced algorithms and Scientific popularization, SI4 Info (Master 1) Polytech Nice, Univ. Nice Côte d'Azur

Lecture notes (M1 and M2)

Projects 2026 (in french)

since Feb. 2019 Graphs and Algorithms, Master 2 Informatique Fondamentale, Univ. Nice Côte d'Azur (course in collaboration with C. Crespelle since 2025)
since Sept. 2009 Master 2 IFI, parcours UBINET (Université de Nice Sophia-Antipolis) (course in collaboration with F. Giroire)
- Algorithms for telecommunications (basics on graphs, flows, gathering problem, compact routing)
- Slides

Past

2019-2026 Graphs and Algorithms, Master 1 Informatique et Interactions, Univ. Nice Côte d'Azur
2019-2021 DIU "Enseigner l'informatique au lycée" (UCA)
- block algorithmique, projects

2011-2021 Classe préparatoire MPSI (Lycée international de Valbonne)
- Computer Sciences (in french) (basics of time-complexity, divide and conquer, sorting algorithms, dynamic programming)

2015-2018 Master 1 International, Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis
- Resolution Methods (basics on Graph and Algorithms), exam 2015-16, exam 2016-17, exam 2017-18
2008-2013 master 2 MDFI (Université de la Méditerranée)
- Graph Theory (flows, matching, linear programming (course notes in french by F. Havet), graphs' decompositions)

2004-2007 at the engineering school Supélec
- Computer Systems Architecture
- Introduction to computer science: data structures and algorithms
- Programming Models
- Software Engineering and Deployment of Systems

Collective duties

Local (Inria/I3S/UniCA)
- Doctoral School EDSTIC, Member of the Conseil de l'ED (as Inria representant 2022-26). Co-director (directeur adjoint) of EDSTIC since July 2026.
- Member of the CSD (Comité de suivi doctoral) d'Inria d'Univ. Cote d'Azur since 2022.
- Elected member of the Scientific and Educational Committee (COSP) of the EUR DS4H since oct. 2020.
- Responsable/organizer of the COATI' seminar since 2018.
- Elected member of the Comité de Centre of Inria d'Université Cote d'Azur (2016-2023).
National
- Member of the Conseil scientifique du GT Graphes of GdR IFM since 2025.
  - Prix de thèse Graphes "Charles Delorme". Member of the jury since 2024, co-president in 2025 and 2026.
- Member of the Bureau du GT CoA (conseil scientifique) of GdR IFM since 2018.

Some Links

Terra Numerica
Science étonnante
The Graph Searching community
Some conferences
GdR ASR (Réseaux et Systèmes Distribués)
Phdcomics

Address:	Project team Coati INRIA Sophia Antipolis 2004, route des Lucioles - B.P. 93 F-06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex France
E-mail:	[first name] (dot) [last name] (at) inria (dot) fr
Phone:	+33 (0)4 97 15 53 28
Fax:	+33 (0)4 92 38 53 80
Office:	L0 11 (building Lagrange 1st floor)