About

During his geoscience studies, Manu began mapping mantle rocks in the Alps for the French National Geological Survey. This led him to a PhD and postdoctoral research, where he studied remnants of ancient oceans across the Alps, Pyrenees and North America. After years of exploration and research in the oil and gas industry, Manu decided to forge his own path by building a dedicated research team within a geo-consulting company which has now become Mantle8.

“I have tried to escape mantle geology – both in my research and personal life – but it’s impossible: when I set out to trace my family’s roots, who had emigrated to France before World War II, I discovered that their homeland sits on the mantle, buried beneath sediments!”

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering in Belgium and two master’s degrees in Fluid Mechanics & Electrochemistry at UC Berkeley and Nanophysics at the University of Cambridge, Aurian joined Boston Consulting Group specializing in Energy & Climate. In 2022, he entered the cleantech startup ecosystem helping companies shape their strategy, scale and raise capital, which led him to Mantle8.
As Chief of Staff, Aurian’s responsibilities include managing HR, organizational structure, fundraising, corporate development and operations.  

“I have always been fascinated with nature and showed an interest in mountains and rocks from a young age. I even had a giant gemstone collection in my room as a child. This passion has developed into a love for climbing and mountaineering.”

Suzon has an engineering diploma in geophysics from the École et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre and a PhD in Tectonics from the University of Strasbourg, where she integrated geophysical and geological data. After a first postdoctoral research position at the University of Bergen in Norway and a second at the University of Texas in the USA, Suzon became a senior lecturer at Texas State University from 2015 to 2021.

She then joined M&U (now Mantle8) as a researcher and consultant and now leads the geophysics team at Mantle8, overseeing geophysical studies and modeling initiatives.

“The moment that sparked this extensive career in geology came at the end of my preparatory school years. I felt a bit lost when choosing an engineering school but, after reviewing a catalog of programs, only one stood out: the École et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (EOST). My choice was clear and I applied to only one school!”

Maxime has a bachelor’s degree in Earth, Universe, and Environmental Sciences from the University of Orléans, and two master’s degrees – one in Geodynamics and the other in Exploration and Management of Non-Renewable Resources from the University of Québec at Montréal. He then earned a PhD in Geodynamics and Structural Geology from the University of Orléans, where he studied the integration of rift-related thermal and structural inheritances into the Pyrenean belt during orogenesis. 

After a two-year postdoctoral position with TotalEnergies and the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour on the OROGEN project, Maxime joined M&U (now Mantle8) as a researcher and consultant in geo-resource exploration. In this role, he delivers geological solutions for hydrogen exploration, including structural and soil gas measurement field campaigns, seismic and geological interpretation, petrophysics and basin analysis, and 4D geological modeling.

“My passion for geology started long before my studies. My father spent 40 years working in a carbonate quarry and as a child, I would often explore it alongside him, fascinated by the rocks and their amazing shapes. Those early adventures sparked my curiosity and in high school I was lucky to have a geology-enthusiast science teacher who fueled my interest even further.”

With over eight years of experience, including a master’s in Reservoir Geology and Geophysics from the University of Barcelona and a PhD in Tectonophysics from the University of Liverpool, Júlia’s expertise covers both geological datasets and geophysical techniques, including gravity, magnetics, and kinematic forward modeling, to investigate plate tectonics. She focuses particularly on the transition from continents to oceans, i.e. rifted margins, and how they reactivate and evolve into present-day orogens.

At Mantle8, Júlia oversees the project management of prospect generation, analysis and modeling of gravity and magnetic data, and conducts geological synthesis of natural hydrogen prospective zones.

“The moment that sparked my life-long fascination? A high school class where my Earth Sciences teacher explained faults and their movement, sparking a fascination for plate tectonics and opening up a whole new world for me to explore.”

With over 20 years of experience in geology and having published more than 30 scientific papers, Benoit specializes in observational seismology and seismic imaging. He holds an Engineering diploma from the École et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre and a PhD from the University of Strasbourg. After carrying out postdoctoral research at Utrecht University, he was an Associate Professor at Lyon University from 2011 to 2025. He obtained his HDR in 2021 and was a visiting scientist at The Australian National University from 2016 to 2020. As Senior Geophysicist, Benoit leads Mantle8’s “Hydrogen Ore Exploration” (HOREX) pilot project, developing seismic analysis tools and overseeing numerical infrastructure.

“My passion for geology started at the age of 10, inspired by my great-grandfather’s deep intellectual curiosity. This early exposure fueled my fascination with Earth sciences and research. After two decades studying the mantle’s first 1000km, I now focus on the still profound 10km of Earth’s crust—a realm where I believe science can profoundly benefit society.”

Rodolphe holds a master’s degree and a PhD from the University of Strasbourg in tectonics and structural geology, during which he investigated the 3D geometry of the Western Pyrenees and related thermal and structural evolution from rifting to orogeny. After working as a geology consultant for M&U (now Mantle8), he pursued his academic career at Uppsala University as a researcher and worked as an on-site main geologist for a 2.5 km deep scientific drilling site in central Sweden (ICDP COSC-2). From 2022 to 2024, he gained experience working on natural hydrogen and mineral resources systems while working at M&U and the Swedish Geological Survey (SGU).

At Mantle8, Rodolphe acts as a project leader and senior geologist conducting 3D geological modeling, seismic interpretation, field soil gas analysis and field geological mapping for the purpose of natural hydrogen exploration.

“I can trace the beginning of my career in geology back to my grandparents’ house in the countryside of northern France, which was located right next to the “Marble and Geology Museum”.”

Julien has a dual background in aeronautics and business. He has extensive experience in Industrial and R&T project management and business & partnerships development. A master’s in Environment and Energy Management supports his chosen specialization in clean technologies and renewable energies. He has contributed to exciting cleantech projects such as the development of a biogas engine retrofit kit and the revolutionary Airbus hydrogen aircraft development (ZEROe).

As Senior Project Manager, Julien manages the deployment of geological exploration campaigns, which encompasses permitting, public relations, exploration technology deployment, strategic partnerships, project financing, and ensuring the environmental management of Mantle8’s activities.

“Why did I choose the Mantle8 team? A passion for geology is highly contagious; unfortunately my colleagues have already infected me!”