Catherine Bréchignac

Catherine Bréchignac ( born June 12, 1946 in Paris ) is a French physicist.

In the course of their studies at the École Normale Supérieure de Fontenay -aux -Roses from 1967 to 1971, she received a Maitrise in Physics, a Diplôme d' études approfondies in quantum physics. After passing the higher teaching qualification Agrégation for Physics in 1971, she is employed by the CNRS in Aimé Cotton laboratory in Orsay and closes her doctorate there in 1977. It is followed by a career as a researcher, during which they in 1989 took over the management of the Aimé Cotton laboratory. Then it is scientific director of the Department of SPM (Physics & Mathematics ) from the CNRS and finally from 1997 to 2000 its Director General. In 2003 she is President of the School of Engineering Institut d' optique ( SupOptique ).

Her research mainly related to the physics of nuclear aggregates.

On January 11, 2006 Catherine Bréchignac was appointed Chairman of the CNRS.

Awards