Research
Tribute to professor Jean Faure (1935-2017)
Published on
The Annual Day SP2P’2022* on June 7-8th 2022 in Ecole normale supérieure Paris-Saclay was the occasion to evoke the memory of the professor Jean Faure, founding director of Laboratoire de Photophysique et de Photochimie Supramoléculaires et Macromoléculaires (PPSM). He was Scientific Director of ENS Cachan (former name of ENS Paris-Saclay) too.
A man dedicated in bringing together education and research
The tribute session was opened by Philippe Maître, Vice-President in charge of research, and Mehran Mostafavi, deputy director of CNRS Chemistry Institute. During the 1980's, they both knew Jean Faure, at that time director of Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Rayonnements of Paris-Sud (presently Paris-Saclay) University. Through anecdotes, they underlined Jean Faure's deep involvment in bringing together education and research and in initiating and promoting career paths for future researchers.
Former colleagues and students testimonies
After the projection of a video realized by his son Sylvain Faure (Ecole normale supérieure Rennes), former colleagues and students testified about about lasting memories and scientific legacy. Robert Pansu (Lumière, Matière et Interfaces laboratory LUMIN), former PhD student of Jean Faure, recounted the career of his supervisor, underlying his work with regards to the scientific questions of that time and the lasers technologic developements.
Later, Rachel Méallet-Renault (former PPSM member, currently professor at Orsay Molecular Sciences Institute ISMO, Paris-Saclay University), with a presentation named « A mentor as they don't make them anymore », Isabelle Leray (PPSM) and Keitaro Nakatani (PPSM) emphasized Jean Faure's major role in their career and their international network development.
Online testimonies were shared by Roland Bonneau (formerly Université de Bordeaux), his first student in Bordeaux, and André Braun (formerly Ciba-Geigy, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), a colleague and friend since the time Jean Faure was in Mulhouse in the General Photochemistry laboratory, another laboratory he founded.
*Photochemistry, Photophysics and Photosciences subdivision, Chemistry and Physics division (DCP) from French Society of Chemistry (SCF) and French Society of Physics (SFP)