Institut de Physique Théorique Philippe Meyer

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Inaugural conference

by Marc-Thierry Jaekel - published on , updated on

The "Institut de Physique Théorique Philippe MEYER" has been established in the Physics department of the Ecole normale supérieure. The main goal of the Institute is to promote research in Theoretical Physics and participate in the training of young theorists through the organization of conferences, international scientific exchanges, and postdoctoral fellowships. This Institute will be funded by a partnership-based Foundation jointly created by the Ecole normale supérieure and the Meyer Foundation.

Its inaugural Conference is organized on February 1st and 2nd, 2012, in Salle Dussane at ENS. A dozen general talks, covering various aspects of theoretical physics, will be delivered by Guido ALTARELLI, Curtis CALLAN, Louis FAYARD, Thierry GIAMARCHI, Jeffrey HARVEY, Gerard ’t HOOFT, Albert LIBCHABER, Luciano MAIANI, Giorgio PARISI, Jean-Loup PUGET, Chris QUIGG and Gabriele VENEZIANO.

Philippe MEYER (1925 - 2007)

Philippe MEYER was one of the actors of the revival of Theoretical Physics in France in the late 50’s, early 60’s. He participated with Maurice LÉVY in the creation of the "Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Energies" at Orsay which he directed from 1966 to 1969. In 1974, he moved with his research team to Ecole normale supérieure to create the (New) "Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de l’Ecole normale supérieure" which he directed from 1974 to 1979 and from 1987 to 1990. During part of 1986 he was director of the Physics department of Ecole normale supérieure.

His main research interest was theoretical particle physics. In particular, with his colleagues, he made important contributions to the construction of the Standard Model.

He has always been involved in teaching. During many years, he was director of a theoretical physics doctoral school, which trained a whole generation of young physicists who became first class scientists, working both in France and abroad. Because of his fine personality, he has been very often asked, in the course of his career, to participate in missions of prospective, evaluation and administration of Research and Teaching.