Hélène Langevin-Joliot
Encyclopedia
Hélène Langevin-Joliot is a French
nuclear physicist. She was educated at the Institut de physique nucléaire (Institute of Nuclear Physics) at Orsay
, a laboratory which was set up by her parents Irène Joliot-Curie
and Frédéric Joliot-Curie
. She is a member of the French government's advisory committee. Currently, she is a professor of nuclear physics
at the Institute of Nuclear Physics at the University of Paris
and a Director of Research at the CNRS. She is also known for her work in actively encouraging women to pursue careers in scientific fields.
She is Chairman of the panel that awards the Marie Curie Excellence award, a prize given to outstanding European researchers.
She is President of the French Rationalist Union.
Her husband, Michel Langevin, was grandson of the famous physicist Paul Langevin
and was also a nuclear physicist at the Institute, and her son, Yves (b. 1951), is an astrophysicist.
Langevin-Joliot is from a family of well-known scientists. Her grandparents were Marie
and Pierre Curie
, famous for their study of radioactivity, for which they won a Nobel Prize
in physics with Henri Becquerel
in 1903. Marie Curie was also the first person to win a Nobel Prize in two sciences, the second being for chemistry
(1911) with her discovery of radium
and polonium
.
Similarly, Hélène Langevin-Joliot's parents won a Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1935 for their discovery of artificial radioactivity. Pierre Joliot
is her brother and a noted biophysicist who has made contributions to the study of photosynthesis
.
Due to her family's legacy, Langevin-Joliot regularly grants interviews and gives talks about their history.
Her knowledge of her family's history led to her writing the introduction to Radiation and Modern Life: Fulfilling Marie Curie's Dream, including a brief history of the Curies.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
nuclear physicist. She was educated at the Institut de physique nucléaire (Institute of Nuclear Physics) at Orsay
Orsay
Orsay is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France, from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Orsay are known as Orcéens.-History:...
, a laboratory which was set up by her parents Irène Joliot-Curie
Irène Joliot-Curie
Irène Joliot-Curie was a French scientist, the daughter of Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie and the wife of Frédéric Joliot-Curie. Jointly with her husband, Joliot-Curie was awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1935 for their discovery of artificial radioactivity. This made the Curies...
and Frédéric Joliot-Curie
Frédéric Joliot-Curie
Jean Frédéric Joliot-Curie , born Jean Frédéric Joliot, was a French physicist and Nobel laureate.-Early years:...
. She is a member of the French government's advisory committee. Currently, she is a professor of nuclear physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
at the Institute of Nuclear Physics at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
and a Director of Research at the CNRS. She is also known for her work in actively encouraging women to pursue careers in scientific fields.
She is Chairman of the panel that awards the Marie Curie Excellence award, a prize given to outstanding European researchers.
She is President of the French Rationalist Union.
Family
Hélène is of Polish descent, on her maternal grandmother's side.Her husband, Michel Langevin, was grandson of the famous physicist Paul Langevin
Paul Langevin
Paul Langevin was a prominent French physicist who developed Langevin dynamics and the Langevin equation. He was one of the founders of the Comité de vigilance des intellectuels antifascistes, an antifascist organization created in the wake of the 6 February 1934 far right riots...
and was also a nuclear physicist at the Institute, and her son, Yves (b. 1951), is an astrophysicist.
Langevin-Joliot is from a family of well-known scientists. Her grandparents were Marie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
and Pierre Curie
Pierre Curie
Pierre Curie was a French physicist, a pioneer in crystallography, magnetism, piezoelectricity and radioactivity, and Nobel laureate. He was the son of Dr. Eugène Curie and Sophie-Claire Depouilly Curie ...
, famous for their study of radioactivity, for which they won a Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
in physics with Henri Becquerel
Henri Becquerel
Antoine Henri Becquerel was a French physicist, Nobel laureate, and the discoverer of radioactivity along with Marie Curie and Pierre Curie, for which all three won the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics.-Early life:...
in 1903. Marie Curie was also the first person to win a Nobel Prize in two sciences, the second being for chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
(1911) with her discovery of radium
Radium
Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
and polonium
Polonium
Polonium is a chemical element with the symbol Po and atomic number 84, discovered in 1898 by Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie. A rare and highly radioactive element, polonium is chemically similar to bismuth and tellurium, and it occurs in uranium ores. Polonium has been studied for...
.
Similarly, Hélène Langevin-Joliot's parents won a Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1935 for their discovery of artificial radioactivity. Pierre Joliot
Pierre Joliot
Pierre Joliot is a noted French biologist and researcher for the CNRS. A researcher there since 1956, he became a Director of Research in 1974 and a member of their scientific council in 1992. He was a scientific advisor to the French Prime Minister from 1985 to 1986 and is a member of Academia...
is her brother and a noted biophysicist who has made contributions to the study of photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
.
Due to her family's legacy, Langevin-Joliot regularly grants interviews and gives talks about their history.
Her knowledge of her family's history led to her writing the introduction to Radiation and Modern Life: Fulfilling Marie Curie's Dream, including a brief history of the Curies.