École nationale supérieure de chimie de Paris
Encyclopedia
The École nationale supérieure de chimie de Paris or ENSCP (National Chemical Engineering Institute in Paris) is an elite chemical engineering
college
founded in 1896 and located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris
. It is one of the founding members of ParisTech
(Paris Institute of Technology). The students enter the school after highly competitive exams known as the Concours Commun Polytechnique, following at least two years of Classes Préparatoires. The school is a research center hosting 9 laboratories which conduct high level research in various fields of chemistry.
, a chemist and mineralogist who headed the school until 1899. At the time, the school was called the Laboratoire de chimie pratique et industrielle. It was located in the 6th arrondissement (rue Michelet), where it stayed until 1923.
After the death of Friedel, Henri Moissan
took the reins of the school. He was awarded the Nobel Prize
for chemistry in 1906, while he was director. Moissan made student admission subject to competitive exams and renamed the school Institut de chimie appliquée (Institute of Applied Chemistry).
In 1907, the school began delivering a prestigious masters of engineering. In 1907, Moissan died and a transitional directorate was created. Soon thereafter, Camille Chabrié was named director. The school closed when World War I
started and reopened in 1916. 1916 also marked the first year a female student was admitted; the ENSCP was one of the first engineering schools in France to do so.
In 1923, the school moved to its current location, on the rue Pierre et Marie Curie (in the 5th arrondissement). The buildings were designed and built by Henri-Paul Nénot, architect of the Sorbonne
. In 1932, the school became l'Institut de Chimie de Paris (Paris Institute of Chemistry). Finally, in 1948, it became the École nationale supérieure de chimie de Paris (ENSCP).
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
founded in 1896 and located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. It is one of the founding members of ParisTech
ParisTech
ParisTech the Paris Institute of Technology is one of the collegiate universities in France. It gathers 11 of the best French engineering schools, covering nearly the whole spectrum of engineering science, and 1 business school, aiming to be of comparable status to the most famous universities of...
(Paris Institute of Technology). The students enter the school after highly competitive exams known as the Concours Commun Polytechnique, following at least two years of Classes Préparatoires. The school is a research center hosting 9 laboratories which conduct high level research in various fields of chemistry.
History
The École nationale supérieure de chimie de Paris was founded in 1896 by Charles FriedelCharles Friedel
Charles Friedel was a French chemist and mineralogist. A native of Strasbourg, France, he was a student of Louis Pasteur at the Sorbonne...
, a chemist and mineralogist who headed the school until 1899. At the time, the school was called the Laboratoire de chimie pratique et industrielle. It was located in the 6th arrondissement (rue Michelet), where it stayed until 1923.
After the death of Friedel, Henri Moissan
Henri Moissan
Ferdinand Frederick Henri Moissan was a French chemist who won the 1906 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in isolating fluorine from its compounds.-Biography:...
took the reins of the school. He was awarded the 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...
for chemistry in 1906, while he was director. Moissan made student admission subject to competitive exams and renamed the school Institut de chimie appliquée (Institute of Applied Chemistry).
In 1907, the school began delivering a prestigious masters of engineering. In 1907, Moissan died and a transitional directorate was created. Soon thereafter, Camille Chabrié was named director. The school closed when World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
started and reopened in 1916. 1916 also marked the first year a female student was admitted; the ENSCP was one of the first engineering schools in France to do so.
In 1923, the school moved to its current location, on the rue Pierre et Marie Curie (in the 5th arrondissement). The buildings were designed and built by Henri-Paul Nénot, architect of the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
. In 1932, the school became l'Institut de Chimie de Paris (Paris Institute of Chemistry). Finally, in 1948, it became the École nationale supérieure de chimie de Paris (ENSCP).
ENSCP Directors
- 1896 - 1899 : Charles FriedelCharles FriedelCharles Friedel was a French chemist and mineralogist. A native of Strasbourg, France, he was a student of Louis Pasteur at the Sorbonne...
- 1899 - 1907 : Henri MoissanHenri MoissanFerdinand Frederick Henri Moissan was a French chemist who won the 1906 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in isolating fluorine from its compounds.-Biography:...
(Nobel Prize in ChemistryNobel Prize in ChemistryThe Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
) - 1907 - 1908 : collective direction
- 1908 - 1928 : Camille Chabrié
- 1928 - 1938 : Georges UrbainGeorges UrbainGeorges Urbain - French chemist, professor of Sorbonne. He studied at the elite École supérieure de physique et de chimie industrielles de la ville de Paris . He discovered the element Lutetium in 1907.-References:...
(member of the French Academy of SciencesFrench Academy of SciencesThe French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
) - 1938 - 1950 : Louis Hackspill
- 1950 - 1961 : Georges Chaudron (member of the French Academy of SciencesFrench Academy of SciencesThe French Academy of Sciences is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research...
) - 1961 - 1976 : Jacques Bénard
- 1976 - 1985 : Fernand Coussemant
- 1985 - 1987 : Jean Talbot
- 1987 - 1992 : Claude Quivoron
- 1992 - 1996 : Bernard Trémillon
- 1996 - 2005 : Danièle Olivier
- 2006 - 2010 : Alain Fuchs
- 2010 - : Valérie Cabuil
Research units
Notable research units includes:- Photovoltaic Energy Development and Research Institute, École nationale supérieure de chimie de Paris in association with CNRS. Director Olivier Kerrec and Research Director Daniel Lincot .
Notable alumni
- Eugène SchuellerEugène SchuellerEugène Schueller was the founder of L'Oréal, the world's leading company in cosmetics and beauty.- Career with L'Oréal :...
, founder of L'OréalL'OréalThe L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics... - Jacques BergierJacques BergierJacques Bergier , was a chemical engineer, member of the French-resistance, spy, journalist and writer...
- Olivier Kahn
- Jacques Livage
- Henri B. KaganHenri B. KaganHenri B. Kagan is currently an Emeritus Professor at the Université Paris-Sud in France. He is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of asymmetric catalysis...