The CNRS celebrates 80 years of existence

Students, Researcher

The CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) celebrated 80 years of existence on November 26 during a reception in which the gold medal 2019 was awarded to French-Norwegian Thomas Ebbesen for his work in nanoscience.

The CNRS celebrates 80 years in 2019 by organising many events in France and abroad. On Tuesday 26 of November 2019, a ceremony to celebrate this anniversary was held in the Palais de la Découverte under the honorary patronage of French president Emmanuel Macron, and with several internationally acclaimed personalities from the academic, political, economic and cultural industries. During the evening, the CNRS gold medal was awarded physicist and chemist Thomas Ebbesen, a teacher at the University of Strasbourg.

80 years of the CNRS: a long tradition of excellence for research in France

The CNRS is the most prominent French research organisation. The Centre was created in 1939 by Ministry of Education Jean Zay and assistant secretary of State for Research Jean Perrin, physics Nobel Prize, following the strong values of freedom of research, openness towards the world, innovation and spreading of the scientific culture. The CNRS is now present all over the French territory. He works in all scientific fields and puts the knowledge he produces at the service of society. Since its creation, the CNRS continually developed its presence abroad, projects of scientific cooperation and the reception of international researchers. The CNRS has a long-lasting tradition of excellence. 23 Nobel prizes and 12 Fields medals were awarded to researchers who worked in its labs.

The CNRS gold medal 2019 awarded to a Norwegian-French researcher

Every year, the CNRS awards its gold medal, an honour considered as the highest French scientific distinction. In 2019, it was awarded to Norwegian-French researcher Thomas Ebbesen, director of the Institute of Advanced Studies of the University of Strasbourg, for his pioneer researches and fundamental discoveries in nanoscience.

Every year since its creation in 1954, the CNRS gold medal recompenses the overall work of one or several scientific personalities who contributed in an exceptional way to the impetus and soft power of French research.