| 1 | Name: | Dr. Claude Jean Allègre | |
| Institution: | Institut Physique du Globe de Paris | ||
| Year Elected: | 1992 | ||
| Class: | 1. Mathematical and Physical Sciences | ||
| Subdivision: | 105. Physical Earth Sciences | ||
| Residency: | International | ||
| Living? : | Living | ||
| Birth Date: | 1937 | ||
Claude Allègre was a professor of geochemistry at the University of Paris VI (Pierre and Marie Curie) since 1970, and became professor emeritus at the Institut Physique du Globe de Paris in 2009. He is a world leader in isotope geochemistry and is responsible for bringing this research area into flower in France. His research in a wide variety of isotopic problems with particular emphasis on earth structure and earth dynamics has been of continuing excitement to the scientific community throughout the world. He has been active in unifying the earth sciences community in Europe and is a founder of the European Union of Geosciences, for which he served as president. Dr. Allègre has also been active politically, having served as Minister of Education of France from 1997 to 2000. He has been a major leader in revitalizing science education and research in France. A brilliant and stimulating speaker with wide interests, Dr. Allègre is the author of three books on the development of geosciences for a general audience. His scientific accomplishments have been recognized with many medals and honors, including the Day Medal of the Geological Society of America and the V.M. Goldschmidt Medal of the Geochemical Society. In 1986 the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded him the Crafoord Prize for his work in isotope geochemistry with G.J. Wasserburg. | |||