ESPCI Paris facts for kids
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| Type | Grande École |
|---|---|
| Established | 1882 |
| Location | , |
| Campus | 5th arrondissement of Paris |
| Affiliations | PSL Research University, ParisTech (Paris Institute of Technology), IDEA League, ASTech |
| Website | ESPCI Paris |
ESPCI Paris is a famous science and engineering school in Paris, France. It was started in 1882 by the city of Paris. Its full name means "The City of Paris Industrial Physics and Chemistry Higher Educational Institution."
At ESPCI Paris, students learn about physics, chemistry, and biology. Scientists there also do important research in these areas. It was even ranked as the top engineering school in France in 2017!
ESPCI Paris is part of a bigger group called PSL Research University. It's also a founding member of ParisTech, which is a group of top engineering schools.
Many amazing scientists from ESPCI Paris have won the Nobel Prize, which is a huge honor!
- Pierre and Marie Curie won for Physics in 1903.
- Marie Curie won a second Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911.
- Frédéric Joliot-Curie won for Chemistry in 1935.
- Pierre-Gilles de Gennes won for Physics in 1991.
- Georges Charpak won for Physics in 1992.
Most students join ESPCI Paris after taking a tough exam. This exam usually happens after they have studied for two years in special preparatory classes. Other students can apply by sending in their school records. The school is sometimes called "Physique-Chimie" or just "PC."
ESPCI Paris works closely with many big companies. These include Schlumberger, Rhodia, TotalEnergies, Thales, Arkema, and Michelin. These companies often support students and work with ESPCI's research labs. The school also partners with L'Oréal and Saint-Gobain to help students find jobs.
Contents
History of ESPCI Paris
At the end of the 1800s, France lost a very good chemistry school. This happened when Germany took over the regions of Alsace and Lorraine. A professor named Charles Lauth wanted to create a new top school.
In 1882, his dream came true, and the school was founded. It was first called the "École Supérieure de Chimie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris." In 1948, it got its current name, ESPCI. From the very beginning, the school wanted students to learn many different subjects. Biology was added to the studies in 1994. There are no tuition fees to study at ESPCI.
After it opened, the school quickly became a place where top scientists met. In the 1880s, Pierre and Jacques Curie did research on crystals. This led to their discovery of piezoelectricity, which is how some materials create electricity when squeezed.
In 1897, Marie Curie started her famous work on rays from uranium. She found that a mineral called pitchblende was much more radioactive than uranium. In 1898, the Curies announced they had discovered two new elements: polonium and radium.
Pierre and Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 for their work. After Pierre's death, Marie Curie won another Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911.
Many other former students became famous. Georges Claude started the company Air Liquide. Paul Langevin was a physicist and inventor. Frédéric Joliot-Curie helped start the CEA, which is France's atomic energy commission. He won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935.
Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, who won a Nobel Prize in 1991, was the director of the school from 1976 to 2002.
In 2015, the city of Paris announced plans to update the school's buildings and labs. This work started in 2018 and is expected to take five years.
What You Learn at ESPCI Paris
The study program at ESPCI Paris lasts for four years.
- The first two years give students a strong base in physics, chemistry, and biology. Students can choose to focus on physics, chemistry, or a mix of both. They also work on research projects in labs.
- In the third year, students do an internship at a company. This lasts for 4 to 6 months. More than half of the students do their internships in other countries, like the United States, Japan, or Australia.
- In the fourth year, students can start working on their PhD or get a master's degree in France or abroad. A master's program in bioengineering was created in 2002.
The great education at ESPCI helps students find jobs in many different industries. These include telecommunications, computing, chemistry, and biology. Many graduates work in research and development (R&D). Others work in production, consulting, or environmental fields.
How to Get Into ESPCI Paris
Most students (about 60 out of 90 each year) get into ESPCI Paris through a tough exam. This exam is for students who have completed special "Preparatory Classes" in Physics and Chemistry. The exams are similar to those for the famous École Polytechnique, but the scores are weighted differently.
To take the exam, you usually need a certain diploma, like a "licence." You must be between 17 and 22 years old on January 1st of the exam year. Students from other countries can be up to 26 years old and can try the exam three times.
It's also possible to apply if you've studied other subjects in preparatory classes, like Maths-Physics or Biology-Chemistry-Physics. Students who have completed two or three years of physics or chemistry at a French university can also apply. These students are chosen based on their excellent academic results.
Famous Scientists and Alumni
Many talented people have studied or taught at ESPCI Paris. Here are some of them:
Directors of ESPCI
- Paul Schützenberger (1882–1896)
- Charles Lauth (1897–1904)
- Albin Haller (1905–1924)
- Paul Langevin (1925–1946)
- René Lucas (1947–1968)
- Georges Champetier (1969–1975)
- Pierre-Gilles de Gennes (1976–2003), a Nobel laureate
- Jacques Prost (2003-2013)
- Jean-François Joanny (since 2013)
- Vincent Croquette (since 2019)
Notable Teachers
- Jérôme Bibette, a chemist who started five companies.
- Bernard Cabane, a member of the French Academy of Sciences.
- Georges Charpak, a Nobel laureate.
- Janine Cossy, a professor of organic chemistry who won several awards.
- Mathias Fink, a professor of acoustics who started several companies.
- Ludwik Leibler, a professor who studies soft matter.
- Jacques Lewiner, a professor of physics who founded several companies.
- Jean Rossier, a professor of biology.
Notable Former Students
- Paul Lebeau, a chemist.
- Georges Claude, who founded Air Liquide.
- Paul Langevin, a physicist and inventor.
- Georges Urbain, a chemist who discovered the element Lutetium.
- André-Louis Debierne, a chemist who discovered the element Actinium.
- Frédéric Joliot, a Nobel laureate and founder of the CEA.
- Pierre Gy, a chemist and statistician.
- Philippe Dreyfus, a pioneer in computer science.
- Christian Reinaudo, President of Agfa HealthCare.
- Hervé This, a physical chemist known for molecular gastronomy.
- Éric Carreel, a co-founder of companies like Withings.
- Isabelle Guyon, a researcher in machine learning.
Research Laboratories
ESPCI Paris has many high-level research laboratories where scientists work on new discoveries. Here are a few examples:
- Langevin Institute: Focuses on physics.
- Chemistry, Biology and Innovation Institute: Works on new ideas where chemistry and biology meet.
- Gulliver Laboratory: Studies how liquids and soft materials behave.
- Physics and Materials Laboratory: Explores the properties of different materials.
- Physics and Mechanics of Heterogeneous Media: Looks at how complex materials move and interact.
- Soft Matter and Chemistry Laboratory: Studies materials that are soft, like gels or plastics.
- Brain Plasticity Unit: Researches how the brain changes and adapts.
- Biological Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics: Uses special tools to study proteins in living things.
The ESPCI Paris International Scientific Committee
This committee helps guide the school's research and education. It includes top scientists from around the world.
- The President is Prof. Michael Cates from the University of Cambridge.
- Members include professors from Hokkaido University (Japan), Florida State University (USA), Yale University (USA), University of Groningen (Netherlands), Carnegie Mellon University (USA), and the University of Zurich (Switzerland).
- It also includes leaders from companies like Saint-Gobain and Withings.
See also
In Spanish: Escuela Superior de Física y de Química Industriales de París para niños
