French Academy of Sciences

The French Academy of Sciences (French: Académie des sciences) is a special group for learning about science. It was started in 1666 by Louis XIV, a king of France, because of a suggestion from Jean-Baptiste Colbert. The Academy was made to help and support French scientific research.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, this Academy was very important for science in Europe. It was one of the first groups of its kind in the world, helping to share new ideas and discoveries.

Today, the Academy is led by Patrick Flandrin and is one of the five Academies that are part of the Institut de France. It still works to support science and scientists in France and around the world.

History

The Academy of Sciences began with a plan by Jean-Baptiste Colbert. A small group of scholars first met on December 22, 1666, in the King's library. For the first 30 years, the academy had no formal rules.

In 1699, King Louis XIV gave the academy its first rules and named it the Royal Academy of Sciences. It moved to the Louvre in Paris. The academy began publishing yearly reports about its members' work.

The academy was restructured many times over the years. In 1976, it reorganized into two divisions: one for mathematics and physical sciences, and the other for chemical, natural, biological, and medical sciences.

For three hundred years, women were not allowed to join the academy. The first woman to join was Marguerite Perey in 1962 as a correspondent member, and Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat became the first female full member in 1979.

Membership in the academy is for life, and members are chosen through elections. The academy continues to grow and change to reflect the French population.

Government interference

In 1795, the government helped choose some members of the academy. These members could then choose the rest. Usually, members stayed forever, but sometimes the government would end membership for political reasons.

In 1803, Bonaparte reorganized the academy. He was most concerned with members who studied politics and might criticize his government. He removed this group and created new groups for literature and the arts instead. Even with this control, members still expected to be paid for their work.

Decline

After World War I, people began to question the French Academy of Sciences. One reason for this was that the academy changed from rewarding those with great scientific skills to favoring older members. It started to feel more like an honor roll than a place for new ideas. Another reason was that from 1909 to 1914, money for science schools in France dropped a lot, causing money problems in the country.

Present use

Today, the French Academy of Sciences is one of the five academies that make up the Institut de France. Its members are chosen and stay part of the academy forever. There are 150 main members, 300 members from other places, and 120 members from other countries. These members are split into two groups: one for Mathematical and Physical sciences, and another for Chemical, Biological, Geological, and Medical sciences.

The academy has five main jobs: helping science grow, supporting science teaching, sharing knowledge, working with scientists from other countries, and giving advice and information. Starting in 1997, the academy began programs to help both France and Africa work together on science projects. Since then, they have expanded these efforts to other parts of the world. The academy has held meetings in Paris with scientists from Africa to talk about important topics like clean water, health, and energy.

Current committees and working parties

The French Academy of Sciences has special groups that help create advice notes, policy statements, and reports. Some of these groups have special jobs, like the Select Committee or the group for International Affairs. Others are made when needed and approved by members.

Today, these groups include:

• The group for the Biennial Report on Science and Technology
• The group for Science, Ethics and Society
• The group for the Environment
• The group for Space Research
• The group for Science and Metrology
• The group for Science History and Understanding
• The group for Science and Safety Issues
• The group for Science Education and Training
• The La main à la pâte group
• The group for Defense of Scientists' Rights
• The group for International Affairs
• The French Committee for International Scientific Unions
• The group for Scientific and Technological International Relations
• The group for Developing Countries
• The Inter-academic Group for Development
• The group for Sealed Deposits
• The group for Terminology and New Words
• The Antoine Lavoisier group
• The group for Energy Future Plans
• The special group for Scientific Computing
• The special group for Material Sciences and Engineering

Medals, awards and prizes

Each year, the French Academy of Sciences gives out about 80 prizes for great work in science. Some of these prizes include the Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie Polish-French Science Award, which started in 2022. There is also the Grande Médaille, given yearly to a scholar who has made big steps forward in science. Other prizes include the Lalande Prize for astronomy, the Valz Prize for advances in astronomy, the Richard Lounsbery Award together with the National Academy of Sciences, and the Prix Jacques Herbrand for mathematics and physics. Additional prizes honor achievements in chemistry, finance, computer science, and medicine.

People

Here are some important people who have worked with the French Academy of Sciences. You can find more officers in the Category:Officers of the French Academy of Sciences. For a full list of members, past and present, see the Category:Members of the French Academy of Sciences.

Presidents

Source: French Academy of Sciences

Treasurers

• ?–1788 Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
• 1788–1791 Mathieu Tillet

Permanent secretaries

General

Mathematical Sciences

Physical Sciences

Chemistry and Biology

Publications

The French Academy of Sciences has published important works, such as "Histoire de l'Académie royale des sciences" from the years 1700 to 1790. You can find more information about these publications here.