As a PhD graduate from the Faculty of Sciences in Paris (now part of PSL), Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobe... View More

As a PhD graduate from the Faculty of Sciences in Paris (now part of PSL), Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize—and remains the only person honored in two different sciences: Physics in 1903 and Chemistry in 1911. Her pioneering work in radioactivity fundamentally transformed modern physics and chemistry, paving the way for x‑ray technology and cancer treatment. Beyond her discoveries, Curie broke down barriers for women in science. She founded the Radium Institute in Paris and served as a professor at the Sorbonne. Her legacy resonates deeply in PSL’s interdisciplinary and research‑driven spirit View Less

Trained at École Normale Supérieure (ENS, now part of PSL), Pierre‑Gilles de Gennes earned the 1991 Nobel Prize in P... View More

Trained at École Normale Supérieure (ENS, now part of PSL), Pierre‑Gilles de Gennes earned the 1991 Nobel Prize in Physics for uncovering how liquid crystals and polymers behave, likening their physical order to magnets. His intuitive approach earned him the title "the Isaac Newton of our age." He also taught at the Collège de France, influencing generations of physicists. His work on soft matter science underpins modern display technologies and materials research. De Gennes embodied PSL’s ethos: deep science, big vision, real-world impact View Less

An ENS alumna and PSL-affiliated professor, Esther Duflo shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics for her experimental a... View More

An ENS alumna and PSL-affiliated professor, Esther Duflo shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics for her experimental approach to reducing global poverty. Co-founder of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J‑PAL), she applies randomized controlled trials to test interventions in education, health, and microfinance. Her focus is rigorously empirical and deeply humane—design policy around evidence, not theory. Duflo’s career exemplifies PSL’s interdisciplinary breadth: economics, development studies, statistics, and collaboration across departments View Less

Cédric Villani studied and taught at ENS (PSL) and won the Fields Medal in 2010 for his groundbreaking work on nonlinea... View More

Cédric Villani studied and taught at ENS (PSL) and won the Fields Medal in 2010 for his groundbreaking work on nonlinear Landau damping and optimal transport theory. Known for his flair—think velvet cravats and manic scientific energy—Villani blends rigorous math with public outreach. He also served in the National Assembly, advising on digital innovation and higher education policy. Villani represents PSL’s unique culture: bold in scholarship, creative in communication, and active in civic life View Less

Laurent Lafforgue, an alumnus of ENS-PSL, won the Fields Medal in 2002 for proving the Langlands conjectures for functio... View More

Laurent Lafforgue, an alumnus of ENS-PSL, won the Fields Medal in 2002 for proving the Langlands conjectures for function fields—an achievement as profound as Andrew Wiles’ proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem. His work unites number theory, representation theory, and algebraic geometry. Lafforgue is also a vocal advocate for research reform. His academic rigor and leadership mirror PSL’s scientific ambition and interdisciplinary drive View Less

Serge Haroche studied at ENS (PSL) and earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2012 for his work on controlling and measuri... View More

Serge Haroche studied at ENS (PSL) and earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2012 for his work on controlling and measuring individual quantum particles using methods like trapping photons. That research has shed light on quantum information and coherence, critical for quantum computing. A professor at the Collège de France, Haroche is known for being both an experimentalist and a thoughtful communicator of quantum science. His career epitomizes the depth and innovation PSL fosters View Less

Albert Fert, ENS graduate, received the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering giant magnetoresistance—a quantum ... View More

Albert Fert, ENS graduate, received the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering giant magnetoresistance—a quantum mechanical phenomenon that led directly to high‑capacity hard drives. His discovery transformed data storage and helped launch the information age. Fert remains active in research leadership in spintronics. He perfectly embodies PSL’s ambition: fundamental science leading to real technological leaps View Less

An ENS alum, Gérard Debreu won the 1983 Nobel Prize in Economics for developing the theory of general equilibrium—an ... View More

An ENS alum, Gérard Debreu won the 1983 Nobel Prize in Economics for developing the theory of general equilibrium—an abstract mathematical model explaining how supply, demand and prices coordinate in markets. His work brought precision and rigor to economic theory. Debreu’s intellectual legacy reflects PSL’s grounding in analytical thinking and cross-disciplinary depth, bridging economics, mathematics, and philosophy View Less

Jean‑Paul Sartre studied at ENS (PSL), became one of the 20th century’s most influential existentialist philosophers... View More

Jean‑Paul Sartre studied at ENS (PSL), became one of the 20th century’s most influential existentialist philosophers, playwrights, novelists and critics, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (which he famously declined) in 1964. Sartre probed themes of freedom, anxiety, crisis and responsibility in works like "Being and Nothingness" and "No Exit." His legacy underscores PSL’s strength in humanities: rigorous thought, creative expression, and societal engagement View Less

Alumnus of Mines Paris – PSL, Georges Charpak won the 1992 Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing particle detectors tha... View More

Alumnus of Mines Paris – PSL, Georges Charpak won the 1992 Nobel Prize in Physics for inventing particle detectors that transformed experimental physics—most notably the multiwire proportional chamber. His inventions massively improved precision in measuring high-energy particles, used worldwide in laboratories and medicine. Charpak later became an influential educator and advocate for science outreach. His career aligns with PSL’s bridging of research excellence and societal benefit View Less