Charles Joachain#

Biography

Born in Brussels on May 9, 1937, Professor Charles J. Joachain obtained his Ph.D. in Physics in 1963 at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. From 1964 to 1965 he was a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation at the University of California in Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, and from 1965 to 1966 a Research Physicist at these institutions. At the Université Libre de Bruxelles he was appointed chargé de cours associé in 1965, chargé de cours in 1968, professeur extraordinaire in 1971 and professeur ordinaire in 1978. He was chairman of the Department of Physics in 1980 and 1981. He was also appointed professor at the Université Catholique de Louvain in 1984. In 2002, he became professeur ordinaire émérite at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and professeur honoraire at the Université Catholique de Louvain.

The research activities of Professor Joachain concern two areas of theoretical physics: quantum collision theory and the interaction of intense laser fields with matter. He has published over 200 research articles and four books.

Professor Joachain has been a visiting professor in several universities and laboratories in Europe and the United States, in particular at the University of California in Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI), the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching.

Professor Joachain has received many scientific distinctions and prizes, in particular the Prix Louis Empain in 1963 and the Alexander von Humboldt Prize in 1998. He was President of the Belgian Physical Society from 1987 to 1989. He is Fellow of the Institute of Physics (UK) since 1974 and Fellow of the American Physical Society since 1977. He is Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Durham since 1989. He is a member of the Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, of the Academia Europaea and of the European Academy of Sciences.

Curriculum vitae

Born in Uccle (Brussels), Belgium, May 9, 1937
Nationality : Belgian
Married, two children

DIPLOMAS

• 1959 Licencié en Sciences Physiques (La Plus Grande Distinction), Université Libre de Bruxelles
• 1963 Docteur en Sciences Physiques (La Plus Grande Distinction), Université Libre de Bruxelles
• 1989 Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Durham (UK)

POSITIONS OCCUPIED

• 1959-1960 Stagiaire de Recherches, Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique, Belgium
• 1960-1963 Aspirant, Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique, Belgium
• 1963-1965 Chargé de Recherches, Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique, Belgium
• 1965-1971 Chargé de cours associé, Université Libre de Bruxelles
• 1968-1971 Chargé de cours, Université Libre de Bruxelles
• 1971-1978 Professeur extraordinaire, Université Libre de Bruxelles
• 1974-2002 Director of the Service de Physique Atomique Théorique, Université Libre de Bruxelles
• 1978-2002 Professeur ordinaire, Université Libre de Bruxelles
• 1984-2002 Professor, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la Neuve
• 2002-present Professeur honoraire, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la Neuve
• 2002-present Professeur ordinaire émérite, Université Libre de Bruxelles

STAYS AND INVITATIONS IN FOREIGH COUNTRIES

• 1964-1965 Fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation at the University of California (Berkeley)
• 1965-1966 Postdoctoral Research Physicist at the University of California (Berkeley) and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
• 1969-1970 Invited Professor at the University of California (Berkeley) and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
• 1972 Invited Professor at the University of Massachusetts.
• 1976 Invited Professor at Royal Holloway College (University of London)
• 1978 Invited Professor at the University of California (Berkeley) and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
• 1981 Invited Professor at the University of California (Berkeley) and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
• 1983 Invited Professor at the University of Durham (UK)
• 1987 Invited Professor at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI)
• 1989 Visiting Professor, University of California (Berkeley) and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
• 1991 Invited Professor at the University of California (Berkeley) and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
• 1999-2004 Invited Professor ( Alexander von Humboldt Award) at the Max Planck Institut für Quantenoptik (Garching, Germany)
• 2001-2005 Invited Professor at the University of Rome « La Sapienza »

SCIENTIFIC DISTINCTIONS AND PRIZES

• 1956 Prize of the European Research Associates
• 1957 Prix Fleurice Mercier (University of Brussels)
• 1960 Medal of the University of Brussels
• 1963 Prix Scientifique Louis Empain, Sciences Physiques
• 1964-1965 Fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation
• 1973-1977 Member, International Committee of the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions
• 1987-1991 Member, International Committee of the Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions
• 1974 Fellow of the Institute of Physics (UK)
• 1976 Science Research Council Fellow at the University of London (Royal Holloway College)
• 1977 Fellow of the American Physical Society.
• 1979-1995 Member of the Scientific Committee of five NATO Advanced Study Institutes
• 1980-1981 Chairman of the Department of Physics of the Université Libre de Bruxelles
• 1981-1984 Deputy Editor, Journal of Physics B.
• 1982 Director, NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Atomic and Molecular Physics of Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion" (Santa Flavia, Italy).
• 1983 Invited Professor, University of Vienna, Graz and Innsbrück (Austrian-Belgian cultural agreement).
• 1983 Invited Professor, University of Durham (Belgian Guest Visitors program of the British Council)
• 1984-1990 Co-Editor, Europhysics Letters.
• 1984-1993 Chairman of the Section of Electronic and Atomic Collisions of the European Physical Society
• 1987-1989 President of the Belgian Physical Society
• 1989 Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Durham (UK)
• 1990-2001 Advisory Editor, Europhysics Letters
• 1990-2002 Chairman of the contact group « Atoms, molecules and Radiation » of the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique, Belgium
• 1992-2003 Member of the International Advisory Committee, Journal of Physics B.
• 1992-present Co-Director of the section « Sciences Physiques et Chimiques « of the Institut des Hautes Etudes de Belgique
• 1992-2002 Coordinator of the Belgian inter-university third cycle programme of the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique on atomic and molecular physics
• 1992-1996 Member of the Physics Panel of the European Community (Third and Fourth Framework Programmes)
• 1993-1996 Coordinator of the research project " Theoretical atomic, nuclear and particle physics " (Fellowships to Institutes programme of the European Community)
• 1994-1997 Coordinator of the research project "Atoms in super-intense laser fields" (Networks progamme of the European Community)
• 1995 Director of the seminar on « Multiparticle atomic systems in intense laser fields » at the Institute for Theoretical Atomic and Molecular Physics, Harvard University.
• 1996-present Referee for the « Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council » (UK)
• 1998-2000 Co-Editor, European Physical Journal D.
• 1998 Alexander von Humboldt Research Award
• 1999-2004 Chairman of the European Science Foundation research programme "Interaction of superintense, femtosecond laser fields with atoms, solids and plasmas"
• 2000 Co-Director of the course on « Atoms, Solids and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields » at the Ettore Majorana International Centre for Scientific Culture ( Erice, Italy, 8-14 July 2000)
• 2000 Chairman of the Euroconference « Atoms and Molecules in Super-Intense Laser Fields » (Maratea, Italy, September 9-14, 2000)
• 2003 Co-Director of the course on « Atoms and Plasmas in Super-Intense Laser Fields » at the Ettore Majorana International Centre for Scientific Culture (Erice,Italy, 5-15 July 2003)
• 2003-present Member of the Editorial Board of « Advances in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics »
• 2004 Member of the Académie Royale de Belgique (Classe des Sciences)
• 2004-present Chairman of the scientific progamme « Laser-matter interactions with ultra-short pulses, high-frequency pulses and ultra-intense pulses. From attophysics to petawatt physics » (COST Action of the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union)
• 2006 Co-Director of the course on « Matter in Super-Intense Laser Fields » at the Ettore Majorana International Centre for Scientific Culture (Erice,Italy, 27 June, 5 July 2006)
• 2006 President of the Institut des Hautes Etudes de Belgique
• 2006 Member of the Academia Europaea.
• 2007 Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences