The CNRS Crystal prize, created in 1992, is awarded to CNRS engineers and administrative staff for their contributions to research and to the CNRS's worldwide reknown. 15 prizes were awarded this year.

Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics (SPM)

• Gérard TRENEC (Collisions, Aggregates, Reactivity Laboratory, CNRS-University of Toulouse 3, Toulouse).
  A graduate of the Ecole supérieure d'optique, he was in charge of the mechanics workshop of the physics department at the Ecole normale supérieure de Paris until 1991. There, he designed several vacuum, cryogenic, optical and laser sets (in particular, he set up a colored center laser at 1.08 m with a pump, and a precise and compact lamdameter). He was instrumental in the creation of the laboratory " Collisions, Aggregates, Reactivity " in Toulouse, for which his technical know-how and experience has been invaluable.
  

  SPM contact:
  Frédérique LAUBENHEIMER
  tel.: 33 1 44 96 42 63
  

Department of nuclear and particle physics
National Institute of nuclear and particle physics (PNC-IN2P3)

• Christian ARNAULT (Linear accelerator laboratory, CNRS-University Paris 11, Orsay)
  A computer scientist, Christian Arnault designed, coded and developed many computer programs used in particle physics experiments both at CERN and at DESY (Deutsches Elektron Synchrotron). He supervises a team of computer scientists working in various fields of software engineering. He is in charge of the control-command software development for the VIRGO experiment and coordinates the development of data analysis programs for the ATLAS project (a detector under construction at the future LHC collision ring at CERN). He is a specialist of international ranking in object oriented programming technologies, and was one of the most influential participants of the R&D Moose project, which concerns the use of these technologies in data analysis systems.

• Claude BIETH (Large-scale national heavy ion accelerator - GANIL - CNRS, Atomic Energy Commission, Caen).
  Claude Bieth is one of the few recognized international experts on powerful high frequency systems for particle accelerators. His HF systems are used in most of the large French accelerators (the linear accelerator Alice, Ganil, Agor, Spiral). Due to the intensity of the power generated, the HF systems are an extremely delicate component of cyclotrons. Claude Bieth has also launched and developed activities in view of publicizing the work of IN2P3 in the field of ECR (Electronic cyclotronic resonance) ion sources. Thanks to his competence, successful technology transfers have been carried out in Germany, Sweden, the United states and Japan, via the Pantechnik company.

• Jean-Marie MACKOWSKI (Lyons nuclear physics institute, CNRS-University Lyon 1)
  Head of the " advanced materials " group at the Lyons nuclear physics institute which builds the mirrors for the VIRGO gravitational wave detection antenna. Mr. Mackowski developed an original corrective system, thanks to which the performance of these mirrors remains as yet unequalled in the world. The task of constructing mirrors for VIRGO was entrusted to him because of his competence in the design and construction of state-of-the-art optical components. He has set up efficient collaborations with several firms, and carries out expert assessments for several among them.
  

Contact IN2P3 :
Geneviève EDELHEIT,
tel. : 33 1 44 96 47 60

Department of engineering sciences (SPI)

• Jean-Jacques GANGOLF (Computer science for mechanics and engineering science laboratory - LIMSI-, Orsay)
  A specialist in the hardware which made possible the first system for the recognition of isolated words (MOISE), the first vocal synthesis system based on text (ICOLOG), the first vocal dialog system (Terminal Vocal), the first system of recognition of linked words (MOZART), as well as a multimodal information base in collaboration with the SNCF, the French state railroad company. The creation of prototypes was followed by the commercialization of products which are used in numerous applications.

• René PERRIER DE LA BATHIE (Production by magnetic process - EPM -CNRS, Saint-Martin-d'Hères, Isère)
  He designed and developed innovative technologies for the production of functional materials with specific properties: he designed permanent magnet motor rotors by hot extrusion; processes making it possible to forge perfectly anisotropic magnets; inductive fusion and solidification processes under intense magnetic field, for the production of massive permanent magnets. He is a top-ranking scientist, and combines in his work chemistry, thermodynamics, thermics, metallurgy, electromagnetism and magnetism.

Engineering sciences contact:
Béatrice REVOL,
tel.: 33 1 44 96 42 32

Department of sciences of the universe
National Institute of sciences of the universe (SDU-INSU)

• Jean-François KARCZEWSKI (Technical division of the National Institute of sciences of the universe, Paris)
  As technical director of the program GEOSCOPE (global seismological network for the study of mechanisms causing earthquakes and of the Earth's internal structure), he was instrumental in ensuring its success. He defined the entire data acquisition chain, developed the seismic data tele-transmission system in quasi-real time, through tge telephone and Minitel network. He took a very active part in the development of spatial wide-band seismometers for the planet Mars, applying the basic principle of Earth seismology to Martian seismography; his role in new spatial research and development programs (elaboration of the future generation of seismometers for observatories) is central. He also designed two original seismometrical instruments for observing the ocean floor (which were set up for a period of one week in 1992 in the Atlantic ocean, with the collaboration of IFREMER); he participated in the pilot experiment MOISE in 1997 (in cooperation with the United States), and is very much involved in the designing of future ocean floor observatories.

• Etienne LE COARER (Astrophysics laboratory of the Grenoble observatory - LAOG- CNRS - University of Grenoble 1, Saint Martin d'Hres).
  He is a specialist in the development of spectroimagers. This type of instrument is designed for the simultaneous high-resolution spectral study of all the elements included in the field of observation. He designed the Fabry Perot spectro-integral field GRAF instrument for adaptive optics (ADONIS) of the 3.60 meter telescope of the European Southern Observatory at La Silla, Chili, and was in charge of integrations, tests and calibration. This instrument is a world first and represents a starting point for the intensive use of spectroimager modes on large telescopes. He has taken part in numerous observation missions on specific instruments and has set up cooperation programs for the development of new specialized instruments.
  

CNRS-INSU contact:
Christine GRAPPIN,
tel.: 33 1 44 96 43 37

CNRS-INSU contact:

Philippe CHAUVIN,
tel.: 33 1 44 96 43 36

Department of chemical sciences (SC)

• Pierre BERNHARDT (Laboratory for the study of catalytic reactivity, surfaces and interfaces, CNRS-University of Strasbourg 1).
  He designed and developed a complete system to simulate the transitional regime of a gas-powered engine. This entirely automatic piloting instrument has been commercialized and is being used in a environmental catalysis laboratory. He also coupled a pilot system with a mass spectrometer in order to study how nitrogen oxides are eliminated in diesel engines.

• Daniel RUFFIER (Research center on high temperature physics, CNRS, Orléans).
  A specialist in precision mechanics, he designed and developed various instruments and prototypes which are now produced industrially. In particular, at the Orsay Synchrotron, he designed and set up an original system to couple absorption and X-ray diffraction at high temperatures. This system, developed at the Laboratory for electro-magnetic radiation (CNRS-CEA, Ministry of Higher Education and Research), will be one of the first to be set up on a light line in the SOLEIL project.

• Monique SÉVERAC (Institute of chemistry of natural substance, ICSN,CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette).
  She is in charge of the administrative and financial management of the ICSN, the largest laboratory of the Chemical Sciences Department, and played an important role in the development of management software for laboratories. She is a member of the X-lab software pilot committee and was one of the first to experiment with this new type of management system.
  

Chemical sciences contact:
Laurence MORDENTI,
tel. : 33 1 44 96 41 09

Department of life sciences (SDV)

• Nicole CARON (Molecular genetics of eucaryotes laboratory - LGME-, CNRS, Illkirch).
  Head of the purchases department of the IGBMC, the Research federation in genetics and molecular and cell biology of the Louis Pasteur University in Illkirch, which includes two CNRS laboratories and one INSERM unit. This federation brings together 300 researchers and 200 engineers and administrative staff. Thanks to her previous experience as a lab technician, she is able to understand researchers' needs and efficiently help them in their choices. She set up a centralized purchasing policy and successfully adapted the purchases and maintenance department to the needs of research. Her work has largely contributed to the success of the IGBMC.

• Jean-Pierre RÉGNAULT (Center for the development of advanced technology for experiments on animals -CDTA-, CNRS service unit, Orléans).
  Deputy director of the CDTA, he is in charge of scientific and technical activities related to the services provided by the Center to both public and private research laboratories. He created the " French conservatory of transgenic mice" and adapted extremely efficient techniques for the decontamination of strains, and for sanitary and genetic control; he also set up transgenesis/transgenetics$ on the Orleans site. This new orientation has brought world recognition to the CDTA and has enabled it to enter the European network EMMA (European Mouse Mutant Archive).
  

Life sciences contact:
Thierry PILORGE,
tel.: 33 1 44 96 40 23

Department of Humanities and Social sciences (SHS)

• Marie-Odile LEBEAUX (LASMAS Institut du longitudinal, CNRS, Caen)
  She was instrumental in introducing statistical methods in social sciences. She played a pioneering role in fostering the use of statistics in the field and increasing the scientific community's level of competence. She negotiated and managed a multipost licence for the SAS software, organized learners' and users' workshops for high level applications. She has thus served the scientific community in an exemplary fashion. She is also in charge of the Theme group " Secondary analysis, statistical methods " in the department.
  

Humanities and social sciences contact:
Annick TERNIER,
tel.: 33 1 44 96 43 10

General services

• Laurence FRIES (International Relations Office -DRI-CNRS, Paris)
  She is in charge of the section " Espace Francophone et Développement", whose task is to set up a scientific cooperation policy with French-speaking and developing countries — bilateral cooperation, through the application of scientific cooperation conventions signed by the CNRS and partner organization in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Vietnam, and multilateral cooperation, through relations with international organizations, in particular UNESCO and Aupelf-Uref. Last but not least, a great deal of attention is paid to the question of education and training, a crucial issue for developing countries.
  

International Relations Office contact:
Claude-Isabelle CHAUVEL,
tel.: 33 1 44 96 46 89