Born in Quinhon on June 18 1937, French nationality. Doctor of physical sciences.
Education and professional career
- 1963 : Research Assistant, Columbia University, New York, USA
- 1963 : Research Assistant, Columbia University, New York, USA, CNEXO
- 1969 : Head of the marine geology department at the Centre océanologique de Bretagne, Brest
- 1973 : Scientific advisor to the President of CNEXO, Paris
- 1978 : Full Professor, Université P. et M. Curie, Paris
- 1984 : Director of the Geology Department, École normale supérieure, Paris
- 1986-2008 : Professor at the Collège de France, holding the Geodynamics Chair
- 1994 : Visiting Total Professor, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
- 1995 : Visiting Professor, Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo
Awards and honors
- 1973 : CNRS Silver Medal
- 1984 : Maurice Ewing Medal, American Geophysical Union
- 1985 : 39th " William Smith Lecture " of the Geological Society of London
- 1985 : Member of the French Academy of Sciences
- 1987 : A. G. Huntsman Prize from the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Canada
- 1987 : Medal for Oceanography from Prince Albert1st of Monaco
- 1990 : Japan Prize
- 1991 : Wollaston Medal of the Geological Society of London
- 1989 : Honorary doctorate from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
- 1985 : Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur
- 1990 : Officer of the National Order of Merit
- 1992 : Honorary doctorate from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich
- 1995 : Member of the US National Academy of Sciences
