The Edmond Becquerel Symposium took place online on December 7, 2020.

All of the interventions are available by clicking on the following links:

Symposium flyer: click here to open.
Posters: click here to open.

Who was Edmond Becquerel?

Edmond Becquerel was born on March 24, 1820. He carried out his research and teaching at the Natural History Museum and the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts and was a member and then president of the Academy of Sciences. He is at the origin of major advances in the study of the effects of light on materials, with in particular the discovery of the photovoltaic effect, the invention of the first color photography process, the study of phosphorescence. His work is recognized throughout the world. However, he remained largely unknown in France, unlike his father Antoine and especially his son Henri, discoverer of radioactivity. The celebration of the bicentenary of his birth is an opportunity to pay tribute to a great, forgotten scholar.

Lfounding article of the discovery of the photovoltaic effect (1839)

Commemorative posters for the Edmond Becquerel bicentenary available (follow the link)

Organizers and contacts

Daniel Lincot (CNRS-IPVF): daniel.lincot@cnrs.fr

Bertrand Lavédrine (MNHN) : bertrand.lavedrine@mnhn.fr

International Edmond Becquerel Prize Committee : https://www.becquerel-prize.org/about-the-becquerel-prize/

Scientific and advisory committee

Organizing Committee

Daniel Lincot, Bertrand Lavédrine, Bertrand Theys, Edmond Amouyal, Nathanaëlle Schneider, Jean Eric Bourée, Jean Louis Lazzari, Alexandre Crossay and Géraud Delport.

Documentary links

• History and general documents
  • https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmond_Becquerel
  • https://www.persee.fr/doc/inrp_0298-5632_1994_ant_19_1_8404
  • The Becquerels, polytechnicians at the service of light, in two parts. https://bibulyon.hypotheses.org/6284
  • The Becquerels: a dynasty of scientists, Loïc Barbo published Belin (2003)
  • Becquerel Prize committee: https://www.becquerel-prize.org/about-the-becquerel-prize/
• the work of Edmond Becquerel
  • Light: its causes and effects (1867-1868)
  • Volume 1 the causes: https://archive.org/details/lalumieresescaus00becq/page/n7
  • Volume 2 The effects: https://archive.org/details/b28068336/page/n3
• Edmond Becquerel and photovoltaics:
  • Memory on the electrical effects produced under the influence of solar rays, Proceedings of the Academy of Sciences t.IX, p. 561, 1839.: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k2968p/f561.item.zoom

• Edmond Becquerel and photography:
  • http://www.centrechastel.paris-sorbonne.fr/actualites/edmond-becquerel-et-la-naissance-de-la-photographie-couleur
  • Jérôme Fatet, “Edmond Becquerel's research on the nature of light between 1839 and 1843, the story of a successful interaction between science and photography”. Doctoral thesis in History and Philosophy of Science, Claude Bernard University, Lyon 1 (2005). https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01164450/document
• Press Releases:
  • https://www.journal-photovoltaique.org/les-actus/edmond-becquerel-celebre-en-2020/
  • https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/press-media/news/2019/200th-anniversary-of-birthday-edmond-becquerel-discoverer-of-the-photovoltaic-effect-to-be-honored.html
  • http://ipvf.lher.biz/edmond-becquerel-discoverer-of-the-photovoltaic-effect-to-be-honored-at-symposium-held-on-the-200th-anniversary-of-his-birthday/

Symposium Partners

The Edmond Becquerel Symposium has been has been held online on December 7, 2020.

Symposium Flyer: click here to open.
Posters: click here to open.

Who was Edmond Becquerel?

Edmond Becquerel was born on March 24, 1820. He conducted his research and teaching at the French Natural History Museum and the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts and was a member and then president of the French Academy of Sciences. He has made major advances in the study of the effects of light on materials, with in particular the discovery of the photovoltaic effect, the invention of the first color photography process, the study of phosphorescence. His work is recognized around the world. Yet he remained largely unknown in France, unlike his father Antoine and especially his son Henri, discoverer of radioactivity. The celebration of the bicentenary of his birth is an opportunity to pay tribute to a very great forgotten scholar.

The founding article of the discovery of the photovoltaic effect (1839):
Original article
Article translated into English

Organizers and contacts

Daniel Lincot (CNRS-IPVF): daniel.lincot@cnrs.fr

Bertrand Lavédrine (MNHN) : bertrand.lavedrine@mnhn.fr

International committee of Edmond Becquerel prize: https://www.becquerel-prize.org/about-the-becquerel-prize/

Scientific and advisory board:

Organizing committee

Daniel Lincot, Bertrand Lavédrine, Bertrand Theys, Edmond Amouyal, Nathanaëlle Schneider, Jean Eric Bourée, Jean Louis Lazzari, Alexandre Crossay & Géraud Delport

Documentary links

• History and general documents
  • https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmond_Becquerel
  • https://www.persee.fr/doc/inrp_0298-5632_1994_ant_19_1_8404
  • The Becquerels, polytechnicians at the service of light, in two parts. https://bibulyon.hypotheses.org/6284
  • The Becquerels: a dynasty of scientists, Loïc Barbo published Belin (2003)
  • Becquerel Prize committee: https://www.becquerel-prize.org/about-the-becquerel-prize/
• The work of Edmond Becquerel
  • Light: its causes and effects (1867-1868)
  • Volume 1 the causes: https://archive.org/details/lalumieresescaus00becq/page/n7
  • Volume 2 The effects: https://archive.org/details/b28068336/page/n3
• Edmond Becquerel and photovoltaics:
  • Memory on the electrical effects produced under the influence of solar rays, Proceedings of the Academy of Sciences t.IX, p. 561, 1839.: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k2968p/f561.item.zoom

• Edmond Becquerel and photography:
  • http://www.centrechastel.paris-sorbonne.fr/actualites/edmond-becquerel-et-la-naissance-de-la-photographie-couleur
  • Jérôme Fatet, “Edmond Becquerel's research on the nature of light between 1839 and 1843, the story of a successful interaction between science and photography”. Doctoral thesis in History and Philosophy of Science, Claude Bernard University, Lyon 1 (2005). https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01164450/document
• Press releases:
  • https://www.journal-photovoltaique.org/les-actus/edmond-becquerel-celebre-en-2020/
  • https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/press-media/news/2019/200th-anniversary-of-birthday-edmond-becquerel-discoverer-of-the-photovoltaic-effect-to-be-honored.html
  • http://ipvf.lher.biz/edmond-becquerel-discoverer-of-the-photovoltaic-effect-to-be-honored-at-symposium-held-on-the-200th-anniversary-of-his-birthday/

Symposium partners