Department of Chemistry

How can the chemical sciences respond to major societal challenges: in health and bioengineering, for the environment around clean, safe, and efficient energies, for developing quantum technologies and sober, sustainable, and innovative materials? Chemistry is a natural science. From the atom to the microscopic scale, chemistry describes the fundamental interactions between the elements when they assemble and organize themselves to form minerals and living organisms. Chemistry is a science of equilibria for which reaction time and kinetics are essential. Fundamentally empirical, the ideal laws are confronted with the reality of measurement and experience. Victim of a degraded reputation due to the excesses of our society, chemistry reinvents itself and finds itself the figurehead of the necessary evolutions in health, the environment, and energy transition. Because chemistry transforms matter, pollutants, and living matter, it stores energy and influences the life cycle of elements: everything is chemistry.

The Department of Chemistry offers training at various levels: basic training for the Bachelor's degree and the Polytechnic Engineering Program, specialization in molecular chemistry or materials chemistry, master programs, and doctoral studies. This offer includes theoretical and experimental courses. It aligns with the open and multidisciplinary perspective of Ecole Polytechnique and favors the development of interfaces with other disciplines, particularly in Physics, Mechanics, and Biology.

The department provides general chemistry courses for the Bachelor's degree and the Polytechnic Engineering Cycle in the second year and then offers a more in-depth program in the third year with specialized courses in health, the environment and energy, and materials for technology. The proposed course structure is associated with the Master of Chemistry at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris and the Ph.D. track chemistry, materials, and energy.

Access and contact

The chemistry department is located in the Lavoisier room in the laboratory building of the Ecole Polytechnique

President: Thierry Gacoin, thierry.gacoin[@]polytechnique.edu

Vice-president: Grégory Nocton, gregory.nocton[@]polytechnique.edu

Administrative Assistant : Maria Martinez, maria.martinez[@]polytechnique.edu

List of courses by field of study

Faculty members

Research laboratory

Recruitment of faculty members, researchers and engineers