Humboldt Research Award winner to visit MPICI

Professor Yves Bréchet is one of the last years winners of the Gay Lussac Humboldt Prize, worth 60.000 EUR. The renowned French materials scientist started his research period at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam-Golm, in April 2011 following the invitation of Professor Peter Fratzl, Director of the Department of Biomaterials.

Yves Bréchet is internationally recognized as one of the most important and innovative experts in the field of microstructures and mechanical characteristics of materials. He is a professor at the Polytechnique Institute of Grenoble and a member of the French Academy of Sciences. He received the Gay Lussac Humboldt Prize in 2010, which is given to German and French scientists for their outstanding scientific contributions as well as their deep commitment to research co-operation between both countries. The world renowned researcher Bréchet, has studied materials with complex internal architectures for many years, including materials such as steel, aluminium alloys and ceramics. One focus of his work is on selection methods for materials which can form the basis for the development of multi-functional materials. The development of new materials is today one of the most important key technologies in our society. Together with Professor Peter Fratzl, Director of the Department of Biomaterials, Yves Bréchet will develop new materials based on models from nature.

Gay Lussac Humboldt Prize
Since 1983, the French Science Ministry honors annually with the Gay Lussac Humboldt Prize, five internationally renowned German scientists who have helped to further French-German co-operation in science, as suggested by French research partners. At the same time from the German side five French researchers are also distinguished by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, with an award of 60,000 euros for a one year's research stay in Germany.