Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Encyclopedia : C : CE : CEN : Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

The Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) is the largest and most prominent public research organization in France. It employs 26,000 people. Its budget for 2004 was 2.214 billion EUR.

Organisation

French science

Universities

Grandes écoles

Grands établissements

EPST

Cemagref

CNRS

INED

INRA

INRETS

INRIA

IRD

INSERM

LCPC

EPIC

CEA

Ifremer

The CNRS is divided into 8 departments:

Nuclear and particle physics
Chemistry sciences
Sciences of the universe (geophysics, astrophysics etc.)
Physics and mathematics
Life sciences
Humanities and social sciences
Engineering sciences
Information and communication sciences and technologies (computer science, electronics etc.)

As of 2005, there is a project to completely reorganize these divisions.

It runs its laboratories either directly or in association with universities, other higher education institutions, or other research institutions.

Researchers directly employed by CNRS are classified in two civil servant bodies, in order of seniority:

chargés de recherche (2nd class, 1st class)
directeurs de recherche (2nd class, 1st class, exceptional class).

Theoretically, directeurs de recherche ("research directors") head research groups, but this is not a general rule.

The Centre is represented in Brussels, Beijing, Tokyo, Hanoi, the District of Columbia, Bonn, Moscow, Tunis, Johannesburg, and Santiago de Chile.

Brief history

The Centre was created on 19 October 1939 by decree of President Albert Lebrun. Since 1954, the Centre has annually awared gold, silver, and bronze medals to French scientists and "young" researchers. In 1966, the Centre underwent structural changes. The changes led to the creation of two "federative" institutes: the National Astronomy and Geophysics Institute in 1967, which later became the National Institute of Sciences of the Universe, and the National Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics in 1971.

Recently, the performance of CNRS has been widely put in question. In particular, the value of its selection, career management and evaluation process seem to be an issue. The gropings through which the institution tries to modernize itself also shed a disputable light on the skills of the management team.

External links

[Official website]

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