Mr. Michel Petit

Academic Background

• Attended secondary school at the Collge de Cosne-sur-Loire (Nivre) from 1946 to1953
• Attended high school, specialising in mathematics at Louis-le Grand High School from 1953 to 1955
• Studied at the Ecole Polytechnique from 1955 to 1957
• University studies at the Ecole Nationale Suprieure des Tlcommunications from 1958 to1960 (Elite French school for telecommunications)
• Doctoral Thesis in physics PhD received from French State in December 1967

Professional Roles

• from 1960 to 1973 Researcher in the field of experimental physics (space plasmas) at the National Centre for Telecommunication Studies (CNET)
• from 1973 to 1975 Head of Department for Space Radio Research at CNET (100 people)
• from 1975 to 1978 Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Environmental Physics (Head of Laboratory at CNRS and Department at CNET, 200 people)
• from 1979 to 1985 Director of the National Institute for Astronomy and Geophysics and Scientific Director of the Earth, Ocean, Atmosphere and Space Department of the National Centre for Scientific Research
• from 1985 to 1987 Science and Technology Counselor at the French Permanent Representation to the European Communities
• from 1987 to 1988 Director of International Relations at the Ministry for Research
• from 1988 to1992 Director-General for Space at the Ministry for Space
• June 1992 to Jan. 94 Director of Research and Economic and International Affairs at the Ministry for the Environment
• Jan. 94 to July 94 Chief Engineer at the Post and Telecommunications Inspectorate-General
• Aug. 94 to Dec. 2000 Deputy Director-General of Research at the Ecole Polytechnique

Current activities (following professional retirement)

• Participation in the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Joint Head of the horizontal theme: Scientific Uncertainties and Climate Risk Management
• Various activities aimed at raising public awareness of the problem of climate change caused by human actions
• President of the French Metrological Society
• President of the Scientific and Technical Section of the General Council for Information Technology
• President of the Administrative Council of the Institute of Oceanography, Prince Albert of Monaco Foundation
• President of the Environment Committee of the Academy of Sciences
• President of the Terminology and Neology Committee of the Academy of Sciences and representative of this Academy in the General Commission for Terminology
• President of the Dialogue Committee of the Sant Radiofrquences Foundation
• Editor-in-chief of the publication Geoscience (Reports of the Academy of Sciences)