Jean Dalibard receives the CNRS 2021 Gold Medal

A passionate researcher and instructor, Dalibard has contributed to the emergence and influence of the new discipline of cold atoms. During his career, 30 years of which were spent at the CNRS, he has distinguished himself through his approach combining theory and experiments. His pioneering research has enabled considerable advances in atomic physics, where light can act on matter. Among other achivements, he was behind the development of quantum technology, such as the magneto-optical trap for cold atoms. We also owe him the very first experiments on quantum whirlpools in cold atom gases, which defy all intuition.