Susan David
Harvard Medical School Psychologist | #1 WSJ Bestselling Author | Thinkers50 | Co-founder, Institute of Coaching | TED Speaker
Gérard Mourou
2018 Nobel Laureate in Physics | Co-inventor of Chirped Pulse Amplification | Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan & École Polytechnique
Gérard Mourou's co-invention of Chirped Pulse Amplification earned him the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics and transformed laser science forever — enabling the ultra-precise beams now used in eye surgery, manufacturing, and frontier physics research. A professor emeritus at the University of Michigan and École Polytechnique, and Chair Professor at Peking University, he remains one of the most active scientific minds at the cutting edge of extreme light. His keynotes challenge senior audiences to rethink what becomes possible when science is pushed to its absolute limits.
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Gérard Mourou biography
Gérard Mourou is a 2018 Nobel Laureate in Physics whose invention transformed laser science and opened entirely new frontiers in medicine, manufacturing, and fundamental physics. Born in Albertville, France, he earned his PhD from Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie in Paris in 1973 before building a career that spanned the world’s most prestigious research institutions on both sides of the Atlantic. Nobel Prize speaker Gérard Mourou is best known for co-inventing Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) with his doctoral student Donna Strickland at the University of Rochester in 1985 — a technique that makes it possible to generate ultrashort, extremely high-intensity laser pulses without destroying the amplifying material. The Nobel Committee recognized this breakthrough as the foundation for the most precise and powerful laser tools ever built.
CPA works by stretching a laser pulse in time to reduce its peak power, amplifying it, then compressing it back — producing a burst of light of extraordinary intensity in a fraction of a second. The practical impact has been immense: the technique now underlies LASIK and femtosecond eye surgery procedures performed on millions of patients annually worldwide, ultra-precise industrial micromachining, and cutting-edge research in particle physics and astrophysics.
From Rochester to a Global Laser Legacy
After founding the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science (CUOS) at the University of Michigan — one of the world’s leading femtosecond laser research centers — Mourou returned to France in 2005 to lead the Laboratory of Applied Optics at École Polytechnique. There he initiated the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI), a landmark pan-European research facility spanning the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania, dedicated to building the most intense lasers on Earth. He also launched the Apollon laser project in France and the XCAN program at École Polytechnique. In October 2024, he was appointed Chair Professor at Peking University, where he is expected to play a central role in establishing a new institute covering laser physics, medical physics, particle physics, and astrophysics. He holds the A.D. Moore Distinguished University Professor Emeritus title at the University of Michigan and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
His awards include the R.W. Wood Prize, the Charles Hard Townes Medal, the Frederic Ives Medal from the Optical Society of America, the Arthur L. Schawlow Award from the American Physical Society, and the French Legion of Honour. He is a Fellow of both the Optical Society of America and the IEEE.
As a speaker, Gérard Mourou brings the authority of a Nobel laureate and the passion of a lifelong innovator to stages around the world. His talks explore the extraordinary potential of extreme light — from curing disease and reversing nuclear waste to probing the fabric of the universe — and challenge audiences to think boldly about what science can achieve. Senior leaders in technology, healthcare, energy, and research leave his sessions with a profound new appreciation for how laser physics is reshaping the boundaries of the possible.
Gérard Mourou Speaking Videos
Gérard Mourou: Nobel Lecture in Physics, 2018
Extreme light for the production of clean and abundant nuclear energy | Gérard MOUROU | TEDxSaclay
Gérard Mourou Keynote Topics
From correcting human vision to probing the quantum vacuum, the laser has become one of civilization's most versatile instruments. In this keynote, Mourou traces the journey from the invention of Chirped Pulse Amplification to today's petawatt laser systems — and explores how extreme light is now being directed at some of humanity's most pressing challenges: cancer therapy, nuclear waste transmutation, and clean energy. A rare opportunity to hear the Nobel laureate who made it all possible.
Drawing on more than five decades at the frontier of physics, Mourou reflects on the conditions that produce transformative scientific breakthroughs — and what leaders, organizations, and nations can do to cultivate them. From the spontaneous insight that led to CPA (conceived on a ski lift in New York) to the decade-long process of building ELI across three countries, this session offers a candid, human account of how great ideas travel from imagination to global impact.
Femtosecond laser surgery — pioneered by Mourou's research — performs over a million corrective eye procedures every year. But this is only the beginning. In this forward-looking session, Mourou explores how extreme ultrafast lasers are opening new possibilities in cancer diagnostics, targeted therapy, and surgical precision. This keynote is particularly suited to audiences in healthcare, biotech, and medical innovation, and offers a compelling vision of where the science is headed next.
Conventional particle accelerators are massive, expensive, and rare. Laser-driven wakefield acceleration — an area Mourou has championed for decades — promises to shrink the footprint dramatically, democratizing access to particle physics and enabling breakthroughs in fundamental science, materials research, and next-generation oncology. This session examines how extreme light is set to reshape experimental physics, and what that means for technology, medicine, and our understanding of the universe.
FAQs on Booking Gérard Mourou
Why Gérard Mourou?
Booking Gérard Mourou for your event is an investment in one of the most consequential scientific minds of our era. As a 2018 Nobel Laureate in Physics and the co-inventor of Chirped Pulse Amplification, Mourou delivers keynotes that are equal parts visionary and grounded — translating breakthroughs in extreme laser science into insights that resonate with leaders in technology, healthcare, energy, and innovation. His talks reframe what is possible when science is pushed to its limits, and his personal story — from a small town in the French Alps to Stockholm — is as compelling as his science. Aurum Speakers Bureau is proud to represent Gérard Mourou for keynote engagements worldwide.
What did Gérard Mourou win the Nobel Prize for?
Gérard Mourou was awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics, shared with Donna Strickland and Arthur Ashkin, for the invention of Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA). Developed in 1985 at the University of Rochester, CPA is a technique that amplifies ultrashort laser pulses to extraordinary intensities without damaging the optical equipment. The method works by stretching the pulse in time, amplifying it, then recompressing it — a process that makes petawatt-level laser power achievable on a table-top scale. The technology underpins millions of corrective eye surgeries performed annually, precision industrial laser cutting, and advanced research in fundamental physics.
What is the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI)?
The Extreme Light Infrastructure is a pan-European research facility initiated by Gérard Mourou in 2005, built across three sites in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania. ELI's mission is to produce the most intense laser pulses ever created, enabling scientists to explore matter under extreme conditions — including laser-driven particle acceleration, attosecond science, and nuclear photonics. The project received over €550 million in EU funding and has generated significant benefits for the European advanced laser and photonics industry. It represents Mourou's vision of transforming extreme light from a laboratory curiosity into a global scientific infrastructure.
What topics does Nobel Prize speaker Gérard Mourou cover?
Gérard Mourou speaks on the science and applications of extreme laser light, including the future of laser-driven medicine, nuclear waste remediation, particle acceleration, and fundamental physics. His keynotes are tailored for executive audiences in technology, healthcare, energy, and research — covering both the technical breakthroughs and the broader societal implications of pushing science to the frontier. He also speaks on scientific creativity, international collaboration, and the long arc from laboratory discovery to world-changing application. To inquire about booking Gérard Mourou, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Gérard Mourou as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Gérard Mourou as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Gérard Mourou's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Gérard Mourou or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Gérard Mourou speaking fee?
Gérard Mourou speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Gérard Mourou to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Gérard Mourou.
How can I contact Gérard Mourou?
We only work with Gérard Mourou on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Gérard Mourou and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Gérard Mourou speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Gérard Mourou for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Gérard Mourou for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Gérard Mourou is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Gérard Mourou for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
