University Paris Sud

Paris-Sud was originally part of the University of Paris, which was subsequently split into several universities. After World War II, the rapid growth of nuclear physics and chemistry meant that research needed more and more powerful accelerators, which required large areas. The Université de Paris, the École Normale Supérieure and the Collège de France looked for space in the south of Paris near Orsay. Later some of the teaching activity of the Faculty of Sciences in Paris was transferred to Orsay. The rapid increase of students led to the independence of the Orsay Center on March 1, 1965. Now it hosts a great number of laboratories on its large (236 ha) campus. Many of the top French laboratories are among them especially in particle physics,nuclear physics, astrophysics, atomic physics and molecular physics,condensed matter physics, theoretical physics, electronics, and nanoscience and nanotechnology. University of Paris-Sud comprises some 104 research units. About 30,000 students are currently enrolled. Pierre-Gilles de Gennes and Albert Fert, two Nobel Prize winners of physics, were affiliated to the University of Paris-Sud. A number of most renowned French mathematicians are or were affiliated to the University of Paris-Sud as well. Among them are the Fields medalists Laurent Lafforgue, Jean-Christophe Yoccoz, Wendelin Werner and Ngô Bảo Châu.