Claude Allègre

French politician and scientist noted as the architect of the subdiscipline of isotope geodynamics. He was among the first scientists to determine the age of the Moon.

Allegre earning a Ph.D. in physics in 1962. He was an assistant lecturer in physics at the University of Paris from 1962 to 1968 before accepting a position as assistant physicist with the Paris Institut de Physique du Globe. He has been the director of the geochemistry and cosmochemistry program at CNRS (French National Scientific Research Center) since 1967. Allegre joined the faculty at the University of Paris VII in 1970, a position he retained. In 1971, he was appointed as director of the Department of Earth Sciences, a position he held until 1976. He was then named the director of the Paris Institut de Physique du Globe from 1976 to 1986. In 1993, he was named as a member of the Institut Universitaire de France (Denis Diderot University).

After establishing an outstanding career in the Earth sciences, Claude Allegre became one of the few scientists to participate successfully in governmental policy. Claude Allegre is the architect of the subdiscipline of isotope geodynamics. This area involves the study of the coupled evolution of the mantle and continental crust of Earth through a multi-isotopic tracer approach. He geochemically modelled the early solar system, the early evolution of planets and the formation of meteorites. This cosmochemical research is the reason that Allegre was chosen by NASA to participate in the Apollo lunar program. In that role, he was among the first scientists to determine the age of the Moon.

Claude Allegre is probably best known by the public for his extensive governmental work. He was the minister for National Education, Research and Technology for France, where he created quite a controversy by attempting to overhaul the public educational system.

Allegre received numerous honours and awards. He was a member of the U.S.