Georges Durry

Georges Durry is a Professor of Physics at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, where he serves as Director of the GSMA CNRS-laboratory and was previously Head of the Physics Department. With a distinguished career spanning over two decades, he has held significant leadership positions including Vice President for Valorization Innovation & Partnerships at Reims University. His research focuses on molecular spectroscopy and atmospheric/planetary sciences, with particular expertise in laser diode spectrometry for in-situ measurements of atmospheric composition.

• Habilitation thesis, Physics, Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris VI (2002): "In situ sensing of the stratosphere with laser diodes"
• Ph.D., Physics, Paris XI University, Orsay (1994): "Time-resolved Fourier transform spectroscopy"
• Engineer of the Ecole Supérieure d'Optique, Paris XI University, Orsay (1989)

Durry's research interests center on molecular spectroscopy applications to atmospheric and planetary sciences. He is the Principal Investigator of several innovative instruments including the SDLA, micro-SDLA and PicoSDLA balloonborne laser diode spectrometers for in-situ measurement of H₂O, CH₄ and CO₂ in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. His work has contributed significantly to European campaigns like HIBISCUS and SCOUT in Brazil and Africa, examining water vapor in the tropical UT-LS and stratospheric water vapor at mid-latitudes. He also led the development of the TDLAS laser diode spectrometer for the Russian Phobos-Grunt Martian mission.

His recent publications demonstrate consistent contributions across atmospheric science, planetary exploration, and instrumentation development. Analysis of his 15 most recent articles reveals a strong focus on water vapor and greenhouse gas measurements using advanced laser spectroscopy techniques, with increasing emphasis on Mars exploration and intercomparison studies of measurement techniques. His work bridges theoretical spectroscopy, instrument development, and field applications across Earth's atmosphere and other planetary bodies.

Durry has supervised numerous doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, including I. Pouchet, T. Le Barbu, M. Liu, M. Ghysels, I. Mappe-Fogaing, and M. Dia Sene. His research has been supported by multiple funding agencies including CNES, INSU-CNRS, MPPU-CNRS, European Commission programs, National Program for Atmospheric Chemistry, National Program for Space Remote Sensing, ANR, and Région Champagne-Ardenne.

As founder and head of the "Aeronomy" research team at the GSMA lab, Durry has established a strong research group focused on atmospheric composition measurements using innovative laser-based instruments. His team has developed several generations of balloon-borne spectrometers that have provided valuable data for understanding atmospheric processes and validating satellite measurements.