Christian George

Christian George is a distinguished Professor and Deputy-director of the Research Institute on Catalysis and the Environment at Lyon (IRCELYON) at University Lyon 1, where he has been conducting groundbreaking research in atmospheric chemistry since 2016. As a Senior Research Scientist at CNRS, he leads an interdisciplinary team of approximately 43 researchers focusing on environmental processes and atmospheric reactivity.

Dr. George earned his Master's degree in Physical Chemistry in 1991, followed by a PhD in 1993 and a Research Habilitation Thesis (HDR) in 1999, all from Louis Pasteur University in Strasbourg, France, under the supervision of Professor Philippe Mirabel. His career includes significant positions at CNRS laboratories in Strasbourg and Lyon, as well as a post-doctoral fellowship at the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Aerosol Research in Hanover.

His research portfolio centers on atmospheric chemistry, environmental chemistry, and physical chemistry, with particular emphasis on interfacial processes occurring at aerosols, ocean surfaces, indoor environments, and urban settings. Using advanced techniques including laser photolysis, mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy, his group investigates fundamental chemical interactions that drive atmospheric processes in the troposphere. Key research areas include aerosol physical chemistry, ocean-atmosphere exchanges, mineral dust photochemistry, and the formation and aging of organic aerosols.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on interfacial chemistry phenomena, particularly spontaneous radical formation at air-water interfaces, photosensitized reactions in atmospheric waters, and the role of mineral dust in atmospheric chemistry. His work bridges fundamental physical chemistry with practical environmental concerns, addressing critical issues in air quality, pollution formation, and climate-relevant processes.

• EUREKA-Lillehammer Prize – EUROTRAC 2 (2004)
• European Research Council Advanced Grant (2011)
• European Research Council Advanced Grant (2021)
• Member of the Academia Europaea (2022)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2023)

Dr. George has secured substantial research funding through multiple ERC Advanced Grants and has coordinated numerous European projects including INTROP, MOST, and PHOTOPAQ. He mentors several doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, including Maria Angelaki, Yoan Carreira Mendes Da Silva, Junwei Song, and Adrien Gandolfo, who contribute to his research on atmospheric interfaces and multiphase chemistry.

His laboratory, the Catalysis and Atmospheric Reactivity for the Environment (CARE) group, operates within IRCELYON and maintains strong international collaborations, particularly with Chinese institutions through the Sino-European School on Atmospheric Chemistry. The group's work spans fundamental laboratory studies to field measurements, with significant contributions to understanding atmospheric oxidation processes, aerosol formation mechanisms, and air-sea exchange phenomena.