Walter Philippe

Walter Philippe is a Research Director at CNRS and Director of the Laboratoire d’Archéologie moléculaire et structurale (LAMS) at Sorbonne Université. His work focuses on developing non-invasive analytical techniques for ancient materials, blending chemistry, archaeology, and cultural heritage science. He holds an MSc in Physics from École Normale Supérieure de Lyon and a PhD in Geochemistry from Paul Sabatier University (1993).

Key roles include Director of C2RMF (2008–2011), Co-Director of OPUS (2016–2019), and Invited Professor at Collège de France (2013–2014). His research explores ancient materials' chemistry, cosmetics, pigments, and their long-term aging. He has curated exhibitions like Le bain et le miroir and pioneered portable instruments for heritage analysis.

Notable awards include the CNRS Silver Medal (2008), Franklin-Lavoisier Prize (2010), and Le Bel Prize (2017). He leads interdisciplinary projects such as NanoCHEOPS and Lab4Art, emphasizing innovation in cultural heritage conservation and analysis.