The Nobel Prize in Physics gave me the “role of inspiring young people, especially women, to pursue a career in physics,” explains Anne L’Huillier

French-Swedish Anne L’Huillier, co-winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics, tells franceinfo how this prize has changed her life and her work.

On October 4, 2023, Anne L’Huillier received the Nobel Prize in Physics at the age of 65 along with another Frenchman, Pierre Agostini, for her 40 years of work on ultrafast lasers, which make it possible to observe the movement of electrons in matter. “I wake up as if in a dreamshe confided then, I think it will change my life, but I hope not too much, because I like what I do, and I want to continue teaching and doing research.”

After teaching for almost 30 years at Lund University in Sweden, one of the most prestigious in Scandinavia, Anne L’Huillier returned to the lecture hall as if nothing had happened when she heard the news during a break. This anecdote sums up her discreet, even shy, but above all very humble personality.

The graduate of the École Normale Supérieure, an agrégée in mathematics, began her long career at the Atomic Energy Commission in Paris-Saclay. Already multi-awarded for her work, the physicist, who was quietly planning her retirement, saw her daily life turned upside down after the global craze that arose around her Nobel Prize. She did not imagine the impact of such an award on her life and even received for a time consideration worthy of a “pop star”she jokes, recounting the queues at the end of her presentations for autographs or selfies.

“Since I won the Nobel Prize, I don’t do much research anymore, I respond to lots of invitations, I travel a lot, I give lots of presentations.”

Anne L’Huillier, Nobel Prize in Physics

to franceinfo

Anne L’Huillier now feels considered as a “ambassador of science” – a role that she takes very seriously with young people, especially young girls. “It puts a lot of responsibilityshe explains. We have a role to play, which is to inspire young women and young men, but especially young women, to tell them that it is possible to have a career in physics.”.

She has mainly stayed in Sweden because she met her Swedish husband there. With two children and several grandchildren, she is as proud of her family life – if not more so – as of her excellent scientific career.