A leading figure in nanocellulose research, Alain Dufresne continues to shine on the international stage. For the seventh year running, he features in Clarivate Analytics' prestigious Highly Cited Researchers ranking, which distinguishes the 0.1% of the world's most cited researchers. He also occupies a prominent place in Stanford University's ranking of the 2% most influential researchers, where this year he ranks 3ᵉ worldwide in the field of polymers and 7ᵉ among French researchers across all disciplines. These distinctions underline an exceptional career.
Starting out at Toulouse's Paul Sabatier University, his scientific career was enriched by experiences at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique and Lyon's INSA, before he joined Grenoble in 1993 as a lecturer and researcher at LGP2*. Since then, his career has been inextricably linked with UGA and Grenoble INP - Pagora, UGA, where he has played a central role in the development of cellulose-based biomaterials, a renewable material with multiple applications.
Alain Dufresne's research focuses on the use of cellulose to improve the properties of polymeric materials. By adding a few percent nanocellulose, he gives these materials increased rigidity, opening the way to a wide range of applications, notably in composites and electronics.
His work has been highlighted by some remarkable industrial collaborations, including one with the European Central Bank to improve the resistance of banknotes, and another with a major French luxury goods house to develop environmentally-friendly structural pigments.
Passionate about passing on knowledge, Alain Dufresne teaches courses on polymer materials at Grenoble INP - Pagora, UGA and Grenoble INP - Phelma, UGA, and in UGA's chemistry and process engineering masters programs. He has also supervised numerous doctoral and post-doctoral students, while maintaining collaborations with researchers from all over the world. Despite a possible retirement, he still plans to travel, notably to India next March, to share his expertise.
Winner of several prestigious awards, including the TAPPI Nanotechnology Division Award in 2016 and EPNOE in 2019, Alain Dufresne has established himself as a benchmark in his field. His influence, rooted in excellence and innovation, transcends disciplinary and geographical boundaries, making him a key player in renewable materials research.
*Agefpi / CNRS / UGA / Grenoble INP - UGA
