BIOGRAPHY of LUCIEN DESCHAMPS

Lucien Deschamps received his Electronics Engineer's Diploma in 1965 before graduating as an electrical engineer from the Ecole Supérieure d'Electricité (SUPELEC) in 1967. In 1968 he obtained a DEA and a DES in atomic and nuclear physics at Toulouse University with a thesis on ionic sources.

He entered the Research Division at Electricité de France (EDF) in 1969 to carry out work on the applications of superconducting materials in electrotechnology. Following this assignment, he became Head of the Electric Cables Department in 1976, then, in 1981, head of the New Materials for the Electrotechnology Department. In 1985 he became Adviser for advanced technologies and international-level advisory operations (Project Manager of two contracts studying the master plan of the research centre of the PLN utility company in Indonesia). Within the context of his work on future technology assessments, Mr Deschamps was in charge of examining prospects of space power systems for EDF.

His main research works tackle the following fields:

• Materials for electrotechnology
• Applications of superconducting materials
• AC and DC polymer insulated power cables
• New techniques for long-distance power transmission (gas insulated cables, superconducting cables, wireless power transmission)
• Space power: solar power satellites, high efficiency solar generators, energy transmission, electromagnetic launchers, ...

In these various fields, he has presented more than 60 invited lectures in France and abroad and has been involved in a number of international publications (70).

In addition, he was Professor of Electrotechnology at ENSIAA (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Industries Agricoles et Alimentaires) and at SUPELEC (1985 to 1995). In 2000, he is expert within the frame of a study for the NATO Scientific Division and in 2002, President of a CNRS Laboratory evaluation Committee.

Lucien Deschamps is member of various scientific and technical organisations: Member of the Scientific Committee of the Club Alpin Français (CAF), Senior Member IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), convenor of several CIGRE working groups (CIGRE : International Council on Large Electric Systems) and then Secretary of the CIGRE Committee 21 (Power Cables), Chairman of the IAF (International Astronautical Federation) Space Power Committee between 1989 and 1996. Having been Vice-President, responsible of Committees, of the Société des Electriciens et des Electroniciens (SEE) between 1986 and 1990, he was Secretary-General of this organization between 1990 and 1996 and President Counsellor between 1996 and 1998.

In 1996, Lucien Deschamps is Founder Member of the long-term forecasting international non-profit organisation "Prospective 21OO" and of the Association "Louis Armand pour les Grands Travaux". He is at present, alongside his position of Scientific Adviser at the EDF R&D Division, Secretary-General of "Prospective 21OO".

His various activities include the creation and the organisation of more than 100 national and international events, and he is notably founder/creator of the JICABLE conferences on power cables (1984, 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003) on power cables as well as Lightning and MountainS (1994, 1997), of the SPS cycle on Solar Power Satellites (1986, 1991, 1992 and 1997), of the symposium OCEAN CITIES (1995) and of the symposium PLANETARY GARDEN (1999) in conjunction with several international partners. Furthermore, he has been between 2000 and 2002 co-producer and convenor/presenter of a weekly television programme for scientific long-term forecasting on internet: "2100TV". Within this frame, around hundred programmes have been directed on energy, space, agriculture, environment, ocean cities among others.

Lucien Deschamps has been elected in 1995 Associate Member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA); in 2000, he has received the medal of the French Agriculture Academy.

Modified Last : 12/03/2022