Physics Toward 2030
Physics, as a fundamental science, requires long-term research that can lead to major discoveries and transform our understanding of the world. It also holds the potential to provide solutions to the major challenges our society faces.
In the spring of 2022, CNRS Physics launched its forward-looking planning initiative. Over 1,000 physicists worked together to identify the key topics that will drive the physics research of tomorrow.
This collective effort led to the publication of an initial document, CNRS Physics Forward-Looking Perspectives, released in February 2024.
Building on this document, on June 18, CNRS Physics published its 2024 Strategic Plan, marking a first step in implementing specific actions to help realize the high-impact themes identified through the foresight exercise.
This strategic plan was presented to Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research, following the event “Physics: A Science at the Heart of Societal Challenges”, held at the French Senate on June 18, in the presence of scientists and members of Parliament.
CNRS Physics Strategy
Physics Toward 2030
Fundamental Research and Societal Impact
June 2024
Drawing on the work from each foresight workshop and contributions from the Institute’s Scientific Council, CNRS Physics has identified high-potential-impact themes that will receive special attention in the coming years. This strategy document explicitly identifies these challenges, marking CNRS Physics’ first commitment to the scientific community.
A scientific policy cannot be implemented without financial, human, and operational resources. Even in a financially constrained environment, CNRS Physics is committed to enabling the development of these high-impact themes. This strategy outlines two sets of actions: specific actions already launched in 2023–2024 and those planned for 2024–2025 to be deployed over the next twelve months.
Symposium: “Physics, a Science at the Heart of Societal Challenges”
In partnership with the OPECST (Parliamentary Office for the Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choices), CNRS organized, for the first time, a symposium at the French Senate attended by scientists and members of Parliament, during which it detailed its strategy for positioning physics research as a crucial tool for supporting ongoing societal transitions.
A first roundtable allowed business leaders to clarify their relationships with academic laboratories.
Three brief presentations showcased discoveries made in academic physics laboratories with potentially major impacts in quantum technologies, health, and climate.
The second roundtable focused on the research community’s reflection on its own practices.
Watch the “Physics, a Science at the Heart of Societal Challenges” Symposium
Audiodescription
CNRS Physics Foresight Report
February 2024
The primary goal of the Foresight initiative was to identify emerging questions and themes that will lead to the major transformations of tomorrow.
This document is the result of an extensive collective intelligence effort. Twelve workshops were organized, and over a thousand people contributed to an initial document that was discussed and critically examined during the Foresight Days held on September 12–13, 2023. Based on this text and the ensuing discussions, CNRS Physics produced this final report, which represents the shared vision of scientific foresight.
The first part addresses emerging scientific themes with the main goal of advancing knowledge. Eight themes were identified, ranging from advanced electronics and photonics to new challenges in numerical methods.
The second part focuses on major societal challenges highlighted by French and European public policy—physics for health, physics for climate and energy, physics for the environment and food, and physics for quantum technologies.
A third section of the report aims to highlight cross-cutting issues that affect all of physics, and sometimes go beyond it: gender parity and diversity, scientific culture in physics, and consideration of environmental crises.
Download the CNRS Physics Foresight Report 2024 (FR)
Explore the CNRS Physique Prospectives chapters
Symposium presenting the CNRS Physique foresight project.
A presentation symposium for the entire community was held online on 12-13 September 2023. After a brief presentation of the foresight work carried out by the working groups, the community commented on and asked questions about all the texts that the various workshops had passed on to their contributors.