Born: 19 December 1908, France
Died: 19 November 1999
Country most active: France
Also known as: NA
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Yvette Cauchois was a prominent French physicist. She earned her doctorate in 1933 at Sorbonne.
Cauchois joined the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), where she conducted pioneering research in X-ray spectroscopy, earning acclaim for her development of an advanced X-ray spectrometer in the 1930s, which bore her name. Her work extended to astrophysics, where she explored the solar X-ray spectrum through missile experiments.
In 1960, Cauchois established the Centre de Chimie Physique at Orsay, where she led and expanded her scientific endeavors while maintaining her association with the Sorbonne. Her dedication to the field earned her numerous prestigious awards, including the Ancel Prize and Officer of the Legion of Honour.
Beyond her scientific pursuits, Cauchois had a multifaceted life. She nurtured her love for music, displaying her skill as a grand piano player. Later in life, her spiritual journey led her to embrace the Orthodox religion, culminating in her baptism in Romania in 1999.