Leonhard Euler was an unquestionable star in mathematics in the 18th century. His many contributions extend across the number theory, differential equations, geometry, optic and astronomy. Euler is notably at the core of one of the most audacious ideas in science: the principle of least action that allows us to define the world in terms of optimization. While we are celebrating his 300th birthday, what are the actual repercussions of his work?

Biography

Francis Clarke was born in Montreal. He graduated from McGill University and obtained his PhD from the University of Washington in 1973. He starts his teaching career at the University of British Columbia but returns to Montréal from 1984 to 1993, as director of the Centre de recherches mathématiques (CRM). During his mandate, he hoists the CRM to the national level receiving financial support from NSERC. A visionary, he is the one that launches the Institut des sciences mathématiques by convincing Montreal universities to collaborate in high level training in mathematics and recruitment of better student at an international level.

Mr. Clarke is now professor at the Université de Lyon and holds a Chair in mathematical theory of control at the Institut universitaire de France. He has received numerous honors: among them he was an invited speaker at the International congress of mathematicians (1978), has received a Killam fellowship in '78-'80, the Coxeter-James Prize from the Canadian Mathematical Society (1980), was elected at the Royal Society of Canada (1984), received the Urgel Archambault prize from the ACFAS (1990) and since 2002, is Chevalier de l'Ordre des palmes académiques.