chemistry

Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou

Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou is a chemistry topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou rather than just read about it. In short: Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou (born 9 March 1962 in Toulouse), is a French chemist. She is a research fellow in the field of homogeneous molecular catalysis at IFP Énergies Nouvelle, and her work aims to develop homogeneous catalytic processes that are more respectful of the environment.

Key takeaways

Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou belongs to chemistry; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
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Reference excerpt

Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou (born 9 March 1962 in Toulouse), is a French chemist. She is a research fellow in the field of homogeneous molecular catalysis at IFP Énergies Nouvelle, and her work aims to develop homogeneous catalytic processes that are more respectful of the environment. She received the Irène Joliot-Curie Prize in 2014 in the category "Female Scientist of the Year."

Life and work Olivier-Bourbigou completed her engineering degree in 1985 at the National School of Chemistry in Rennes and went on to finish her doctorate in 1988 at Université Paris VI under the supervision of Yves Chauvin (winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2005). She carried out her post-doctoral research at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom where she worked with Michael Lappert, Fellow of the Royal Society. She earned her habilitation in 2003 at Université Paris VI (formerly known as Pierre and Marie Curie University). She joined IFP Énergies nouvelles in 1989 and, since 2002, she has been director of the molecular catalysis department at IFP Lyon. She has been authorized to direct research at the University of Paris VI since 2005. In 2013, she was elected president of the catalysis division of the Chemical Society of France.

According to IFP Energies Nouvelle, Catalysts are substances that accelerate chemical reactions and direct their selectivity. They are used in processes for transforming raw materials (of petroleum or vegetable origin) into molecules with higher added value for the production of plastics, polymers, etc. ... [The work of Olivier-Bourbigou] aims to develop more efficient catalysts, for a more sustainable and economically competitive chemistry and which has led to major scientific advances in catalysis. In 2018, Olivier-Bourbigou was elected to the French Academy of Technologies.

Awards and distinctions 2021: Grand Prize Pierre Süe awarded by the Chemical Society of France 2021: Applied Catalysis Award, given every two years by the European Federation of Catalysis Communities 2015: Knight, the Legion of Honor 2014: Irène Joliot-Curie Prize “Female Scientist of the Year” 2006: Knight in the National Order of Merit 1999: Montgolfier award presented by the National Industry Encouragement Society 1997: Prize of the Catalysis Division of the SFC

Selected publications She has authored many works published in journals and book chapters and at least 98 patents.

Olivier-Bourbigou, H., & Magna, L. (2002). Ionic liquids: perspectives for organic and catalytic reactions. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 182, 419-437. Thomazeau, C., Olivier-Bourbigou, H., Magna, L., Luts, S., & Gilbert, B. (2003). Determination of an acidic scale in room temperature ionic liquids. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 125(18), 5264-5265. Olivier-Bourbigou, H., Magna, L., & Morvan, D. (2010). Ionic liquids and catalysis: Recent progress from knowledge to applications. Applied Catalysis A: General, 373(1-2), 1-56. Olivier-Bourbigou, H., Breuil, P. A. R., Magna, L., Michel, T., Espada Pastor, M. F., & Delcroix, D. (2020). Nickel catalyzed olefin oligomerization and dimerization. Chemical Reviews, 120(15), 7919-7983.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In chemistry, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou

In research: Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou appears in chemistry research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1962 births, 21st-century French chemists, 21st-century French engineers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
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Frequently asked questions

What is Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou in simple terms?

Why does Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou matter?

Because it connects several chemistry ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Hélène Olivier-Bourbigou.