Rector Anne-Sophie Nyssen, Professor Alain Aspect, and Professor John Martin at the honorary doctorate award ceremony on Monday, March 9, 2026.
The University of Liège welcomed Alain Aspect, co-winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics, to award him an honorary doctorate. During a ceremony presided over by Rector Anne-Sophie Nyssen, he delivered a lecture entitled "From Concepts to Applications: The Two Quantum Revolutions."
On Monday, March 9, 2026, ULiège welcomed Alain Aspect, co-winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics for his fundamental contributions to quantum theory and quantum entanglement. A professor at the Institute of Optics at Paris-Saclay University, Alain Aspect is also deeply committed to the dissemination of knowledge.
He received the insignia of Doctor honoris causa of ULiège from Rector Anne-Sophie Nyssen.
"Tonight, we welcome a leading scientist, a physicist whose work will leave a lasting mark on the history of science. It is a great honor. But in him we also welcome—and this is a precious moment—a researcher who embodies a beautiful and powerful idea of research and science: demanding, free, daring, and always concerned with sharing knowledge with as many people as possible."
During his lecture, Alain Aspect discussed the foundations and implications of quantum physics. Developed in the early 20th century, it introduced concepts such as wave-particle duality, according to which the same object can behave both as a wave and as a particle.
This first quantum revolution made it possible to understand the structure of matter and gave rise to major innovations.
"Transistors, lasers, and integrated circuits... The information and communication society in which we live was born out of inventions derived from quantum physics."
He then introduced the second quantum revolution, based on the phenomenon of entanglement: two particles can remain correlated even when separated by great distances. This phenomenon fueled a historic debate between Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr on the nature of physical reality.
Based on the theoretical work of John Bell, Alain Aspect conducted increasingly precise experiments, which confirmed the predictions of quantum mechanics and earned him the Nobel Prize.
"Entanglement paves the way for new technologies such as quantum computers and new methods of secure communication such as quantum cryptography."
A fascinating lecture with a touch of humor.
"If you think quantum physics isn't weird, you haven't been listening to me properly."
A nod to Niels Bohr, who claimed that "anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory does not understand it."
Preceded by a book signing that brought together hundred physics enthusiasts, this lecture was the last in a series of three "Grandes Conférences Universitaires" scheduled during the 2025-2026 academic year under the theme "Critical Thinking, Audacity, Resistance."
John Martin, Professor at the Faculty of Sciences in the Department of Physics, and a specialist in quantum optics, introduced the new Doctor honoris causa of ULiège and led the discussion with the audience.
By Prof. Alain Aspect, co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2022, Professor at the Institut d'Optique, Université Paris-Saclay, Honorary Doctor of the ULiège 2026, as part of the Grandes conférences universitaires de l'ULiège cycle.
On March 10, Professor Alain Aspect participated in a question-and-answer session on quantum physics with professors, doctoral students, and students from the Physics Department of the Faculty of Sciences at ULiège.
The University of Liège and McGill University to announce the signing of a collaboration agreement between the Faculty of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech and McGill University’s Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on the Macdonald Campus.
On the occasion of a mission to Canada, ULiège Alumni gathered in Montreal for an evening of meetings, exchanges and conviviality in the presence of representatives of the University of Liège.
Press release from the CRef dated April 20, 2026.
