COMO/VILNIUS, 16 May 2026 – French physicist Jean Dalibard is the winner of the 2025 Alessandro Volta Prize.
The announcement was made today in Vilnius, Lithuania, during the annual meeting of the Council of the European Physical Society (EPS). The announcement was delivered by Mairi Sakellariadou, President of EPS, who invited Matteo Barbera, President of the Acinque Group and sponsor of the prize, to present the award ceremony that will take place in Como on 2 October 2026.
Dalibard is a physicist specialising in the interaction between matter and radiation. Formerly a professor at the École Polytechnique, he is currently a researcher at the Collège de France, a prestigious research institution based in Paris. Having taught at leading universities around the world, he is a member of several scientific academies, including the Académie des Sciences (France) and the National Academy of Sciences (United States). In 2009, he received the Blaise Pascal Medal from the European Academy of Sciences; in 2012, the Max Born Award and the Davisson–Germer Prize; in 2018, he was elected an international member of the American Philosophical Society; and in 2021, he received the CNRS Gold Medal, the highest distinction in French scientific research.
The jury of the Alessandro Volta Prize awarded the French physicist for: “his pioneering contributions to laser cooling and light–matter interactions, and for groundbreaking experimental and theoretical achievements in the quantum many-body physics of ultracold gases.”
More information can be found on: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1676546/page/43070-overview
The Award Ceremony
The award ceremony will take place on 2 October in Como, Alessandro Volta’s hometown, which during the 2026–2027 biennium commemorates the bicentenary of the scientist’s death on 5 March 1827. The event will be enriched by an international scientific symposium focused on the winner’s research areas and will bring to the city of Como some of the most distinguished names in global science, including two Nobel Prize laureates.
The Acinque Group, a multi-utility company based in Lombardy led by CEO Stefano Cetti, and EPS have firmly supported the call to action launched by the Alessandro Volta Foundation and its institutional partners.
The Volta Prize is part of the Lake Como Light Festival and features in the calendar of 200VOLTeVOLTA, a multidisciplinary program of cultural, scientific, educational, and participatory events designed to engage the entire community and keep alive the legacy of the scientist from Como, inventor of the electric battery and discoverer of methane. The initiatives can be found on the website alessandrovolta.it.
Statements
“The Alessandro Volta Prize was established with the aim of celebrating scientific excellence and the fundamental role that physics continues to play in the development of contemporary society,’ stated Mairi Sakellariadou, President of the European Physical Society. ‘Awarding this recognition to Jean Dalibard means honouring a scientist who, through extraordinary contributions to quantum and atomic physics, has expanded our understanding of nature and opened new perspectives for the technologies of the future. We are also particularly proud to associate this prize with the figure of Alessandro Volta, one of the great pioneers of European science.”
“Giving new life to the Volta Prize means reaffirming the deep connection between the Como area, innovation, and Acinque,’ emphasised Matteo Barbera, President of the Group. ‘We believe that supporting scientific culture means investing in the future of our communities. For Acinque, the Volta Prize therefore represents a concrete opportunity to promote the extraordinary legacy of the Como-born scientist and to foster research, making the region increasingly attractive thanks to its excellence.”
“The Alessandro Volta Prize in Como, as part of the bicentenary celebrations, demonstrates the international strength of Volta’s scientific legacy and the territory’s ability to promote opportunities for dialogue at the highest levels,’ stated Paola Dubini, President of the Alessandro Volta Foundation. ‘We are especially pleased that EPS and Acinque are bringing such important scholars to Como during the Festival della Luce — figures who are helping shape our future.”
About the organisations
European Physical Society (EPS) The European Physical Society is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing physics in Europe. It unites national physical societies, research institutions, and individual physicists, supporting scientific excellence, collaboration, and education. EPS also plays an important role in science policy, dissemination of research, and the promotion of physics to society and future generations.
Acinque Group Acinque is a Lombardy-based multiutility company active in energy, environment, water, and infrastructure services. The Group is committed to fostering sustainable development and supporting innovation in the territories where it operates. Through cultural and scientific initiatives such as the Volta Prize, Acinque contributes to strengthening the link between local communities, research, and technological progress.
Fondazione Alessandro Volta works to promote scientific culture through educational projects, outreach and cultural initiatives, and collaborations with institutions, schools, and universities, developing networks of national and international significance. Through a wide-ranging annual program of activities dedicated to the promotion of university education, research, advanced training, and culture, the Foundation contributes to enhancing the scientific and human legacy of Alessandro Volta, fostering dialogue between science, culture, and contemporary society.
