Context – Ecosystem

Since 1990, the École polytechnique (“X”) has been developing a research programme combining arts and sciences, involving artists, researchers, doctoral and undergraduate students from several institutions. This program is now carried out by the hydrodynamics laboratory, LadHyX, studying natural sciences, and the interdisciplinary laboratory of human and social sciences, LinX, studying the relationships between science, technology and society. The action of these two laboratories involves the whole École Polytechnique research centre and a large number of other academic institutions. The commitment of scientists from all disciplines to research and artistic production supporting epistemological reflection is unique.

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The École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (EnsAD) in Paris, has developed various projects involving collaboration with scientific disciplines, particularly in the fields of engineering and experimental sciences. This activity has been mostly carried out since the establishment of the EnsadLab research laboratory in 2007 and the SACRe doctoral programme (Sciences Arts Création Recherche) in 2012, to which it is associated.

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With the recent recognition (2015) of its SACRe Team by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, EnsAD is now, with its partners of PSL, one of the most advanced artistic institutions for the development of practice-based research in arts, sciences and design.

Today, the two institutions – École polytechnique and EnsAD – combine their converging interests by running the first Chaire arts & sciences in France, with the support of the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation.

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Signature of the birth certificate of the Chaire arts & sciences, at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, September 2017. ©Photo : Mathieu Faluomi