Tribute to Former Institute Director Prof. Dr. Jacques Villain

03 August 2022

It is with great sadness that we say farewell to our former Institute Director Jacques Villain, who passed away at the age of 88 on 12 June 2022. Prof. Dr. Jacques Villain was one of the most renowned French physicists of his generation, a member of the French Academy of Sciences and Director at Forschungszentrum Jülich from 1984 to 1988.

During this time, he was head of the institute Theory II (IFF-2), now known as Theoretical Physics of Living Matter (IBI-5/IAS-2), at the former Institue of Solid State Research. Following his time at Forschungszentrum Jülich, he was Research Director until his retirement and then Scientific Advisor at the former Grenoble nuclear research centre, now the CEA Grenoble.

Jacques Villain conducted research at the interface of solid state physics and statistical physics. His main research interests were in the areas of (nano) magnetism, crystal growth, spin glasses, disordered systems ("order by disorder"), random (magnetic) fields and thin films. His scientific accomplishments, especially his theories on spin glasses, "order through disorder" and "random fields" were and still are the inspiration for research at the Peter Grünberg Institute and the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science. Among other things, they enabled the interpretation of numerous neutron scattering experiments. We will always honour his memory and hold it in high regard.

Our sincere condolences are with his family at this sad time.