French Group for the Study of Polymers and their Application

The GFP was created in 1970{{cite journal|first1=A. |last1=Chapiro |title=The french polymer group "G.F.P." for the study of polymers and their application |journal=Journal of Polymer Science: Polymer Letters Edition |volume=15 |issue=12 |date=December 1977 |doi=10.1002/pol.1977.130151211 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pol.1977.130151211 |accessdate=2021-01-06 |pages=769–770 |url-access=subscription }} by the polymer physicist André Kovacs and the chemist Georges Champetier, one of the first researchers in France to study polymer science.{{cite journal|language=French|author1=Michel Fontanille |author2=Jean-Pierre Vairon |title=De l'aube des polymères au cinquantenaire du GFP |journal=L'Actualité Chimique |date=November 2020 |issn=2105-2409 |url=https://www.lactualitechimique.org/De-l-aube-des-polymeres-au-cinquantenaire-du-GFP |pages=17–21 }}

The statutes of the GFP set out the following goals:

• the advancement and dissemination of studies on macromolecular substances,
• the grouping of researchers studying polymers in order to promote exchanges of ideas and facilitate knowledge of scientific and technical progress in this field,
• the development of relationships between basic research and its applications.

The GFP is based in Strasbourg, where in 1954 the physicist Charles Sadron founded the first CNRS laboratory dedicated to polymer science, which became the Institut Charles Sadron in 1985. Its first general meeting was held on November 26–27, 1970 in Paris. Its first committee comprised Georges Champetier (President), Charles Sadron and René Riou (Vice-presidents), André Kovacs (Secretary general) and Constant Wippler (Treasurer). Since its founding, the presidency of the GFP has alternated between researchers based in academia and industry, while the secretary has always been a member of the Institut Charles Sadron (originally the CRM).

In May 1990, the GFP reached an agreement with the Société chimique de France, becoming its Division of "Polymeric materials and elastomers". In 2001 this agreement was modified to create a "Polymer and Materials Chemistry" Division that was common to the two societies. In 2002, a similar agreement with the Société française de physique created a common "Polymer" Division between the two organizations.{{cite journal|language=french|author1= |title=Création d'une Division commune SFP-GFP |journal=Bulletin du GFP |issue=94 |date=March 2003 |issn=1148-1412 |url=https://www.gfp.asso.fr/wp-content/uploads/94.pdf|pages=27 }} The GFP is a founding member of the Fédération française des matériaux (French Materials Federation), {{cite journal|language=french|author1=Paul Riboud |title=Compte rendu de la réunion "Suites de Matériaux 2002" |journal=Fédération française des matériaux |date=28 April 2003 |issn= |url= |pages= }} and a member of the European Polymer Federation, whose first conference was organized by the GFP in Lyon in 1986.{{cite web|title=History of European polymer federation|url=https://www.epfwebsite.org/about-us/|website=www.epfwebsite.org|language=en|access-date=2021-01-06|publication-date=}} In 2020, the GFP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Society of Polymer Science Japan.{{cite web|title=SPSJ – GFP Memorandum of Understanding Groupe Français d'Etudes et d'Applications des Polymères|url=https://www.gfp.asso.fr/archives/20851|last=PELASCINI|first=Frédéric|language=fr-FR|access-date=2021-01-10|publication-date=}}

The GFP organizes numerous national and regional conferences and workshops. Its flagship event is the Colloque national du GFP, held each November in a different French city, with a typical attendance of 180-250 participants. In addition, the JEPO is an annual conference aimed at students and early career researchers, while the RNJP targets newly established researchers in permanent positions.{{cite web|title=RNJP 2000|url=http://perso.univ-lemans.fr/~fontaine/rnjp.html|website=perso.univ-lemans.fr|access-date=2021-01-11|publication-date=}} Finally the GFP organizes regular workshops and training sessions on more specialized subjects.

The GFP comprises 7 regional sections, covering different geographical areas of France (Grand Ouest, Nord, Ile de France, Est, Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne, Méditerranée, Sud Ouest).{{cite web|title=Sections Locales {{!}} Groupe Français d'Etudes et d'Applications des Polymères|url=https://www.gfp.asso.fr/le-gfp/regions|language=fr-FR|access-date=2021-01-06|publication-date=}} Each section elects a president who participates in the Administrative Council of the GFP. Organisation of national events (the Colloque national and JEPO) rotates between the sections, while each section organises local events.

The GFP publishes a newsletter "Actualités du GFP", 2-3 times per year.{{cite journal|language=fr-FR|author1= |title=Le premier Bulletin du GFP |journal=Bulletin du GFP |issue=1 |date=February 1971 |issn=1148-1412 |url=https://www.gfp.asso.fr/wp-content/uploads/PRIVE%CC%81-N_-1-Fevrier-1971.pdf}} Additionally, its Education Commission periodically releases books on different aspects of polymers and their applications. In 2004, the GFP joined forces with the International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry to promote education in polymer science in French-speaking countries.{{cite journal|title=Design of Polymer Education Materials for French-Speaking Countries |journal=Chemistry International -- Newsmagazine for IUPAC |volume=27 |issue=4 |page=32 |date=January 2005 |issn=1365-2192 |doi=10.1515/ci.2005.27.4.31 |url=https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/ci/27/4/article-p32.xml?tab_body=pdf-79549 |accessdate=2021-01-06 |doi-access=free }}

The GFP bestows several annual or biennial awards, alone or jointly with the [https://www.societechimiquedefrance.fr/Polymeres-et-materiaux.html SCF] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126122444/https://www.societechimiquedefrance.fr/Polymeres-et-materiaux.html |date=2020-11-26 }} or the SFP:

• Polymer Thesis Award of the Education Commission of the GFP (annual)
• Polymer Division Award, jointly awarded with the SCF, recognizing an early career scientist (less than 40 years old) for significant scientific results or original techniques in polymer chemistry (biennial, since 1992)
• Polymer Division Award, jointly awarded with the SFP, recognizing an early career scientist (less than 40 years old) for significant scientific results or original techniques in polymer physics (biennial, since 2004)
• Grand Prix of the GFP, recognizing the career or the complete works of a French or international researcher in polymer science (biennial, since 2003)
• Prix d'Honneur of the GFP, recognizing a scientific career dedicated to polymer science (annual, since 2017)

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• {{official|http://gfp.asso.fr/}}

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Category:Chemical industry in France

Category:Learned societies of France

Category:Scientific organizations based in France

Category:Chemistry societies

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