A book chronicling more than two centuries of “Science & Innovation” at Mines Paris – PSL
How did a school founded in 1783 to train mining specialists become a leading player in research on AI, energy, materials, and contemporary transitions? Through photographs, archival materials, illustrations, and firsthand accounts, the new book L’École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris, Sciences & Innovation, published by Presses des Mines, takes readers on a journey through more than two centuries of the scientific and industrial history of Mines Paris – PSL. The narrative is guided by a central theme: fostering a dialogue between theory and practice to transform knowledge into innovation.
“Theory and Practice”
A motto as a guiding principle
Rooted in the School’s identity since the First Republic, the motto “Theory and Practice” encapsulates a conception of engineering that runs throughout its history. As early as 1783, the curriculum combined scientific courses with hands-on experience: students supplemented their education with several months of internships in mines. Later, educational trips extended this pedagogical approach, of which today’s internships are the legacy.
But this integration goes beyond training alone. It also informs the approach to research: starting with concrete problems to generate new knowledge, then putting that knowledge to the test in the real world.
Preserving, understanding, and passing on this heritage is essential for clearly envisioning the future of the School and the traditions linking teaching, research, innovation, and public life—traditions it upholds in France today. This book is rooted in the contemporary challenges facing industrial research and innovation.
Godefroy Beauvallet, Director General of Mines Paris – PSL
From Mining to Artificial Intelligence
The book tells this story not as a series of dates, but through the major fields in which the School has built and renewed its expertise: resources, materials, energy, mathematics and digital technology, impacts and society, and knowledge transfer.
This journey allows us to appreciate the continuities underlying research topics that are themselves evolving. The Earth sciences, initially focused on understanding and exploiting mineral resources, now address the challenges of the ecological transition. Mathematics offers another example: geostatistics and mathematical morphology, developed in the 20th century to address issues related to resources and geological structures, now find applications in image processing, medical imaging, and artificial intelligence.
Innovation is also taking place in the humanities and social sciences. Research conducted by Mines Paris – PSL on businesses and their responsibilities has notably contributed to the discussions that inspired the 2019 Pacte Law and the introduction of the status of “mission-driven company.”
A Living Scientific Heritage
Richly illustrated, L’École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris, Sciences & Innovation weaves together historical documents and images of contemporary research. The goal is not merely to recount the past: photographs, archival materials, and scientific images reveal the evolution of the School’s facilities, disciplines, and practices.
From the early days of mineral processing to contemporary digital technologies, the book thus puts into perspective a single ambition: to understand in order to act, to experiment in order to understand, and to make the intersection of science and the real world a driving force for innovation. It is a way of recounting more than two centuries of history, but also of shedding light on future research and transformations.
At a Glance
The École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris: Science & Innovation. 2026, Presses des Mines
