Guy Gistau-Baguer (1940-2024)

News > Announcements | September 9th, 2024

The Cryogenics Society of Europe pays tribute to Guy Gistau-Bauger, an emblematic figure of cryogenics, who passed away on 25 August 2024.

The news of Guy Gistau's death both surprised and deeply affected the CSE. Guy has been one of the constants of cryogenics. Upon meeting him a long time ago, he promised that if you dip your finger into cryogenics, it would grab your arm to never release it again. This may not be true for everyone, but it was definitely true for Guy.

Even after his retirement from Air Liquide in 2020, Guy continued to play an active role in cryogenics through his work in Helium refrigeration, the ICEC, his writings and the education of younger scientists. He continued to teach future generations, sharing his knowledge up until his final days. Guy was a CSE member from the foundation of the society and supported students with his active teaching role during the European Cryogenic Days and Cryo-Ops.

Guy was awarded the Mendelssohn award in 2020, a prize awarded every two years by the ICEC (International Cryogenics Engineering Conference) in recognition of his lifetime achievement in helium refrigeration.

His passing leaves an immense void in the scientific community but his heritage continues to live through his indelible contributions to cryogenics. His work will continue to inspire future generations of scientists and engineers.