Jean Piccard

Jean Piccard
shoulder high portrait outdoors
Jean Piccard visiting Brigham Young University in 1938
Born(1884-01-28)January 28, 1884
Basel, Switzerland
DiedJanuary 28, 1963(1963-01-28) (aged 79)
Minneapolis, United States
NationalitySwiss and from 1931 American
Occupation(s)chemist, engineer, professor and balloonist
SpouseJeannette Ridlon
ChildrenDon Piccard (son)
Relatives
Alma materETH Zürich
Scientific career
FieldsInorganic chemistry
InstitutionsUniversity of Munich,
University of Lausanne,
University of Chicago,
University of Minnesota
ThesisUeber Konstitution und Farbe der Chinonimine (1909)
Doctoral advisorRichard Willstätter

Jean Felix Piccard (January 28, 1884 in Basel, Switzerland – January 28, 1963 in Minneapolis, Minnesota), also known as Jean Piccard, was a Swiss-born American chemist, engineer, professor and high-altitude balloonist. He invented clustered high-altitude balloons, and with his wife Jeannette, the plastic balloon. Piccard's inventions and co-inventions are used in balloon flight, aircraft and spacecraft.