Albert Châtelet

Albert Châtelet (1883-1960) was a French politician and scientist. Châtelet received his teaching degree from the École Normale Supérieure in 1908. After earning a doctorate in 1913, Châtelet became a lecturer and professor at the Lille Academy, rising to the rank of Vice-Chancellor by 1924. After thirteen years of chancellorship he was appointed as the Director of Secondary Education by the Ministry of National Education, where he served under Jean Zay until 1940. In 1945 he joined the Faculty of Science at the University of Paris, succeeding Jean Cabannes as its Dean in 1949. After his retirement as Dean in 1954 Châtelet began participating in political movements at the forefront of the downfall of the French Fourth Republic by joining the Rationalist Union in 1955. In 1958 Albert Châtelet was chosen to represent the Union of Democratic Forces as its candidate during the French presidential election. He earned only 8.4% of the vote, losing out to the Union of Democrats for the Republic candidate Charles de Gaulle.

He is not to be confused with the leading French art historian of the same name.