I was born in 1951, the 25th of March in the Paris area but I never lived there. Although my roots are in Berry, I spent my youth in the South, in Bagnols sur Cèze, and I came to Lyon for my studies. I now live in the Beaujolais.
I am graduate of INSA de Lyon, year 1973, as Computer Science engineer. I began my professional career as an engineer in the Electrical Engineering department of Ecole Centrale de Lyon.
My first domain of activity was measure and signal processing. I have been at the origin of computer usage for research applications in this department. I am one of the founders of the company CEDRAT-Recherche which subsequently evolved to become CEDRAT SA. In 2016 this company has been bought by the american group ALTAIR.
I took in charge the problematics of computer/human interfaces for modeling softwares, and I studied the application of these interfaces for teaching. I am a co-author of the CAO-BIBS library commercialized under ANVAR licence.
This drove me to take an active part in the CoLoS international project launched by Hewlett-Packard research laboratories where I made developments using X11 / Motif. I then focused on pedagogic usage of computer and network.
After Web invention, I oriented my activities on this new tool and I took part in its deployment for pedagogic usage in secondary level teaching (K12) as expert at Academic Resources Center for Pedagogic applications of Computers of Lyon.
After some years as network responsible at Ecole Centrale de Lyon, I became head of Computer Resources Center in November 2001 and I served this charge until September 2011. In December 2006, I have been promoted to “upper class research engineer”.
I held the bid presented by “Université de Lyon” to host the WWW2012, and I was the Co-chair of the organization committee of this conference. I was also the Co-chair of the organization committee of the International Colloquium of University in the Digital Age (CIUEN2012) that took place jointly as part as the week Lyon World Web Capital – April 16th to 20th 2012.
Following the success of this event, I initiated a new application by “Université de Lyon” for organizing TheWebConf 2018 in April 2018 and TheWebConf 2022 in April 2022. These applications having been accepted, I was again co-chair of the organizing committees of these conferences and of the events that will be associated with.
As part of all these research activities, I’ve spent a lot of time in the Silicon Valley, which has enabled me to establish many links in the San Francisco area, which I consider to be a bit like my second home.
I am the treasurer of the International World Wide Web Conference Committee (IW3C2).
I received the honour of Chevalier in the French Academic Palms order, July 14 2009 promotion.
I am retired since September 1st 2014 and I no longer have any function at the Ecole Centrale de Lyon. However, I continue to act at the Université de Lyon for the organization of events regarding the web. I also try to participate in actions to promote Lyon and its environment as a member of the ONLYLYON Ambassador’s Network.
I have been a member of the program committee of the BLEND Web mix conference in 2014 and 2015.
In my private life, I am a countrysider who loves walking and mountain hiking.
I am also a spelunker, unfortunately regarding my age, my practice decreases.
Due to my interest in the region where I live, I have been established in the companionship of the Compagnons du Beaujolais and in November 2017 I became a Maître compagnon as the co-founder of the Devoir of San Francisco with my friend Bebo White.
I am also a classical music lover and I played violin for a long while.
I am a member of the Board of the “Cultural Encounter Center of Ambronay” which organizes every year the festival of music of Ambronay mostly dedicated to baroque music.
An excerpt from the opening concert of the 2014 festival,
Amore Siciliano – Leonardo García Alarcón and the Cappella Mediterranea.
And the opening concert of the 2013 festival,
Vespro della Beata Vergine. Monteverdi (1610) – Leonardo García Alarcón, the Cappella Mediterranea and the Namur Chamber Choir.
