Bertrand Piccard

Bertrand Piccard was born on March 1st, 1958, in Lausanne, Switzerland, into a family renowned for their contributions to exploration and science. His grandfather was a pioneer of stratospheric exploration, and his father achieved the record for the deepest ocean dive. With such a lineage, Piccard was seemingly destined to continue this legacy of adventure. A father of three, Piccard is not only a scientist-adventurer but also a psychiatrist and aeronaut, skillfully merging science with exploration to delve into the depths of human psychology.

Following his education in classical studies and medicine at the University of Lausanne, where he specialized in psychiatry and psychotherapy, Piccard focused his doctoral research on educational psychology, earning accolades for his thesis. His expertise in hypnotherapy has led him to serve as a lecturer and supervisor for the Swiss Medical Hypnosis Society. His early interests in flight led him to become a European hang-glider aerobatics champion in 1985 and later a skilled balloon pilot. In 1992, alongside Wim Verstraeten, he won the Chrysler Challenge, a transatlantic balloon race, which set the stage for his later achievements in aeronautics.

Piccard's visionary project, Breitling Orbiter, culminated in 1999 with the first non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by balloon, covering 45,755 kilometers in 19 days. This historic flight earned him and his co-pilot, Brian Jones, numerous awards, including the Olympic Order and the gold medal of the French Ministry of Youth and Sports. His humanitarian efforts through the "Winds of Hope" foundation, which he established with his Breitling Orbiter co-pilot and sponsors, aim to alleviate the suffering caused by diseases such as Noma, in partnership with global organizations like WHO.

An honorary professor and recipient of multiple doctoral degrees, Piccard has been recognized widely, including being knighted with the Légion d'Honneur and receiving awards from the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques de l'Institut de France. His groundbreaking work led him to serve as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations and the founder of the Solar Impulse Foundation, which champions sustainable technologies.

In 2016, Piccard accomplished another historic feat by piloting "Solar Impulse," the first solar-powered airplane to circumnavigate the globe without fuel, emphasizing the potential of clean technology in sustainable development. This endeavor, supported by the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology, highlighted his commitment to leveraging high technology for ecological solutions.

Piccard's autobiographical works, including "Around the World in 20 Days: The Story of Our History-Making Balloon Flight," detail his explorations and have been widely acclaimed. As a speaker, he frequently discusses themes such as the psychology of communication, crisis management, and the synergy between human potential and technology, utilizing his experiences to inspire innovation and team spirit across various audiences worldwide.

Through his diverse roles as a psychiatrist, aeronaut, and explorer, Piccard continues to advance the dialogue on sustainable practices and innovation, demonstrating that adventure and scientific inquiry can profoundly impact our approach to environmental and technological challenges.