 In July 17, 1871, he presented Zénobe Gramme's invention of the electrical engine to the French Academy of Sciences.In 1868, he joined the French Academy of Sciences and in the same year he created and headed the Physical Research Laboratory funded by the École pratique des hautes études of which he was also the principal of the studies division.In 1886, he handed off the title of Director of the Physical Research Laboratory to Gabriel Lippmann.