Duhamel De Monceau (Born 1700) was a French botanist, naval engineer and physician. He died in 1782 in Paris. He was the son of lord of Denainvilliers, Mr. Alexandre Duhamel. In his youth De Monceau developed a passion for botany, but from 1718 to 1721 he studied law as his father wished. He inherited his father’s large estate, and expanded it into a model farm. This is where he developed and tested new methods of forestry, agriculture and horticulture. He published the results of this work in numerous publications. In 1728, he was commissioned by the French Academy of Sciences and he investigated the cultivation of saffron in Gâtinais. The following years saw him continuing to investigate the physiological problems of crops. In collaboration with Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon, De Monceau also investigated growth of the trees.
From 1740 onwards, he focused mainly on meteorological problems, particularly the impact of meteorological problems on agricultural production. De Monceau was nominated to the French Academy of Sciences in 1738, and served 3 times as the president the French Academy of Sciences. In 1739 he the Marine appointed Inspector-General of, and he got the opportunity to carry out scientific studies of the paramedical and fair of sailors, the conservation of wood, shipbuilding, etc. At the age of 41, De Monceau co-founded the school of Marine science. Twenty four years after this school was formed, it became the School of Engineer Builders (Ecole des Ingénieurs-Constructeurs). De Monceau was also the forerunner of the modern school of Maritime Engineering.
