It is my great pleasure to introduce Fabrice Gaillard as the 2021 recipient of the Science Innovation Award of the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG). Let me first acknowledge the colleagues who contributed to the nomination letter of Fabrice: Rajdeep Dasgupta, Craig E. Manning, Max W. Schmidt and François Holtz. They did really a clever job in nominating Fabrice for this award.The first time, I met Fabrice Gaillard it was on the beginning of this century. He was a PhD candidate at ISTO in Orléans. He was studying iron oxidation in hydrous silicate melts. Tackling the mechanisms and kinetics of the oxidation process and thermodynamic equilibrium of the melts. It was among the first times that hydrogen and iron were simultaneously considered in the control of the redox of melts. It was already possible, at this time, to identify the qualities of Fabrice that became later the trademark of all his achievements: Inventiveness, quality of the experiments and use of multi-disciplinary approaches. Most of Fabrice’s studies combine collection of experimental data, theoretical simulation and direct applications to natural cases.Fabrice's experimental research has always been characterized by innovation with clever design and execution, but also associated with a strong interest in understanding of the physical microscopic mechanisms, which are at the origin of the properties he measures. This approach is extremely powerful, it gives high confidence in the extrapolation to natural conditions.During his early career, Fabrice has developed a strong international recognition for his experiments on oxidation and conductivity. Today, he is one of the references in Europe on conductivity measurements in melts and he is frequently solicited as reviewer for papers in this field.A major trend of Fabrice personality is his ability to think in terms of global perspectives. His design of experiments provides solutions to a wide range of important geochemical issues. It includes various reservoirs of terrestrial planets (mantles, crusts and atmospheres). Fabrice gives high priority to understand the microscopic origin of mechanisms and to model them carefully, but he never forgets the big picture. He is able to assess impacts both at regional and planetary scale. Fabrice carefully integrates scale changes and its inherent averaging effects.I would like to list some examples of his pioneering contributions to the discipline, in order to illustrate the wide range of questions tackled:- modelling of transport and degassing of sulfur species in melts from Earth and Mars; - development of a new model for the melting and the formation of granites in Tibet;- recognition of the fundamental role of carbonatite melts in the conductivity and seismic anomalies in the Earth asthenosphere and lithosphere;- identification of the role of assimilation of organic matter and sediment in the production of Siberian Traps, this later in collaboration with his wife Iacono-Marziano.The variety of questions addressed by Fabrice in the last ten years is impressive. Fabrice addressed subjects such as: atmosphere in exoplanets, planetary habitability, Earth’s accretion, early-Earth atmosphere, growth of continental crusts, origin of kimberlites, redox state of magmas, carbon cycle, melts viscosity, ore deposit, magma-crust interaction, melt immiscibility. I stop here, the list is already astonishing…There is another dimension of Fabrice character that should be mentioned. His natural ability for kind and efficient leadership and mentoring. He has accreted around him many young bright scientists and has largely supported them to reach independence and recognition. This says a lot on his qualities as a leader and as a scientist.Based on all the above, you can already identify in Fabrice Gaillard the direct filiation with the approach followed by Ringwood. To my knowledge, this is the first award received by Fabrice and I am delighted it is the Science Innovation Award of EAG, which is associated with the name of the great Ringwood. It fits so well to you Fabrice, congratulations!