EUGÈNE CANU'S WORK ON COPEPODS Eugène Canu was born on 11 September 1864 at Trith-Saint-Leger, close to Valenciennes, in the North of France. Eugène Canu made many contributions to copepod research in the late 19th century. In 1888 Giard, Canu's mentor, was recruited as assistant professor at the prestigious I Ecole Normale Supérieure i in Paris, and Canu continued his studies there under Giard. Pioneers of plankton research: Eugène Canu (1864-1952).