Paul-Henri Rebut started fusion research with the CEA in 1958 after studying physics at L'Ecole Polyechnique, Paris and L'Ecole des Poudres.

From 1970 to 1973 he was involved with the design, construction and operation of the French TFR tokamak.

In 1973 he was appointed Head of the Design Team of the JET Joint Undertaking based at the Culham Laboratory near Oxford. In this capacity he made an outstanding contribution to the design of JET - the largest and most powerful fusion experiment in the world to date.

In 1979 he was appointed Deputy Director of JET with special responsibility for the construction, operation and development programme for JET. He was appointed Director of the JET Joint Undertaking in September 1985. Under his direction JET made a major contribution to fusion research, including the first demonstration in November 1991 of a significant amount of fusion power from a magnetically confined thermonuclear plasma.

From 1992-1994 he was Director of the ITER Design Activities, based in San Diego USA.

He was awarded the Chevalier a L'Ordre du Merite in 1978 and in 1984, by the decree of the French President, he was awarded the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur.