Born in Bucharest and of Greek origin, he studied physics and mathematics in Paris and Leipzig, later becoming a professor at the University of Bucharest and, in 1879, a member of the Romanian Academy. Considered to be the founder of many scientific and technological fields in Romania (and aiding in the creation of the Romanian Athenaeum), Bacaloglu was also an accomplished scientist. He helped create Romanian-language terminology in his fields and was one of the principal founders of the Society of Physical Sciences in 1890.