Catherine Cesarsky
Catherine J. Cesarsky | |
|---|---|
 Catherine J. Cesarsky
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| Born |
24 February 1943
Ambazac, France
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| Nationality | French |
| Alma mater |
University of Buenos Aires Harvard University |
| Known for | Designing the ISOCAM camera on board the Infrared Space Observatory |
| Awards | COSPAR Space Science Award (1998) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomer |
| Institutions |
European Southern Observatory Germany |
| Thesis | Interactions of Cosmic Rays with Hydromagnetic Waves in the Galaxy (1971) |
Catherine Jeanne Cesarsky (born Catherine Jeanne Gattegno on 24 February 1943) is an Argentine and French astronomer, known for her successful research activities in several central areas of modern astrophysics. She was formerly president of the International Astronomical Union (2006-2009) and the director general of the European Southern Observatory (1999–2007). In 2017 she became Chairman of the Board of the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project.
Education
Born in France, Catherine Cesarsky was largely raised in Argentina and she received a degree in physical sciences at the University of Buenos Aires. She graduated with a PhD in astronomy in 1971 from Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass., USA). Her thesis focused on the propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy and was advised by physicist Russell Kulsrud.
Career
- After obtaining her PhD, Dr. Cesarsky was awarded a postdoctoral research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology for three years, where she worked with Peter Goldreich.
- In 1974, she moved to France, becoming a staff member of the Service d'Astrophysique, Direction des Sciences de la Matière, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, and she established her further career in France. From 1985 to 1993, she was the head of the Service d'Astrophysique. Later, as Director of Direction des Sciences de la Matière from 1994 to 1999, she led about 3000 scientists, engineers and technicians active within a broad spectrum of basic research programmes in physics, chemistry, astrophysics and earth sciences. From 1999 to 2007, she was the Director General of the European Southern Observatory; she was thus responsible for the end of construction of the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and its instruments and for the operations, for the conclusion of the agreements and the first part of the construction of Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), and she launched the studies for the European Extremely Large Telescope. At present, she is the High Commissioner for Atomic Energy in France, advisor to the French government for science and energy issues. She chairs the Science Program Committee of the French space agency, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, and the Consultative Committee European Atomic Energy Community - Fusion.
- From August 2006 to August 2009, she was President of the International Astronomical Union. She is recipient of the 1998 COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Space Science Award, member or Foreign member of various Academies (French Académie des Sciences, Academia Europaea, International Academy of Astronautics, National Academy of Sciences USA, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Royal Society of London), and Doctor Honoris Causa from the Geneva University. Catherine Cesarsky is Commandeur de l’Ordre national du Mérite and Commandeur de l’Ordre de la Légion d’honneur.
Research
- Dr. Cesarsky is known for her research activities in several central areas of modern astrophysics. The first part of her career was devoted to the high-energy domain. This has involved studies of the propagation and composition of galactic cosmic rays, of matter and fields in the diffuse interstellar medium, as well as the acceleration of particles in astrophysical shocks, e.g. in connection with supernovae.
- She then turned to infrared astronomy. She was the principal investigator of the camera on board the Infrared Space Observatory of the European Space Agency, which flew between 1995 and 1998. As such, she has led the central programme, which studied the infrared emission from a variety of galactic and extragalactic sources and which has yielded new and exciting results on star formation and galactic evolution. These studies were consolidated and refined via further observations with the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope (ESO VLT), and the Spitzer Space Telescope and Herschel Space Observatory.
Awards and distinctions
- Recipient of the 1998 Committee on Space Research Space Sciences Award.
- Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite (1989)
- Officier de l'Ordre national du Mérite (1999).
- Officier de la Légion d'Honneur (2004).
- Commandeur de l'Ordre national du Mérite (2008)
- Chevalier / Commandeur / Grand Officier de la Légion d'Honneur (1994 / 2011 / 2018)
- Member of the French Academy of Sciences (2007)
- Member of the Academia Europaea
- Member of the International Academy of Astronautics
- Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2005)
- Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
- Foreign Member of the Royal Society of London (2005)
- Prix Jules Janssen of the Société astronomique de France (French Astronomical Society) (2009)
- 2010 Doctorate Honoris Causa University of Geneva
- 2020 Tate medal assigned by American Institute of Physics every two years to non-US citizens for their leadership