Catherine Jeanne Cesarsky(born Catherine Jeanne Gattegno on 24 February 1943) is an Argentine and French astronomer, known for her research activities inastrophysicsand for her leadership inastronomyandatomic energy.She is the current chairperson of theSquare Kilometre Array's governing body, SKAO Council.[2]She was the first female president of theInternational Astronomical Union(2006-2009)[3][4]and the first female director general of theEuropean Southern Observatory(1999-2007).[5][6]
Catherine J. Cesarsky | |
|---|---|
 Catherine J. Cesarsky | |
| Born | 24 February 1943 Ambazac,France |
| Nationality | Argentinian–French |
| Alma mater | University of Buenos Aires Harvard University[1] |
| Known for | Designing the ISOCAM camera on board theInfrared Space Observatory |
| Awards | COSPARSpace Science Award (1998) Prix Jules Janssen(2009) Tate medal (2020) Fritz Zwicky Prize(2024) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomer |
| Institutions | SKAO Council;
European Southern Observatory Germany |
| Thesis | Interactions of Cosmic Rays with Hydromagnetic Waves in the Galaxy(1971) |
Education
editBorn in France, Catherine Cesarsky was largely raised in Argentina and she received a degree in physical sciences at theUniversity of Buenos Aires.She graduated with a PhD in astronomy in 1971 fromHarvard University(Cambridge, Mass., USA). Her thesis focused on the propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy and was advised by physicistRussell Kulsrud.[7]
Career
editAfter obtaining her PhD, Dr. Cesarsky was awarded a postdoctoral research fellowship at theCalifornia Institute of Technologyfor three years, where she worked withPeter Goldreich.[7]
In 1974, she moved to France, becoming a staff member of the Service d'Astrophysique,[8]Direction des Sciences de la Matière,[9]Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique,[10]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 theEuropean Southern Observatory;she was thus responsible for the end of construction of theVery Large Telescope(VLT)[clarification needed]and its instruments and for the operations, for the conclusion of the agreements and the first part of the construction ofAtacama Large Millimeter Array(ALMA),[clarification needed]and she launched the studies for theEuropean Extremely Large Telescope.
She was theHigh Commissioner for Atomic Energyin France from 2009 to 2012 and remains a scientific advisor to the French government for science and energy issues.[5]She chairs the Science Program Committee of the French space agency,Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales,[5]and the Consultative Committee for the Fusion Programme of theEuropean Atomic Energy Community(CCE-FU).[11]
From August 2006 to August 2009, she was President of theInternational Astronomical Union,the first woman to hold the position.[3][4]She became chairman of the board of theSquare Kilometre ArrayOrganisation in 2017 and took on the post of chairperson of its successor governing body, SKAO Council, in 2021.[5]
Research
editDr. 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 theInfrared Space Observatoryof theEuropean 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 theEuropean Southern ObservatoryVery Large Telescope(ESO VLT), and theSpitzer Space TelescopeandHerschel Space Observatory.
Awards and distinctions
editThis section of abiography of a living personneeds additionalcitationsforverification.(January 2010) |
Cesarsky is a Member of theAcademia Europaea,[5]theInternational Academy of Astronautics,[12]and a Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. In 2010, she received an honorary degree from theUniversity of Geneva.Other awards and honours include:
- 1989 – Chevalier of theOrdre National du Mérite
- 1994 – Chevalier of theLégion d'Honneur[13]
- 1998 – Recipient of theCommittee on Space ResearchSpace Sciences Award[14]
- 1999 – Officier of the Ordre national du Mérite[15]
- 2004 – Officier of the Légion d'Honneur[16]
- 2005 – Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America[17]
- 2005 – Foreign Member of theRoyal Societyof London (2005)[18]
- 2007 – Member of theFrench Academy of Sciences[19]
- 2008 – Commandeur of the Ordre national du Mérite[20]
- 2009 –Prix Jules Janssenof theSociété astronomique de France
- 2011 – Commandeur of the Légion d'Honneur[13]
- 2018 – Grand Officier of the Légion d'Honneur[13]
- 2020 – Tate medal awarded by theAmerican Institute of Physicsevery two years to non-US citizens for their leadership[21]
- 2024 –Fritz Zwicky Prize for Astrophysics and Cosmology
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Dr. Catherine Cesarsky".Retrieved27 June2017.
- ^"SKAO Council | SKAO".www.skao.int.Retrieved28 January2024.
- ^ab"Catherine Cesarsky elected president of the International Astronomical Union"(Press release). International Astronomical Union. 28 August 2006.
- ^ab"International Astronomical Union | IAU".www.iau.org.Retrieved28 January2024.
- ^abcde[email protected]."Dr. Catherine Cesarsky".www.eso.org.Retrieved28 January2024.
- ^[email protected]."Past ESO Directors General".www.eso.org.Retrieved28 January2024.
- ^abSzemenyei, István (2009).12 Scientists on the 21st Century.Tinta Publishing House. pp. 37–48.ISBN978-963-9902-33-6.
- ^"Département d'Astrophysique".irfu.cea.fr.
- ^"Redirection vers ceasciences.fr dans 5 sec".www-dsm.cea.fr.Archived fromthe originalon 14 January 2012.Retrieved5 April2012.
- ^"Welcome".CEA/English Portal.19 October 2013.
- ^"Donato Palumbo (1921-2011), a fusion visionary".www.iter.org.Retrieved28 January2024.
- ^"International Academy of Astronautics".iaaweb.org.Retrieved25 January2020.
- ^abc"Catherine Cesarsky, élevée à la dignité de grand officier dans l'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur | Membres à la une | Membres | Nous connaître".www.academie-sciences.fr.Retrieved25 January2020.
- ^"Institut de France, Académie des sciences"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 10 June 2015.Retrieved5 April2012.
- ^Décret du 16 mai 2008 paru auJournal officielde la République française du 17 mai 2008.
- ^Décret du 31 décembre 2010 portant promotion paru auJournal officielde la République française du 1 janvier 2011.
- ^"Catherine Cesarsky Elected Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences".www.eso.org(in Spanish).Retrieved25 January2020.
- ^"Catherine Cesarsky | Royal Society".royalsociety.org.Retrieved25 January2020.
- ^"Catherine Cesarsky | Liste des membres de l'Académie des sciences / C | Listes par ordre alphabétique | Listes des membres | Membres | Nous connaître".www.academie-sciences.fr.Retrieved25 January2020.
- ^Décret du 16 mai 2008 portant promotion et nomination,retrieved25 January2020
- ^"Catherine Cesarsky to Receive AIP's 2020 Tate Award for International Leadership in Physics".Archivedfrom the original on 22 December 2020.Retrieved22 December2020.
External links
edit
Media related toCatherine Cesarskyat Wikimedia Commons
