Rosaly Lopes

Rosaly Lopes
Born	Rosaly M. C. Lopes (1957-01-08)January 8, 1957 Rio de Janeiro
Other names	Rosaly M. C. Lopes-Gautier
Alma mater	University College, University of London
Awards	2005Carl Sagan Medal 2014 Lowell Thomas award fromThe Explorers Club AGUAmbassador Award (2018)
Scientific career
Fields	Planetary geologist, volcanologist
Institutions	Jet Propulsion Laboratory,NASA
Website	science.jpl.nasa.gov/people/Lopes

External videos
"Women at JPL – Rosaly Lopes, Planetary Geologist",Jet Propulsion Laboratory,NASA
"Through the Eyes of Scientists – Meet Rosaly Lopes",Jet Propulsion Laboratory,NASA

Rosaly M. C. Lopes(born January 8, 1957)is a planetary geologist,volcanologist,an author of numerous scientific papers and several books, as well as a proponent of education. Her major research interests are in planetary and terrestrial surface processes with an emphasis on volcanology.

Life and scientific career

Lopes was born inRio de Janeiro,Brazil, and in her early life, lived near the neighborhood ofIpanema.Inspired in part byNASA'sPoppy Northcutt,she moved to London in England in 1975 to studyastronomyat theUniversity of London.She graduated with honours inastronomyin 1978. During her final semester, she took a planetary science coursewithJohn Guest– and three weeks into the course,Mount Etnaexploded. Lopes decided to change her field of study to volcanoes, on earth and in space.

For her doctoral studies, she specialized in planetary geology and volcanology, completing her PhD in Planetary Science in 1986 with a thesis on comparing volcanic processes on Earth and Mars. During her PhD she travelled extensively to active volcanoesand became a member of the UK's Volcanic Eruption Surveillance Team. Her first experience of an active volcano was ofMount Etnain Sicily in 1979.

Lopes began her post doctorate career as the Curator of Modern Astronomy and Deputy Head of the Astronomy Section at theOld Royal Observatoryin Greenwich, UK. In 1989 she performed hazard mapping at theVesuvius ObservatoryinNaples, Italyas a Visiting Researcher.

She joined theJet Propulsion LaboratoryinPasadena, Californiaas aNational Research CouncilResident Research Associate in 1989 and, after two years, became a member of theGalileospacecraft project.She worked on the Near Infra-red Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) team planning and analyzing observations of Jupiter's volcanic moonIofrom 1996 to 2001.She discovered 71 volcanoes on Io that had never before been detected as active.

In 2002, she became Investigation Scientist on the RADAR Team supporting theSaturn-orbitingCassini spacecraft.She planned science observations of Saturn, its moons, and rings, and co-chaired the Cassini Satellites Orbiter Science Team from 2003 to 2010.Her main interest on Cassini is in Saturn's largest moonTitan.Thesynthetic aperture radardata from the RADAR instrument show that Titan has volcanic features, but not like silicate volcanism on the Earth or Io. Titan's flows and other volcanic features are likely the result of ice volcanism (cryovolcanism).

She has participated in several studies of future NASA and European Space Agency missions as a member of the science definition team, including missions to Saturn and Titan. She serves on several committees, including the Annual Program Committee of theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science(AAAS), and theAmerican Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences committee. She is the Chair of the Outer Planets group of theInternational Astronomical Union'sWorking Group for Planetary System Nomenclature.Her past committee experience includes theNational Academy of Sciences/National Research Council's Space Studies Board Committee to plan for NASA'sNew Frontiersmissions (2007–2008), the JPL Director's Advisory Committee for Women, the Committee for Minorities and Women in Geosciences of theGeological Society of America,and the Subcommittee on Diversity at theAmerican Geophysical Union.

Her awards include the Latinas in Science medal from theComisión Feminil Mexicana Nacionalin 1991, the 1997 Woman of the Year in Science and Technology Award from the Miami-based GEM television, the 2005Carl Sagan Medalfrom the American Astronomical Society, the 2006 Women at Work Award, the 2007NASA Exceptional Service Medal,and the 2014 Lowell Thomas award fromThe Explorers Club.She is a member of the International Astronomical Union, the American Geophysical Society, and aFellow of the AAAS,the Royal Geographical Society, and the Explorers Club.

Lopes has authored over 100 research papers, articles, book chapters and encyclopaedia entries. She has been active in the media, featured on numerous documentaries forDiscovery Channel,National Geographic Channel,History Channel,PBS,and onNightlineon American television, and has been interviewed by national and international media.

She has written seven books, includingVolcanic Worlds: Exploring the Solar System Volcanoes(Praxis-Springer, 2004),Io After Galileo: A New View of Jupiter's Volcanic Moon(Praxis-Springer, 2007), andAlien Volcanoes(Johns Hopkins Press, 2008).The Volcano Adventure Guide(Cambridge University Press, 2005) describes every volcano on the planetand how to behave around them, information that is essential for anyone wishing to visit or photograph active volcanoes.

You've got to know what you're doing around active volcanoes... I've come across people who are totally unprepared.

— Rosaly Lopes

Other work and interests

Lopes is a supporter of education, diversity, and outreach both nationally and internationally. She has given public lectures in several countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas and was the co-organizer of the United Nations/European Space Agency/The Planetary Society workshops in 1992 and 1993. In 2005, she was awarded theCarl Sagan Medalby theDivision for Planetary Sciencesof theAmerican Astronomical Society,in recognition of her efforts in public education, particularly among Hispanic groups and young women.This work includes talks, interviews, articles, a book on planetary volcanism, and efforts to nurture and mentor young scientists. Her hobbies include scuba diving, hiking, visiting volcanoes, and collecting volcano art.

Selected bibliography

• Lopes-Gautier, Rosaly (2000). "Volcanism on Io". In Haraldur Sigurdsson; Bruce Houghton; Hazel Rymer; John Stix; Steve McNutt (eds.).Encyclopedia of Volcanoes.San Diego, CA:Academic Press.pp. 709–726.ISBN978-0-12-643140-7.
• Lopes, Rosaly M.C.; Gregg, Tracy K.P. (2004).Volcanic Worlds: Exploring The Solar System's Volcanoes.Springer/ Praxis. p. 236.ISBN3-540-00431-9.
• Lopes, Rosaly M.C. (2005).The Volcano Adventure Guide.Cambridge University Press.pp.362.ISBN0-521-55453-5.
• Lopes, Rosaly M.C.; Spencer, John R. (2006).Io After Galileo: A New View of Jupiter's Volcanic Moon.Springer/ Praxis. p. 342.ISBN3-540-34681-3.
• Lopes, Rosaly M.C.; Carroll, Michael (2008).Alien Volcanoes.Johns Hopkins University Press.pp.152.ISBN978-0-8018-8673-7.
• Lopes, Rosaly (2011).Volcanoes: A Beginner's Guide.Oneworld Publications.p. 168.ISBN978-1-8516-8725-1.
• Lopes, Rosaly M. C.; Fagents, Sarah A; Gregg, Tracy K. P. (2013).Modeling Volcanic Processes: The Physics and Mathematics of Volcanism.Cambridge University Press.p. 431.ISBN978-0-5218-9543-9.
• Lopes, Rosaly; Carroll, Michael (2013).Alien Seas: Oceans in Space.Springer. p. 200.ISBN978-1-4614-7472-2.

Selected media

Selected documentaries and TV shows include:

• History Channel's "Prehistoric Megastorms" (2008);
• "Heads Up" Science Series, Knowledge TV, Canada, episode on New Horizons (January 2008);
• History Channel's "Search for E.T.", in "The Universe" series (August 2007);
• PBS "Wired Science" interview on volcanoes (October 2007);
• Discovery Channel's "Titan: Rendezvous with Saturn's Moon" (updated version, May 2007);
• National Geographic Television's "Naked Science: Deadliest Planets" (December 2006);
• History Channel's "Ask Mr. Know-It-All", pilot episode (as expert on volcanic dust), 2006;
• History Channel's "Inside the Volcano" (December 2006);
• Discovery Channel's "Rewind 2006" (science stories of 2006, December 2006);
• National Geographic Television's "Hollywood Science: Forces of Nature" (April 2006);
• Nightline's "Galileo" (September 2003);
• Discovery Channel's "Planet Storm" (2001);
• Discovery Channel's "95 Worlds and Counting" (2001)