The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has announced the winners of its 2026 awards, which each year recognise scientists for their outstanding contributions to Earth and space sciences, as well as to science education, communication and outreach.
Athéna Coustenis, a planetary scientist at the Laboratory for Instrumentation and Research in Astrophysics (LIRA) at the Paris Observatory – PSL, is among the scientists honoured this year.
Athéna Coustenis will receive the Charles A. Whitten Medal, awarded every two years by the AGU to an experienced scientist for outstanding work on the shape and dynamics of the Earth and the planets.
This medal recognises research in planetary sciences, geodesy, geophysics, seismology and tectonophysics, amongst other fields. It adds to a long list of international honours and accolades.
| The awards ceremony will take place during the AGU Annual Meeting, to be held in San Francisco from 7 to 11 December 2026. |