After careful consideration of applications from scientists from a wide range of backgrounds, COSPAR unveiled its selection, at its 45th Scientific Assembly held in July 2024, in Busan, South Korea.
Scientists who have made an outstanding contribution to space research and who work in one of the fields covered by COSPAR are rewarded.
Among them, Rosine Lallement was awarded the 2024 "For Space Science" medal.
Dr. Rosine Lallement is a renowned researcher at Observatoire de Paris - PSL, attached to the GEPI Laboratory (Galaxies, Stars, Physics and Instrumentation). She is also a foreign member of the US National Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Her research focuses on the analysis of the heliosphere and local interstellar medium, drawing on observations from space missions such as SOHO, Voyager, HST, GAIA, and many others.
In particular, she has studied the properties of hydrogen and helium entering the heliosphere, and mapped interstellar gas flows in the local interstellar medium, identifying the Local Interstellar Cloud as well as other clouds from their velocity vectors.
One of her landmark discoveries was to identify charge exchange reactions in the heliosphere as a major source of diffuse X-ray emission.
More recently, her work on the analysis of GAIA data has produced three-dimensional maps of the interstellar medium down to 3 kiloparsecs, based on the color excess and absorption of diffuse interstellar bands.
Her groundbreaking research on the heliosphere and surrounding interstellar medium has led to significant discoveries and the training of numerous students whom she has mentored over the years. Since 1984, she has published 207 articles in peer-reviewed journals, with an h-index of 59.
In addition to her academic contributions, Dr Lallement has enriched the scientific community by developing tools such as the TAPAS platform, which has become an essential support for researchers.
"Rosine Lallement’s arrival at Paris Observatory - PSL marked a major breakthrough in the study of the interstellar medium. She has shown how diffuse interstellar bands can be used to estimate the reddening of starlight caused by the interstellar medium. The 3D reddening maps, now available on several platforms, have become essential tools for the study of the Galaxy," stresses the management of her home laboratory, GEPI.
Dr. Rosine Lallement has been honoured with several prestigious distinctions :
- Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (2010)
- Officer of the National Order of Merit (2022)
- CNRS Silver Medal (2004)
- Prix CNES-Astrophysique et sciences spatiales de l’Académie des sciences (2021)
| COSPAR Awards COSPAR’s coveted awards are designed to encourage research in space science and exploration. Each year, COSPAR awards a number of medals and prizes, sometimes jointly with other space institutions or agencies. All scientists working in one of the fields covered by COSPAR are eligible for this award. Since 2018, the IAU has nominated a minor planet for each COSPAR award winner. For our winner, the minor planet number is : "Rosine Lallement (5447)". |