Therese Encrenaz

Prof. Therese Encrenaz  has played a leading role in the development of planetology in Europe. Her expertise covers the atmospheres of planets and comets (chemical composition, thermal structure), and the origin and evolution of solar system bodies.

She obtained her PhD (Thèse d’état) in 1975, after studies and research at the Ecole Normale Supérieure, the University of Paris, the Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Paris-Meudon Observatory. She has been the director of the LESIA Space Department (1992–2001) at the Observatoire de Paris. She is now Emeritus Director of  research at the French National Center for Scientific Research. She has played a leading role in the development of planetology in Europe.  In addition to her research, Prof. Encrenaz has performed leadership roles in several space missions, including as Mission Scientist for the Infrared Space Observatory and as co-investigator on missions such as Vega, Galileo, Mars Express, Venus Express, and Rosetta. She has widely disseminated planetary science to the general public by authoring over 20 popular science books.

She has been awarded several prestigious prizes for her outstanding contributions to the field of planetary science  through her pioneering techniques, as well as for enabling groundbreaking research through her leadership roles.