Jean Dominique Cassini Medal & EGU Honorary Membership 2006

The Finnish scientist Risto Pellinen has won the prestigious EGU Jean Dominique Cassini Medal & Honorary Membership 2006 for his outstanding contribution to the study of atmospheres, ionospheres and magnetospheres of Earthlike planets, and for his central role in Europe in the promotion of the exploration of their surfaces using planetary landers.

The Jean Dominique Cassini Medal & Honorary Membership of the EGU, form one of the three equally-ranked most prestigious awards made by the Union, and they are reserved for scientists who have achieved exceptional international standing in planetary and space sciences, defined in their widest senses, for their merit and their scientific achievements.

Professor Pellinen is director of Science in Space Research at the Finnish Meteorological Institute and is also the chairman of Europe's Science Program Committee. He is a past chairman of IMEWG: the International Mars Exploration Working Group.

Medal Lecture

Risto Pellinen will accept his medal and give his Medal lecture during the EGU General Assembly, to be held in Vienna, Austria from 2 – 7 April 2006. The Lecture: 'From the Earth’s ionosphere to the Martian atmosphere - 33 exciting years in the Solar System science' starts at Wednesday, 5 April 2006, 17:40 h, lecture room D.

More information: http://www.copernicus.org/EGU/awards/jean_dominique_cassini_overview.html