NOAA Scientist Receives French Legion of Honor Award
High Resolution (Credit: NOAA)
During a Paris ceremony today, NOAA senior scientist Susan Solomon, Ph.D., became a knight 'chevalier' of the Legion of Honor by the French Republic.
Solomon, a senior scientist at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colo., was honored for her scientific achievements, including pioneering research that helped explain the cause of the ozone hole and her leadership as co-chair of Working Group 1 for the last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report.
“This is a very prestigious international recognition of the talent and scientific skill of one of NOAA’s best scientists,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “While this is a major personal achievement for Dr. Solomon, we at NOAA also take immense pride in her accomplishment.”
The Legion of Honor was created by Napoleon in 1802 to acknowledge services rendered to France by persons of great merit. In addition to her scientific achievements, Solomon is also being recognized her “contribution to the advancement of the relationship between France and the United States.”
“Sharing scientific information across nations is truly one of the best parts of being a scientist,” said Solomon. “I consider myself very lucky indeed to have had the chance to work with exceptional French scientists. It’s very humbling to be honored in this way.”
Solomon’s other international honors include being named a Foreign Member of United Kingdom’s The Royal Society. The Royal Society is an independent academy promoting the natural and applied sciences. In 2002, she was elected co-chair of Working Group 1 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that published “The Physical Science Basis” in 2007. The IPCC was a co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize that year.
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