Françoise Combes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Françoise Combes
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| Born | 12 August 1952 |
| Nationality | French |
| Alma mater |
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| Awards | CNRS Gold medal, L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astrophysics |
| Institutions | Observatoire de Paris |
| Doctoral students | Fabienne Casoli |
Françoise Combes (born August 12, 1952) is a famous French astrophysicist. She works at the Paris Observatory and is a professor at the Collège de France. Since 2014, she has led the Galaxies and Cosmology department there.
In 2017, a school in Montpellier, France, was named 'High school Françoise Combes' in her honor.
Contents
Françoise Combes's Education
Françoise Combes studied at a top school called the École normale supérieure from 1971 to 1975. In 1975, she earned a special teaching degree called the Agrégation. She also got her PhD in Physics from Paris Diderot University. Her PhD work focused on how galaxies move and are built.
Exploring the Universe: Her Research
Françoise Combes's research helps us understand how galaxies form and change over time. She looks at how galaxies move and interact with each other. She also studies their shapes, like spiral and barred structures.
She uses both observations from telescopes and computer simulations to do her work. She has also studied the gas and dust between stars, called the interstellar medium. This molecular gas is very important because it's where new stars are born. She looks for this gas in nearby galaxies, like Andromeda, and in very distant ones.
Understanding Dark Matter
Françoise Combes has also worked on dark matter. Dark matter is a mysterious substance that scientists believe makes up a big part of the universe. We can't see it, but we know it's there because of how it affects galaxies.
She has explored different ideas about what dark matter could be. She even worked on a model that suggests some dark matter might be in the form of cold molecular gas. This is a way to explain some of the "missing" matter in the universe.
Awards and Special Honors
Françoise Combes has received many important awards for her work. These awards show how much her contributions to science are valued.
- 2023: Oort lecture prize
- 2023: Became an international member of the US Academy of Sciences (NAS)
- 2022: Nick Kylafis Lectureship
- 2022: Karl Jansky Lecturer
- 2021: L'Oréal-UNESCO International Prize for Women in Science
- 2021: Became a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society
- 2020: Received the Gold Medal of the CNRS (a top French science award)
- 2019: Commander of the National Order of Merit
- 2017: The school City of Success of Montpellier was renamed High school Françoise Combes
- 2017: Prix Jules Janssen from the French Astronomical Society
- 2017: Lise Meitner Prize
- 2017: Honorary member of the American Astronomical Society
- 2015: Officer of the French Legion of Honour
- 2013: R.M. Petrie Prize
- 2013: Honorary Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
- 2012: Prix des Trois Physiciens
- 2009: Officer of the National Order of Merit
- 2009: Member of the Academia Europaea
- 2009: Tycho Brahe Prize of the European Astronomical Society
- 2006: Knight of the French Legion of Honour
- 2004: Member of the French Academy of Sciences
- 2001: Silver Medal of the CNRS
- 1986: IBM physics prize
Books and Publications
Françoise Combes has written over a thousand scientific articles. She has also written and contributed to many books about astrophysics. Some of her English books include:
- Active Galactic Nuclei, 2022
- Active Galactic Nuclei: fueling and feedback, 2021
- Galaxies, 2021
- The Milky Way (with James Lequeux), 2016
- Mysteries Of Galaxy Formation, 2010
- The Cold Universe Saas-Fee Advanced Course, 2004
- Galaxies and Cosmology (with Patrick Boissé), 2004
See also
In Spanish: Françoise Combes para niños
