Rosaly Lopes
Encyclopedia
Dr. Rosaly M. C. Lopes-Gautier (born January 1957 Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
) is a prominent planetary geologist
, volcanologist
, the author
of numerous scientific papers and several books, as well as a great proponent of education. Her major research interests are in planetary and terrestrial surface processes with an emphasis on volcanology.
, England
, in 1975 to study astronomy
at the University of London
, from where she graduated with honors in astronomy
in 1978. For her doctoral studies, she specialized in planetary geology and volcanology and completed her Ph.D.
in Planetary Science in 1986 with a thesis on comparing volcanic processes on Earth and Mars. During her Ph.D. she traveled extensively to active volcanoes, particularly Mount Etna
in Sicily, and became a member of the UK's Volcanic Eruption Surveillance Team. Lopes began her post doctorate career as the Curator of Modern Astronomy and Deputy Head of the Astronomy Section at the Old Royal Observatory
in Greenwich, UK. In 1989 she performed hazard mapping at the Vesuvius Observatory in Italy as a Visiting Researcher at Osservatorio Vesuviano
, Naples.
She joined JPL as National Research Council Resident Research Associate in 1989 and, after 2 years, became a member of the Galileo Flight project. Lopes worked on the Near Infra-red Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) team planning and analyzing of observations of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io
from 1996 to 2001. During this exciting period of her career, she discovered 71 volcanoes on Io that had never before been detected as active. In 2002, Lopes became Investigation Scientist on the Cassini RADAR Team. She plans science observations of Saturn, its moons, and rings and co-chairs the Cassini Satellites Orbiter Science Team. Her main interest on Cassini is on Saturn's largest moon Titan
. The Synthetic Aperture (SAR) data from the RADAR instrument show that Titan has volcanic features, but not like silicate volcanism on the Earth or Io. Titan's flows and other volcanic features are likely the result of ice volcanism (cryovolcanism).
She has participated on several studies of future NASA and ESA missions as a member of the science definition team, including missions to Saturn and Titan. She serves on several committees, including the Annual Program Committee of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences committee. She is currently the Chair of the Outer Planets group of the International Astronomical Union's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature. Her past committee experience includes the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council’s Space Studies Board Committee to study the next announcement of opportunity (AO) for NASA’s New Frontiers missions (2007–2008), the JPL Director's Advisory Committee for Women, the Committee for Minorities and Women in Geosciences of the Geological Society of America and the Subcommittee on Diversity at the American Geophysical Union.
Her awards include the Latinas in Science medal from the Commission Feminil Mexicana Nacional in 1991, the 1997 Woman of the Year in Science and Technology Award from the Miami-based GEM television, the 2006 Women at Work Award, the 2007 NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and the 2005 Carl Sagan Medal from the American Astronomical Society. She is a member of the International Astronomical Union, the American Geophysical Society, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Royal Geographical Society, and the Explorers Club.
Lopes has written many research papers, articles, book chapters and encyclopedia entries. She has been active in the media, featured on numerous documentaries for Discovery channel, National Geographic, History Channel, PBS, and on Nightline, and interviewed by a variety of national and international media. She has written four books, The Volcano Adventure Guide (Cambridge University Press, 2005), Volcanic Worlds: Exploring the Solar System Volcanoes (Praxis-Springer, 2004), Io After Galileo: A New View of Jupiter's Volcanic Moon (Praxis-Springer, 2007), and "Alien Volcanoes" (Johns Hopkins Press, 2008).
by the Division for Planetary Sciences
of the American Astronomical Society
, in recognition of her significant efforts over the past 20 years in public outreach and education, particularly among Hispanic groups and young women. This work includes innumerable public talks, media interviews, articles in magazines and newspapers, a book on planetary volcanism, and major efforts to nurture and mentor young scientists. Her hobbies include scuba diving, hiking, traveling to volcanoes all over the world, and collecting volcano art.
Selected documentaries and TV shows:
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) is a prominent planetary geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
, volcanologist
Volcanologist
A volcanologist is a person who studies the formation of volcanoes, and their current and historic eruptions. Volcanologists frequently visit volcanoes, especially active ones, to observe volcanic eruptions, collect eruptive products including tephra , rock and lava samples...
, the author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of numerous scientific papers and several books, as well as a great proponent of education. Her major research interests are in planetary and terrestrial surface processes with an emphasis on volcanology.
Life and scientific career
Early in life, Lopes lived near the famous Ipanema Beach. She moved to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1975 to study astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, from where she graduated with honors in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
in 1978. For her doctoral studies, she specialized in planetary geology and volcanology and completed her Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Planetary Science in 1986 with a thesis on comparing volcanic processes on Earth and Mars. During her Ph.D. she traveled extensively to active volcanoes, particularly Mount Etna
Mount Etna
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe, currently standing high, though this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21 m higher than it was in 1981.. It is the highest mountain in...
in Sicily, and became a member of the UK's Volcanic Eruption Surveillance Team. Lopes began her post doctorate career as the Curator of Modern Astronomy and Deputy Head of the Astronomy Section at the Old Royal Observatory
Royal Observatory, Greenwich
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich , in London, England played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known as the location of the prime meridian...
in Greenwich, UK. In 1989 she performed hazard mapping at the Vesuvius Observatory in Italy as a Visiting Researcher at Osservatorio Vesuviano
Vesuvius Observatory
The Vesuvius Observatory is the surveillance centre for monitoring the three volcanoes which threaten the Campanian region of Italy: Mount Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei and Ischia. Founded in 1841 on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius , it is the oldest volcanology institute in the world....
, Naples.
She joined JPL as National Research Council Resident Research Associate in 1989 and, after 2 years, became a member of the Galileo Flight project. Lopes worked on the Near Infra-red Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) team planning and analyzing of observations of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io
Io (moon)
Io ) is the innermost of the four Galilean moons of the planet Jupiter and, with a diameter of , the fourth-largest moon in the Solar System. It was named after the mythological character of Io, a priestess of Hera who became one of the lovers of Zeus....
from 1996 to 2001. During this exciting period of her career, she discovered 71 volcanoes on Io that had never before been detected as active. In 2002, Lopes became Investigation Scientist on the Cassini RADAR Team. She plans science observations of Saturn, its moons, and rings and co-chairs the Cassini Satellites Orbiter Science Team. Her main interest on Cassini is on Saturn's largest moon Titan
Titan (moon)
Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
. The Synthetic Aperture (SAR) data from the RADAR instrument show that Titan has volcanic features, but not like silicate volcanism on the Earth or Io. Titan's flows and other volcanic features are likely the result of ice volcanism (cryovolcanism).
She has participated on several studies of future NASA and ESA missions as a member of the science definition team, including missions to Saturn and Titan. She serves on several committees, including the Annual Program Committee of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences committee. She is currently the Chair of the Outer Planets group of the International Astronomical Union's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature. Her past committee experience includes the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council’s Space Studies Board Committee to study the next announcement of opportunity (AO) for NASA’s New Frontiers missions (2007–2008), the JPL Director's Advisory Committee for Women, the Committee for Minorities and Women in Geosciences of the Geological Society of America and the Subcommittee on Diversity at the American Geophysical Union.
Her awards include the Latinas in Science medal from the Commission Feminil Mexicana Nacional in 1991, the 1997 Woman of the Year in Science and Technology Award from the Miami-based GEM television, the 2006 Women at Work Award, the 2007 NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and the 2005 Carl Sagan Medal from the American Astronomical Society. She is a member of the International Astronomical Union, the American Geophysical Society, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Royal Geographical Society, and the Explorers Club.
Lopes has written many research papers, articles, book chapters and encyclopedia entries. She has been active in the media, featured on numerous documentaries for Discovery channel, National Geographic, History Channel, PBS, and on Nightline, and interviewed by a variety of national and international media. She has written four books, The Volcano Adventure Guide (Cambridge University Press, 2005), Volcanic Worlds: Exploring the Solar System Volcanoes (Praxis-Springer, 2004), Io After Galileo: A New View of Jupiter's Volcanic Moon (Praxis-Springer, 2007), and "Alien Volcanoes" (Johns Hopkins Press, 2008).
Other work and interests
Lopes is a strong supporter of education, diversity, and outreach both nationally and internationally. She has given many public lectures in several countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas and was the co-organizer of the United Nations/ European Space Agency/The Planetary Society workshops in 1992 and 1993. In 2005, she was awarded the Carl Sagan MedalCarl Sagan Medal
The Carl Sagan Medal for Excellence in Public Communication in Planetary Science was established by the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society to recognize and honor outstanding communication by an active planetary scientist to the general public...
by the Division for Planetary Sciences
Division for Planetary Sciences
The Division for Planetary Sciences is a division within the American Astronomical Society devoted to solar system research. It was founded in 1968. The first organizing committee members were: Edward Anders, L. Branscomb, J. W. Chamberlain, R. Goody, J. S. Hall, A. Kliore, M. B. Elroy, Tobias...
of the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
, in recognition of her significant efforts over the past 20 years in public outreach and education, particularly among Hispanic groups and young women. This work includes innumerable public talks, media interviews, articles in magazines and newspapers, a book on planetary volcanism, and major efforts to nurture and mentor young scientists. Her hobbies include scuba diving, hiking, traveling to volcanoes all over the world, and collecting volcano art.
Selected documentaries and TV shows:
- History Channel’s “Prehistoric MegastormsPrehistoric MegastormsPrehistoric Megastorms is a paleontology-based American documentary television series that premiered in 2008 on the History Channel....
” (2008); - “Heads Up” Science Series, Knowledge TV, Canada, episode on New Horizons (January 2008);
- History Channels’ “Search for E.T.”, in “The Universe” series (August 2007);
- PBS “Wired Science” interview on volcanoes (October 2007);
- Discovery Channel’s “Titan: Rendezvous with Saturn’s Moon” (updated version, May 2007);
- National Geographic Television’s “Naked Science: Deadliest Planets” (December 2006);
- History Channel’s “Ask Mr. Know-It-All”, pilot episode (as expert on volcanic dust), 2006;
- History Channel’s “Inside the Volcano” (December 2006);
- Discovery Channel’s “Rewind 2006” (science stories of 2006, December 2006);
- National Geographic Television’s “Hollywood Science: Forces of Nature” (April 2006);
- Nightline’s “Galileo” (September 2003);
- Discovery Channel‘s “Planet Storm” (2001);
- Discovery Channel’s “95 Worlds and Counting” (2001)