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EGU Award Ceremony (Credit: EGU/Foto Pfluegl)

Arne Richter Awards for Outstanding Early Career Scientists 2020 Beatriz Sánchez-Cano

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European Geosciences Union

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Beatriz Sánchez-Cano

Beatriz Sánchez-Cano
Beatriz Sánchez-Cano

PS Planetary and Solar System Sciences

The 2020 Arne Richter Award for Outstanding Early Career Scientists is awarded to Beatriz Sánchez-Cano for her outstanding research on the complex variability of Mars’ ionosphere through multi-instrument and multi-mission data processing, analysis and interpretation, as well as numerical modelling.

Beatriz Sánchez-Cano’s research focuses on the ionosphere of Mars, for which she revealed a complex variability based on multi-instrument and multi-mission data processing, analysis and interpretation, as well as numerical modelling. Sánchez-Cano has led and published a number of very original studies that have contributed significantly to our understanding of ionospheric physics, such as the use of the Martian total electron content as a tracer for atmospheric cycles, the solar cycle effect on Mars’ ionosphere, and the response of Mars’ atmosphere to solar wind events.

Sánchez-Cano has been highly productive, having published 9 peer-reviewed articles and 1 peer-reviewed book chapter as first author. Her citation metrics are excellent for her stage of career and in her research field. Furthermore, her publications are commonly featured as an ‘Editor’s Highlight’ and are among the most downloaded papers for JGR: Space Physics during the past two years.

Sánchez-Cano has acquired a broad and extensive knowledge of atmospheric and plasma physics and approaches topics with an interdisciplinary view. She has brilliant ideas and is very open and eager to learn new topics. It is worth highlighting that Sánchez-Cano maintains a number of fruitful collaborations demonstrated by visiting science roles at ESA/ESTEC and IRAP. Furthermore, she is involved in current instrument and mission proposals, including the SEP monitor instrument for the Indian ISRO call and the NETSSEM ESA F class mission proposal.

Sánchez-Cano has demonstrated that she has developed the necessary autonomy to successfully lead high-quality research activities and actively contribute to the community. Her scientific work is complemented by outreach activities, including a major contribution to the ESA Guggenheim Chasmata Project featuring Mars Express ionospheric “music”. Sánchez-Cano is amongst the best young talented scientists in her field and therefore a well-qualified and worthy winner of the PS Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award.