Isabelle Vauglin
French astrophysicist
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Isabelle Vauglin (born 23 February 1961) is a French astrophysicist who is helping to create an infrared telescope and camera for the Concordia Station of the French Polar Institute Paul-Émile-Victor (IPEV) in the Antarctic. She works for the Centre de recherche astrophysique de Lyon.
Isabelle Vauglin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 February 1961 |
| Occupation | astrophysicist |
| Employer | Centre de recherche astrophysique de Lyon |
| Known for | President of Femmes et sciences |
She became the President of Femmes et sciences in 2022. She led the search for 72 women who would be nominated in 2026 to have their names on the Eiffel Tower.
Life
She is employed by Centre de recherche astrophysique de Lyon.[1]
She proposed creating an infrared telescope and camera for the Concordia base site at Dome C, an Antarctic plateau, in 2020, run by the French Polar Institute Paul-Émile-Victor (IPEV). The location was said to be three times better than other locations because the cold temperatures meant that there was very low background infra-red radiation.[2] The conditions allow a 2-metre telescope to give a similar performance to an 8-metre telescope situated elsewhere or to one of a similar size in space.[3]
In 2022 she became the President of Femmes et Sciences taking over from Isabelle Pianet. She was to serve for two years when she was succeeded by Françoise Conan in 2024.[4]
Vauglin is concerned about the number of French women who are taking on STEM careers. Only 12% of graduates were women in scientific disciplines and engineering studies. Vauglin has estimated that only 1 in 5 engineers is a woman.[5] As the head of Femmes et Sciences, she was a co-chair with Jean-François Martins (of the operating company which runs the Eiffel Tower) to create a list of 72 women scientists, technologists and mathematicians who, it was proposed, should be added to the 72 men already celebrated on the Eiffel Tower. The plan was proposed in March 2025[6] and the list was announced by the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo in January 2026.[7][6]
Distinctions
In 2016, she received the Déco Chevalière de la Légion d'honneur from the minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem.[8] In 2019, she joined the Academy of Lyon learned society.[9]
In 2021, Vauglin received the Equality Medal from the Minister for Gender Equality Élisabeth Moreno.[10][11]
