Every year, the European Academy of Science awards the Blaise Pascal medal to outstanding scientists. This year, Distinguished Professor Susan Scott has become the first Australian to receive the medal, “in recognition for her contributions to the advances of physics”.
According to the Academy, “Distinguished Professor Susan Scott is an internationally recognised mathematical physicist who has made ground-breaking discoveries in general relativity, cosmology and gravitational wave science spanning more than three decades.
“She played a leading role in Australia’s participation in the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015, and the development of the field of gravitational wave science in Australia following on from that discovery.”
So, what exactly does that work entail? Cosmos sat down with Susan to find out.
More with Susan Scott: Gravitational waves from black holes swallowing neutron stars
Originally published by Cosmos as Gravitational waves on the podium: first Australian to win the Blaise Pascal Medal
Ellen Phiddian
Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.
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