In her current role as Head of the Science Coordination Department in the Strategy Directorate at CNES, Mioara Mandea provides technical, management, and strategic leadership in a wide variety of projects linked to Earth and planetary observation. Her broad international education and career in Romania, France, and Germany have given her a European view of geoscience. Since early Mioara’s career, she has held responsibilities as both a researcher and an administrator that are now assets in reviewing projects or nominating scientists for different honours and awards.
Maryam Pourshamsi (MP), ESA, interviews Mioara Mandea (MM), Head of the Science Coordination Department in the Strategy Directorate at CNES.
MP: What was (were) your main reason(s) to nominate someone for the EO Excellence Award and particularly, your winner/ team?
MM: In nominating Benoit Meyssignac for the EO Excellence Award, I wanted to recognise his excellent contributions to geoscience and his role in the space community. I considered that this novel and important award could motivate Benoit to continue his highly valuable research – to make breakthroughs and change our understanding of the Earth’s system. I believed this award could be a way to strengthen Benoit’s community.
MP: Tell us more about your experience during the Award? Did the process and the outcome meet your expectations?
MM: The process was well explained. My experience also helped in preparing a good nomination package.
MP: Now your nominee(s) have that scientific recognition from the EO international community. What has it changed for them from your personal perspective?
MM: Winning the EO Excellence Award has enabled Benoit to open a new window into the geoscience community. Significant recognition in the field of Earth observation from space can help take his career to the next level. Benoit could also be involved in novel, ambitious research and provide leadership in different projects.
Would you like to win the ESA-EGU EO Excellence Award 2023 yourself or do you know someone who can be the winner?
Check out the nomination rules and submit your application https://www.eoxcellence.com/!
About the Author:
Maryam Pourshamsi is an Earth Observation Scientist at European Space Agency. She coordinates the ESA/EGU EO Excellence Award 2023. The award recognises and honours an individual early career scientist and Team that have made an outstanding contribution to the innovative use of Earth Observations, with a focus on the use of European EO datasets in the field of science and applications.
